Braxton Hicks contractions are intermittent uterine contractions that can start early on in pregnancy.  Some women never notice them, others notice them early on, and still others will not notice them until about half way through the pregnancy.  These contractions are named after Doctor John Braxton Hicks who first described them in 1872.  Braxton Hicks will likely occur more frequently the farther you progress in your pregnancy and, in your last few weeks, may even come regularly and painfully which can cause confusion with preterm labor.  Braxton Hicks at the end of your pregnancy can be very intense and frequent, but they aren’t pointless; these contractions can help efface (thin out) and possibly even dilate (open up) your cervix.  While some doctors may call this false labor, it is more aptly described as prelabor because it does actually have a purpose in preparing your cervix for labor…