Braxton Hicks? « Back to Group Discussions

[TIFF4NY]

For the past two days I've had some pretty strong BH that are not painful but they are uncomfortable and certainly noticeable. My abdomen turns rock solid and I have to stop what I'm doing.

We've been a little more active these last few days but not anything super intensive. Could I still be overdoing it? At what point, if any, should I be concerned about them? If it becomes painful? If there is discharge? 

I didn't ever notice them with my first but I've definitely been noticing them this time around. 

[BeanBean06]

I was in L&D last night for abt 5 hrs cuz I was getting so many and some were painful. Of cur I have a high risk complicated pregnancy but my high risk dr told me if I get more than 3/4 uncomfortable BH in an hr while lying down (which I always am cuz I'm on bed rest lol) and drinking a big glass of water,,. Then I need to go to L&D and get checked. I would think, If you can get them to stop when you sit down and drink that is probably indicative that you were doing to much.

[TIFF4NY]

Last night after noticing them I did drink a ton of water and sat on the couch and felt better/it went away. Just now I wasn't even doing much but got up to walk outside to feed the dogs and noticed my abdomen tighten up. So now I'm back on the couch and have had even more water than usual. I don't know how much more to drink, I was peeing like a mofo all night long. I just want to make sure I don't ignore something that could potentially be harmful.

[BeanBean06]

I understand. It sounds like you are doing good paying close attention but I do know they have told me the further I get the more common it will be to get up to 3/4 in an hr and that can be totally normal (unless they are super painful) I hope they calm down for you I hate BH... I know they serve a repurpose but they suck!!!!!

[firespiritmelody]

I've been getting a ton recently too and with each baby they seem to be more uncomfortable too. I think the general rule is if you can make them go away, you're fine. If not, go get checked out, just in case. Drinking water, resting, laying down, taking a bath, etc are all good ways to relax and hopefully get them to stop. Those are also the same things we tell mama's to do once they're nearing their due date and wondering if "this is it??". Real contractions (usually) get stronger and closer together and generally wont go away.

Braxton hicks do NOT cause you to dilate etc - if you're experiencing cervical change, you're no longer having BH and having "real" contractions.

[TIFF4NY]

Thanks ladies. I drank a ton of water, checked my BP and went and took a shower (our tub is too small) and they are gone for the time being. The household chores are just going to have to wait for the day. =P

[1babysmom]

Lots of BH are really normal for me, so I don't think much about them.  But I can have some days where I get like 10-14 in an hour and it doesn't mean anything for me, it's just how active my uterus is.  I do notice they are far more frequent if I have a really full bladder or if I am dehydrated.  I also get them when I exercise, and sometimes when I drink RRL tea.  There have also been times where I have MORE when I rest than I do when I get up and going.  Just how my body works in the 2nd half of pregnancy, I guess!

[stormysky]

I'm also prone to a lot of braxton hicks. I used to get really bent out of shape about them, but my midwife assured me that some women just contract a lot. 

[brooklyn_warbler]

Originally Posted by 1babysmom 

Lots of BH are really normal for me, so I don't think much about them.  But I can have some days where I get like 10-14 in an hour and it doesn't mean anything for me, it's just how active my uterus is.  I do notice they are far more frequent if I have a really full bladder or if I am dehydrated.  I also get them when I exercise, and sometimes when I drink RRL tea.  There have also been times where I have MORE when I rest than I do when I get up and going.  Just how my body works in the 2nd half of pregnancy, I guess!

This, 100%.  Tiffany, with my second pregnancy I was caught off guard by how many BH I had, and how often.  It seems pretty par for the course with subsequent pregnancies.

[cagnew]

I had them constantly with my first baby. I DID end up dilating in the third trimester and was at a 3 for a few weeks before the birth. Perhaps some of what I thought was BH were actually real contractions? I know that by the end of the pregnancy I couldn't hardly walk without hard BH contractions happening.

I have been having weird BH the last few evenings. At first I thought it was something else since my stomach didn't seem as hard and round as it usually does during BH, but last night I felt around the bottom of my tummy and it was hard. The feeling is uncomfortable, but it's mostly lower down and actually puts pressure on my back and rectum. I'm thinking the baby must be in a strange position. Maybe laying transverse or something. 

[1babysmom]

Originally Posted by cagnew 

I had them constantly with my first baby. I DID end up dilating in the third trimester and was at a 3 for a few weeks before the birth. Perhaps some of what I thought was BH were actually real contractions? I know that by the end of the pregnancy I couldn't hardly walk without hard BH contractions happening.

I am always very dilated too by the time I finally go into labor...like 4-5cm each time!  And it's started at 32/33 weeks for me every pregnancy.  But I never go into labor until at/after my dates, and each of my babies have been castor oil babies (well, DD1 was a more medical induction) so the dilation hasn't affected me negatively in the sense that it's set things off before their time.  But I have had prodromal labor in the last few weeks with my last two.  I don't feel like my BH do much for my dilation, but I DO carry ridiculously low and so there is a lot of pressure down there all the time and I think that has more an effect for me, especially with my huge DS last time. (sometimes I swear I can feel dilation/effacement...like feel the tissue "splitting" to loosen up, and then I do seem stretchier the next time I check....maybe I'm crazy!  But anywho...I generally feel that when I'm up walking around a lot, which would go with the pressure theory)

[brooklyn_warbler]

I don't get cervical checks as we approach labor but I do know that I have had very fast and straightforward labors each time so I assume all my contracting does something!  I always joke that I contract if someone looks at me sideways.  LOL.
 

[Kara9080]

I just started having BH last Thursday or Friday night - woke me up in the middle of the night. I've only had a few each day but they are noticable. Hello 3rd trimester!

[stormysky]

I was also 4-5 cm dilated for over a week before I gave birth to my last 3. Those labors were very fast and I was always at least a week early. My first was a different story.