Experienced by millions, described differently by almost all, contractions are the not so subtle sign that your little one is finally on the way. Labeled as cramping, a gripping sensation, perhaps a wave of intense discomfort - different women feel them high, low, front or back. But what are contractions exactly, and why should you keep an eye on them as they develop? What are contractions? Labor contractions are actually the muscles in your uterus repeatedly tightening and relaxing as they physically prepare your body to give birth. They help the lower part of the uterus and cervix to relax and stretch, moving your baby into the birth canal for delivery. Why it’s important to time them As labor unfolds contractions will increase in strength, start to last longer, and occur more and more frequently. Keeping track of your contraction pattern is very helpful for your doctor. It gives a good picture of your labor progress, and can help your medical team to make timely, more accurate decisions surrounding your delivery. How to track your contractions When you’re tracking your contractions you want to know two things. How long does each contraction last? And how frequently you’re experiencing them. Duration – Time each contraction from beginning to end. Frequency and Interval – Time from the beginning of a contraction to the beginning of the next. Tracking your contractions with uGrow With your uGrow app, there is no need to go scrambling around for a pen, paper and a stopwatch. The handy contraction tracker lets you time and monitor your contractions, and gives you an hourly summary of how things are going. All you or your partner has to do is press ‘start’ at the beginning of a contraction, and ‘stop’ at the end. Simple!