Torschuetzen

For early contractions: Their main purpose is practice for the uterus. Early contractions as signs of labor usually do not progress labor readily and may stop at any time. False contractions have sent many women to the hospital in hopes of labor only to be sent home to wait out real labor.
For years movies and television programs have perpetuated the vision of a woman in early labor suddenly stopping in public and exclaiming that her water has broken. This does happen, but not nearly as often as these outlets would have you believe. The rush of amniotic fluid that happens when the bag of waters around the baby ruptures may not occur until strong and active labor.