Crampy Feeling?

[Sasha's Mama]

I've been getting braxton hicks occasionally throughout this pregnancy, and a few times lately I've felt what feels like a menstrual cramp - you know the burny achey ones down low or around your back. Is this part of braxton hicks or something else? Normally the braxton hicks just feel like an uncomfortable tightness. I don't really want to bug my midwife for something that's only happened four times.

[jbk21]

Mine have been a little crampy in my lower back too.  If I put my feet up and drink a glass of water it goes away.  Just take it easy when it happens and be sure to drink more water!

[Abraisme]

Yup, it's pretty normal.  With my first pregnancy my bh only felt like tightening.  With my 2nd pregnancy, they started to get more intense as things progressed.  I find that it's a good time to practice my relaxation techniques (Hypnobirthing) so that my body is trained to relax when the real time comes.

[Jennifer B]

I should preface my remarks with the fact that I am VERY high risk with this pregnancy and therefore I am a bit cautious.

That said, if you are feeling crampy, the first thing to do is to drink a big glass of water and lay down for an hour, preferably on your left side.  If you are still feeling crampy, start timing the cramps.  If they are regular and don't go away after resting for an hour, contact your health care provider.

I have had two bouts of pre-term labor so far with this baby, both times the contracts felt exactly like menstrual cramps.  It wasn't until I started timing them that I realized how regular they were.  Both times I went to labor & delivery to be checked out.  We were able to stop the contractions and I got to go home after a few hours both times.

BTW, the labor and delivery staff were awesome and didn't make me feel silly for coming in to be checked out. 

[jbk21]

Such great advice!  I find myself tensing and squirming in my seat.  I have to constantly remind myself to breathe and relax through it. 
 

Originally Posted by Abraisme 

Yup, it's pretty normal.  With my first pregnancy my bh only felt like tightening.  With my 2nd pregnancy, they started to get more intense as things progressed.  I find that it's a good time to practice my relaxation techniques (Hypnobirthing) so that my body is trained to relax when the real time comes.

[1love4ever]

I have not felt any Braxton Hicks yet at 32 weeks, and it was not til the last few weeks of pregnancy that I felt them last time.  But for me last time they were very mild cramps in the lower half of my uterus lasting about 30 seconds.   I actually didnt even know they were BH until I thought about it later lol.   I didnt feel any contractions in my back until about 5cm dilation, when I felt them there for about half an hour or so, and then it went to the front again.   But, yes, what you describe sounds very normal from others stories that I have heard.

[KaliShanti]

Unless they have a pattern to them they are probably fine. I get very crampy and BH contractions the later in preganncy I get.

[KayPea]

Whenever I get crampy, which has been a few times now, it's always because I haven't had enough water so far, and I've usually been doing too much. The crampiness has been on top of increased BH cntxs too. 

I did ask my midwives about it, and they were so very NOT concerned. That's not to say that you shouldn't ask about it at your next appointment, or even sooner if they seem to be coming and going regularly and not going away after water and a rest. 

[jbk21]

Same for me.  Or when I have to pee, I get more BH ctx, haha!  I've always gotten them a lot and very early on in both pregnancies.  I think my uterus is ultra-picky about not having any sort of pressure on it :)

Originally Posted by KayPea 

Whenever I get crampy, which has been a few times now, it's always because I haven't had enough water so far, and I've usually been doing too much. The crampiness has been on top of increased BH cntxs too. 

I did ask my midwives about it, and they were so very NOT concerned. That's not to say that you shouldn't ask about it at your next appointment, or even sooner if they seem to be coming and going regularly and not going away after water and a rest.