When a pregnant woman has reached the point when it is almost time to deliver the baby she will begin to have contractions amongst other signs such as the water breaking. Contractions signify that the time for delivery is near and doctors can predict how soon the woman will deliver based on how far apart the contractions are timed. During contractions the abdomen becomes hard.
There will usually be pain in the lower back and the lower abdomen during the time of contractions. These contractions will move in a pattern like a wave from the top of the uterus to the bottom of the uterus. A lot of women have described them as feeling like very strong menstrual cramps.
