Contractions, contractions, contractions!

Contractions are a part of life and labor. You simply can't give birth vaginally without them. While mothers tend to worry about what contractions will do, they have a purpose - to open the cervix and help propel the baby out into the world. Contractions are also really good for babies. Contractions act as a massage for the baby stimulating it to be born ready for the world. So the big question in everyone's mind is usually: what do contractions feel like? There is even a free program to help you them called Contraction Master.

The answer to that question will vary from woman to woman and even from labor to labor. Some women describe menstrual like cramps, while others use words like rubber bands. How would you describe the contractions of labor? What about Braxton Hicks Contractions, those pre-labor contractions that some women feel?

Related:

• Labor & Birth
• Timing Contractions
• Signs of Labor
• Braxton Hicks Contractions