JaneenBraxton Hicks vs. Real Contractions: How to Tell the Difference
Braxton Hicks contractions do not keep a schedule. They come at random, they do not get stronger, and they usually stop when you walk around or lie down. Real labor contractions, in the words of the Office on Women's Health, "become stronger at regular and increasingly shorter intervals" and keep going no matter what position you try. Time them for an hour and the pattern tells you which one you have.
The comparison, straight from the sources
The Office on Women's Health and MedlinePlus describe the two the same way; the table combines them.
| Braxton Hicks (false labor) | True labor | |
|---|---|---|
| Rhythm | Irregular; "do not come at regular intervals" (MedlinePlus) | Regular, and the gaps shrink |
| Spacing | Random | About 5 to 10 minutes apart, getting closer (MedlinePlus) |
| Length | Variable | 30 to 70 seconds, and getting longer (MedlinePlus) |
| Strength | Not painful; do not intensify | Stronger with each one |
| Movement test | Often stop when you walk or lie down (Women's Health) | Continue regardless of position |
| Cervix | No change | Thins and opens |
What is actually happening
Your uterus is a muscle, and it tightens now and then through the second half of pregnancy without doing anything to the cervix. MedlinePlus calls these false labor: contractions that are not regular, are not painful, and "do not result in cervical changes that suggest the onset of true labor." Your belly goes hard, you notice it, it lets go. NICHD adds a useful calibration for earlier in pregnancy: some tightening is typical, but six or more contractions in an hour is not, and can mean the cervix is opening.
Two equally normal experiences here. Some women feel practice tightenings for weeks. Others never notice one before labor starts.
The one-hour test
When a wave of tightenings starts, do what the Office on Women's Health suggests and change what you are doing. If you were on your feet, lie down. If you were resting, take a slow walk. Then get a clock. The agency's instruction is specific: "keep track of the time one contraction starts to the time the next contraction starts." Write down how long each one lasts as well.
If they fade out over the hour, they were practice. If they settle into a rhythm that tightens, that is your answer.
The threshold that means call
You have probably heard hospitals and childbirth classes use the "5-1-1" shorthand. The federal version, from MedlinePlus, is worded slightly differently: call your provider for "regular, painful contractions every 5 to 10 minutes for 60 minutes," or contractions lasting 60 to 90 seconds. NICHD's description of early labor lines up: contractions 30 to 60 seconds long, every 5 to 20 minutes, getting stronger. Your own care team may set a different threshold based on your history or how far you live from the hospital, and their number wins.
One tap per contraction — Janeen's timer tracks duration and spacing, applies the 5-1-1 analysis, and tells you when the rhythm looks like the real thing.
Download Janeen freeWhen to call regardless of the clock
- Contractions every 10 minutes or more often before 37 weeks, or cramps, pelvic pressure, a low dull backache, or a change in discharge at that stage. NICHD lists these as preterm labor symptoms.
- Leaking amniotic fluid, a gush or a trickle, with or without contractions.
- Any vaginal bleeding other than light spotting.
- Lower back pain and cramping that does not go away.
- Decreased fetal movement. See our kick counter guide.
MedlinePlus also tells you to call "for any other reason if you are unsure what to do." Labor and delivery units take this question all day. Nobody there is annoyed by it.
Frequently asked questions
What do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like?
A tightening across the belly that comes and goes without a rhythm. MedlinePlus describes them as not painful and not regular, and Women's Health says they often stop when you walk or lie down.
When do Braxton Hicks contractions start?
The federal sources do not give a start week. NICHD notes that some uterine tightening is typical during pregnancy, and most women who notice it do so in the later months. Before 37 weeks, six or more in an hour is a reason to call.
What is the 5-1-1 rule for contractions?
A shorthand many hospitals use for contractions about 5 minutes apart, lasting about 1 minute, for 1 hour. MedlinePlus phrases the call threshold as regular, painful contractions every 5 to 10 minutes for 60 minutes, or contractions lasting 60 to 90 seconds. Follow whichever your own care team gave you.
How do I know if it's real labor?
Real labor contractions come regularly, get closer together, last longer, and grow stronger, and they do not stop when you change position or rest. Time them from the start of one to the start of the next; a strengthening rhythm over an hour is the signature.
The bottom line
Irregular, painless, and gone after a walk means practice. Regular, stronger, and closer together means time them and call at every 5 to 10 minutes for an hour. Before 37 weeks, skip the rules and call for anything regular. To get ready for the real day, see what to expect at your prenatal appointments, and learn what losing your mucus plug really signals.
Official sources
- HHS Office on Women's Health: Labor and birth — accessed September 8, 2026.
- MedlinePlus (NIH): Am I in labor? — accessed September 8, 2026.
- NICHD: What are the symptoms of preterm labor? — accessed September 8, 2026.
- NICHD: What are the stages of labor? — accessed September 8, 2026.
See also: signs of labor and when to go in.