Carla Tardi is a technical editor and digital content producer with 25+ years of experience at top-tier investment banks and money-management firms. Robert Kelly is managing director of XTS Energy LLC ...

Labor contractions are the physical way your uterus tightens to promote delivery of your baby. All body muscles tighten and shorten (contract) when they’re being used. And the uterus is one of the ...

Muscle contraction is the tightening, shortening, or lengthening of muscles when you do some activity. It can happen when you hold or pick up something, or when you stretch or exercise with weights.

A gush of water, being doubled over in pain, the head of your baby crowning. These are things many women picture when they think of labor. However, for most laboring women, these things take time and ...

Braxton Hicks contractions are uterine contractions that start in early pregnancy. Most don't notice them until sometime in the second or third trimester – and some women never notice them at all.

Braxton Hicks contractions happen with all pregnancies to help your body prepare for labor. They might feel like a mild muscle spasm, tightening in your baby bump, or menstrual cramps. Not sure if you ...

One of the biggest things a first-time mother may wonder as she approaches her due date is what contractions will feel like during labor. Many women may even wonder if they will be able to recognize ...