Braxton Hicks frequency « Back to Group Discussions

[snugglebug14]

Hey ladies...how often are you getting braxton hicks contractions? I'm not worried about it being pre-term labor or anything. I don't really think it's a problem. I'm just curious how often everyone else is getting them at this point, because I feel like I'm getting them a lot more frequently than I did with my other two pregnancies. 

Oh and on a side note...my hips are freaking killing me lately! I know it's just the joints loosening up and doing their job, but oh boy! my hips and groin muscles are just sooooo sore :(

[yellow73]

I have them several times a day this time around.  It does seem a bit strange, as I never had any with my first, and they started daily with my second at about 37 weeks (totally thought I was in labor, lol). 

I've kept the back/hip pain at bay with weekly chiro visits and frequent massages. I'm lucky though, as I have a good friend who does massages and cuts me an awesome deal.  I've had three this month!

[BroodyWoodsgal]

Don't get me started on the pain, jesus....the hip, back and sciatica pain are non-stop now. Some night I can **honestly** hardly walk across a room because of the sciatica. SO annoying that it's this bad, this early with this pg!

As far as BH ctx are concerned, I'm getting them A LOT this time....much more frequent and noticeable at this point than even a couple of weeks ago. They come in spurts, toward the evening they pick up and actually will come quite rhythmically...like every five minutes, very tight, last for a minute or so...but that's only if I sit still for them. As soon as I shift position they will sort of peter out and go away.

[LionessMom]

i get them all the time. every pregnancy they seem to be more noticeable. if i have to pee, if i need some water, if i worked too hard, if i bent over the wrong way. etc. 

[KristaDJ]

I usually get them starting around nine weeks and have several an hour. By the middle of pregnancy I have at least 10 an hour until the end. This time I have hardly noticed them and they are almost always from needing to pee, tight waistband, or using my abdominal muscles too much. I think it's because I cut gluten out of my diet; I have noticed a lot less of the unpleasant pregnancy symptoms this time and that is really the only factor that is different. 

[BroodyWoodsgal]

Originally Posted by LionessMom 

i get them all the time. every pregnancy they seem to be more noticeable. if i have to pee, if i need some water, if i worked too hard, if i bent over the wrong way. etc. 

YEAH PEEING! It's so crazy how that brings them on EVERY time...haha...bend the wrong way, etc...yup.

[sraplayas]

I'm in my 23rd week and the last week I've had alot of BH. It is kind of starting to concern me.

I have had them throughout the day, even in my morning walk but if I slow down they stop. It's more of an issue from mid-afternoon until bedtime, and even in the night when I get up to go to the bathroom I'll feel them. It seems almost automatic at a certain time of night, when I used to get tired I'd get chills (this preg.) and now it is BH.

My water intake these past days hasn't been great (I've been aiming for 3 liters a day and I've averaged 1 liter a day the past few days + tea). So I'm wondering if this might be it?

I haven't contacted my MW b/c I am in the process of transferring and so I am "in between" at this point. I'm afraid to go to my OB b/c I do not want an internal exam and she's not super gentle.

Trying not to overreact but this pregnancy is so different than the last two! Oh my!

I have had a lot of emotional stress that I am trying hard to manage and of course keeping up with DS and DD's homework/school schedule. But otherwise who knows.

Is it possible to go on like this and deliver at term??

[kjourdan]

I definitely think that one thing you could do is increase your water intake, if you feel like it has been lackluster.  One of my friends was having a lot of BH after suffering from a stomach bug and once she got re-hydrated they got much better.

[LionessMom]

yeah that. that is always the first thing to do. more water, and resting. ie laying around and doing nothing. as much as you can get away with. 

[sraplayas]

I took my water back up to 2-3 liters and after about 12 hours my BH normalized! Thinking it might also be time to transition from walking/jogging to just walking daily...

Thanks for the input!