laugs contractions can start at any time after waters break, sometimes they don't come at all. The hospital will not allow broodilla to go for more than 24 hours after her waters break. If she does not go into full labour naturally they should induce her, as once water break, it is 'open' and there is a risk of infection if it is left too long.
I had painless contractions, i guess they were braxton hicks, but they came at specific times and lasted a specific time, from the moment my waters broke, until about 6 hours later, then they started to hurt .
beepbeep have you tried kedgeree, drunk with a glass of iron fortified orange juice, or if you can stomach it, grapefruit juice, which is even higher in vit c (in case you don't know, kedgeree is a curried rice dish, with vegetables, can be spicey or mild, served with mackerel/smoked haddock, boiled eggs, a dollop of mango chutney and usually plain yoghurt, but I would suggest no yoghurt, as diary slows the absorption of iron). I try to eat this twice a week because it is lovely, it keeps really well if you cannot eat very much, in fact tastes better re-heated the next day