Childbirth: facing the fear of contractions

You're probably one of the many moms-to-be who dreads contractions, so how do you deal with the pain?

• From the 37th week of pregnancy, you may feel your belly harden. These are small, usually painless contractions that prepare the cervix for dilation.
• After 9 months, your baby is ready to come out, and your body signals this by causing regular, intense, and painful contractions.
• To cope with these, take a birth preparation class to learn about this natural process and techniques to relieve the pain.