Anyone having strong BH Ctx?

[ctdoula]

I never noticed them with my dd (so I'm really thinking they weren't this strong). I have them probably a couple times a day. They're pretty strong.

Anyone else?

[Ravenmoon]

this is my fourth babe and i get several a day depending on what i am doing.They are strong enough that i have trouble breathing and they often feel like heavy menstrual cramps.The more kids you have the stronger they get.

[liawbh]

Glad I'm not the only one! I've been having mild ones for several weeks. THe past week I've had some stronger ones.

[ctdoula]

Thank you Ravenmoon. That makes me feel much better. I *knew* they were normal, but when it's you, that seems to fly out the window, LOL.

[saharasky]

A few good strong BH every day ...

[jessikate]

I've been having some doozies lately. Usually if I go out for a walk. Fun. I definitely don't remember having them this early with DD.

[danaalex]

i had them start around 24 weeks with my first and maybe 20 weeks with my second. maybe a little sooner even. this time they started at 11 weeks. they're not that bad yet, but enough that i do notice them.

[Zanymom]

I have them a couple times a day. Especially if I do too much. Helps me remember to take a break every now and then. :) I get really bad ones after sex though.

[saharasky]

I get really bad ones after sex though.

LOL ... me too!!

All thanks to the delightful cervix ripening prostaglandins found in semen combined with orgasm. I have noticed that they aren't as uncomfortable if there's only an orgasm and no prostaglandins LOL. TMI maybe? :o

[SoftLetters]

ive been having anywhere from 3-7 braxton hicks contractions every hour for more than a week now. my midwife said i have an "easily irritated uterus". i sneeze i contract. i poke my belly, i contract. so on and so forth.

ugh. this also means im a strong candidate for preterm labor/delivery she said.

jenny.

[FreeRangeMama]

ive been having anywhere from 3-7 braxton hicks contractions every hour for more than a week now. my midwife said i have an "easily irritated uterus". i sneeze i contract. i poke my belly, i contract. so on and so forth.

That isn't necessarily true. I have an "irritable uterus" and yet I have yet to give birth before my due date. I started having strong contractions at around 16 weeks this time and have them very frequently. They are less painful if I am well nourished and well hydrated, but still there. I can get several an hour all day and night sometimes. It was similar with the last 2 as well, but I started later I think. I went to 42 weeks with #1 and 41 weeks with #2 so I doubt I will go early this time either. Just keep well hydrated and make sure to keep eating healthy. That is the best you can do :)

[SoftLetters]

That isn't necessarily true. I have an "irritable uterus" and yet I have yet to give birth before my due date. I started having strong contractions at around 16 weeks this time and have them very frequently. They are less painful if I am well nourished and well hydrated, but still there. I can get several an hour all day and night sometimes. It was similar with the last 2 as well, but I started later I think. I went to 42 weeks with #1 and 41 weeks with #2 so I doubt I will go early this time either. Just keep well hydrated and make sure to keep eating healthy. That is the best you can do :)

so glad to know that someone else has had this problem and gone (more than!) full term. she didnt make it seem like it was for sure but "probable". whew!

[iamama]

Today I asked someone if you can get them this early. I'm actually due in May. So I'm glad to see that its not all in my head!

[LiminalOne]

I've been getting them for awhile now (in retrospect). The tightening reminds me of how your throat feels when it's closing. I also feel like I've been having a lot and am really trying to stay hydrated to make sure that they don't turn into PTL, but the glass of water at my side is not very appealing at all.

I keep trying to have faith that they are priming the pump, but want to make sure that they don't send me over the edge and away from my homebirth...

[julesmiel]

I haven't felt any yet, but I'm reading this thread so I'll feel ready when I do.

I also feel like I've been having a lot and am really trying to stay hydrated to make sure that they don't turn into PTL, but the glass of water at my side is not very appealing at all.

Just wanted to share that when I had morning sickness and had trouble drinking water, adding tons of ice really helped it go down much easier. A simple thing, but I had always had it room temp and never thought of ice until someone suggested it. HTH :)

[wasabi]

ive been having anywhere from 3-7 braxton hicks contractions every hour for more than a week now. my midwife said i have an "easily irritated uterus". i sneeze i contract. i poke my belly, i contract. so on and so forth.

ugh. this also means im a strong candidate for preterm labor/delivery she said.

jenny.
Um yeah wanted to ditto freerangemamma. I had irritable uterus with #3 and I had her the day after my EDD. I was never told I was at risk for preterm delivery/labor. The whole point is that irritable uterus is not preterm labor. They are frequent but not cervix changing contractions. I had more than they want you to have per hour (what is it 6?) more often than not from about 26 weeks on.

