How can you tell the difference between Braxton Hicks contractions, and real contractions? I know people who thought they were really in labor and all it was, were Braxton Hicks contractions. So they got sent home. So if its the middle of the night, how do you know when you are truly ready? I havent had a baby yet as you can tell, I'm just asking questions to know for later, Thanks!

Real contractions will be regularly spaced, get more intense, and get more frequent with time.

WELL IN MY EXPERIENCE MY BRAXTON HICKS WERE REGULARLY SPACED AND GOT STRONGER. MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT IF THEY WENT AWAY WHEN YOU CHANGED POSITION OR IF YOU TOOK A WARM BATH THEN THEY WERE BRAXTON HICKS BUT MINE NEVER DID. AND LET ME TELL YOU THEY HURT JUST AS MUCH AS THE REAL THING!!!!!!THEY WOULD ALWAYS LAST 5-6 HOURS THEN JUST STOP ALL OF A SUDDEN.BUT SINCE MOST OF THE TIME I WAS HAVING THEM I WAS WAY EARLY SO I ENDED UP GOING TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR JUST TO BE SENT HOME. MY "REAL" CONTRACTIONS WERE ALWAYS IRREGULAR. SO EVEN IF YOU KNOW ALL THE WAYS TO TELL THEM APART THEY MAY NOT FOLLOW THAT PATTERN AND YOU STILL MAY NOT KNOW! TRUST ME IT WAS EMBARASSONG BUT THE NURSES UNDERSTAND AND THEY WOULD RATHER YOU COME IN AND BE SENT HOME THEN TO WAIT AND BE IN REAL LABOR AND END UP HAVING AT HOME OR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY

wow! It sounds pretty scary! I guess you will know for sure when your water breaks. But that dosent always happen either! I am scared when I do become pregnant and I start to have labor pains, that I may get sick. My cramps are really bad when I'm on my period that they make me sick. I would be scared about contractions!