Giving birth – contractions
Key facts Contractions are when the muscles of your uterus (womb) tighten and then relax during labour. They help open the cervix and move the baby down the birth canal. Braxton Hicks contractions are practice contractions that don’t open the cervix. You can take a warm bath or shower or use a heat pack to relieve the discomfort of contractions. If you are giving birth in a hospital or birth centre, you may be offered medicines or epidural anaesthesia to help ease any discomfort. What is a contraction? Contractions refer to when the muscles in your uterus (womb) tighten and