Another contraction question

[JD5351]

So your uterus is supposed to get hard, right? Like how hard is hard? If I push on it, will there be any give, or just harder than normal?

I'm having some icky feelings just now...I think it's just the baby moving weird, but when it does, I feel tighter and a horrible crampy feeling right under my belly, like pubic bone/bladderish area. It hurts bad enough to make me make a weird noise.

[Delight]

My tummy gets as hard as a rock during contractions...braxton hicks or real. It usually takes on a funny shape as well.

[JD5351]

And that's what is confusing to me....Because both trips I've made to L&D, the first for issues with breathing, then last week with the puking,etc..They've come in and said, 'You're having contractions" and I don't even know....lol

Like now for example, it feels tighter than it did a little while ago. And I know it's not the baby because I can feel him hunched up on the other side.

[Quate]

Is it hard everywhere? If so, it's probably a contraction. I guess ... but I'm new to this too.

[JD5351]

It's hard where he's all humped up...But that's just the baby I'm sure. The rest of me feels tight, but I can push and it has some give.

[~Katie~]

If it doesn't physically hurt its probably not a contraction. If its a strong tightening sensation, its probably a BH. BH's are often located in relation to how the baby is positioned, and can be a sign of your body trying to position the baby correctly for birth. Are you staying really well hydrated? The color of your urine is a good indication of how hydrated you are. If its clear, you're drinking enough. Menstrual-like cramping low in your abdomen can be a sign of early effacement or so I've read.

[lil_miss_understood]

I'm subbing because I want to be in the thread when a new baby gets born.

[JD5351]

I'm drinking tons...I've gone through half a gallon of cranberry juice and tons of water today.

I'm sure I'll know when it's the real thing, but I hate not knowing what's going on...lol

And LOL@Jacqueline...I think I have a few more weeks to go. I have to make it till at least Sunday though. I'm not missing my own baby shower..lol

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by JD5351

I'm drinking tons...I've gone through half a gallon of cranberry juice and tons of water today.

I'm sure I'll know when it's the real thing, but I hate not knowing what's going on...lol

And LOL@Jacqueline...I think I have a few more weeks to go. I have to make it till at least Sunday though. I'm not missing my own baby shower..lol

I'm sure Lil'Momma thought the same thing.
But : to getting til Sunday if that's what you want!

ETA: Okay, maybe she didn't but still!

[Punchy Kaby]

I have been through this once and I am questioning myself whether I am going to *know* when real contractions start. Last time i knew labor started because my water broke. Can someone jump in my body and tell me wait there is already someone there, no more room left!

[CookAMH]

I'm basically planning mentally to have many starts and stops in the next couple of weeks. I get the BH throughout the day, always when I take a walk and other times randomly. It's very tight and firm but not painful. Other times I've gotten more real ctx that come every few minutes but don't amount to anything and are usually after sex. I've also had several occasions of menstrual like cramping that like Katie said, I've heard is working toward effacing.

I was tempted to get checked today...but resisted. I might give in next week though to see where I am, not for any prediction of labor.

[JD5351]

I get checked on Tuesday. I've had 2 checks at the hospital, but nothing came of those. I'll be glad to see some sort of progress other than getting bigger and bigger by the day..lol

[Full Heart]

Yes, during a contraction your stomach will be rock hard. All over. It might even hurt to the touch. But the pain is not in the belly area usually. Its usually in the lower part where your cervix is, around your back, your hips, down your legs. For me I don't notice that my belly is hard as much as I realize, Oh wait, that really hurts.

[ScootchsMom]

I've got two different things going on:

The period like cramps, down low in the front, but my stomach is not tight at all.

Than I have the tummy tightening BH contractions, that make it hard to breath because the tightness is constricting my lungs.

With DD, I didn't know I was having contractions until a non-stress test at the OB's office. I think it is so totally different for everyone, you can only really guess at this point what is going to happen