How do I distinguish false labour from what’s real?

About one in five women experience false labour. Mildly painful false labour contractions may run regularly for a while, without any significant changes in the cervix, and then they fizzle out. Initially it is usually treated seriously, as a potential premature labour (because sometimes it is), and later may be diagnosed as an ‘irritable uterus’. Labour, false or otherwise, usually starts with contractions 15–20 minutes apart, or less. But you can always tell if it is real labour — if it goes away, it was false.  But if they are a deep central pain that is regular and rhythmic, then that is of concern before 37 weeks and you should be phoning your LMC.