Sometimes labor occurs long before expected and sometimes it seems that labor will never begin. There are times when a person has bouts of start and stop contractions, even as close as five minutes apart that after a few hours lighten up and space and then disappear.
Please be assured that any contractions are moving you closer to having your baby, even if they aren’t labor contractions. It is normal to have contractions during the last few weeks of pregnancy. It is also normal (typically for first timers) to not feel any contractions, even Braxton Hicks contractions, until labor has started.
“False labor” does not mean that you are not making progress. These preliminary contractions help the cervix to soften, to tilt forward and to thin, which all must happen to the cervix before it can open or dilate.
If you think you may be in labor, try the following: hydrate well, take a shower or tub bath (as long as your bag of water isn’t broken) and rest. If contractions increase in intensity and frequency, this is more likely to be labor.