This time around I only started feeling them regularly and really strong ones recently. But they are really picking up the pace. While I don't have them as often as I did with DD they do seem to get stimulated easily. I pick up DD I have one. I chase DD I have one. I carry the laundry up the stairs I have one etc. I do know what labor feels like so at this point I figure until I feel that I'm fine. I fully expect to go to my due date this time around just as I have with the previous three. :shrug

[proudmamanow]

I'm now at 32.5 weeks (first-timer) and I still haven't felt any yet. I'm NOT complaining LOL, but I do know they're good for warming things up, and I'm kinda curious about them!

[jjsexton]

I have what seems like a pretty constant BH all the time! Just tight, tight, tight, with the occasional stronger twinge, but I never feel them 'moving down the uterus' like the books say I should.

Last time my midwife tried to check the baby's position she couldn't even feel past my rock-hard uterus. She's having me drink more water and also take Black Haw tincture to relax the uterus...I've been on that for more than a week now and have noticed only slight improvement.

Have been joking with DH that if it continues this way the baby might just have to be named Braxton! Ha!

[sarajane]

:D Braxton is kinda a nice name come to think of it! LOL

Anyway, I haven't had a one. Not that I felt that is for sure. I kinda wish I would have some. I tend to think it may help me prepare myself mentally this being my first baby.

[Boof]

Another first timer here, starting week 32 (eep!)

I had a few mild ones in december, mostly when I'd been on my feet for too long or walking too much, but last week, oh my! Had 3 in one hour, which freaked me out. I've had them a lot in the last week. Didn't have any yesterday tho- whew!

They don't hurt, it's just really tense, kinda scary since I have no idea what's coming later as far as labor goes. I realized that we'd had the heat up in the bedroom and I was waking up dehydrated. I'm making extra sure to get all the water I need to stay properly hydrated (even tho I already drink 3 litres a day!), and we've turned down the heat. It's colder, but whatever, we have an extra comforter and I can throw on a robe when I run to the bathroom.

I don't mind it so much, especially if it's a warm up that will make things easier later ;-) Here's to hoping...

xoxoxoxo

Beth

[jjsexton]

I am in the bathroom literally every 10 minutes; every hour all night.
How am I supposed to keep myself hydrated when every time I drink water the baby rolls over my bladder and thwarts me?!?!

:)

All the peeing really is driving me batty, though. I peed a lot pre-pregnancy and it's only gotten worse. ARGH! Just have to keep reminding myself it's just 6 (ish) more weeks....

[Boof]

I was avoiding drinking too much water for a while until I realized this: You're gonna hafta pee no matter what (and baby will use bladder as a trampoline at will), so you might as well drink a lot!


Glub...glub...glub...

xoxoxoxo

Beth

[wasabi]

This is new for me actually. I always carried my babies so high that it's odd to be experiencing an urge to pee every time I stand up or all those weird low twinges I'd read about but never really felt myself. Very strange. :LOL

[hawkfeather]

i get dozens of bh every day.. enough that at least once a day i htink *o* maybe i should keep an eye on these, than of course they stop!..
with my last i had a pretty intense bout of prodromal labour at about 30 weeks.. which sent me to bedrest town.. it was *any day now* until she came ....at 42 weeks..lol.. i am hoping this is not a repeat.. i have no interest in being in labour for 2 months...heh

[7kiddosmom]

I get them everyday, some so strong I have to breath through them. If it is your second or more child you tend to have them earlier, more frequent and stronger. Fun Fun! Only a few more weeks to go!

Kasey

[Wackadoo]

Haven't been around for a while, but this thread caught my eye because I don't remember BH at all with my first but this go round, whew, all the time it seems! But yeah, especially when I'm walking or lugging the almost-4-y-o about. Good to hear others' stories!

[nathansmum]

I also haven't been around this board for a while...

But I never noticed BH with my first pregnancy and in fact only realised that I got them about two months back - didn't realise that the bowling ball feeling is what they are. :o

Anyhow, a few weeks ago I a BH about 5mins apart for about 3hrs - didn't twig to it until about 2hrs into it and started timing them, phoned my M/W and by the time she phoned me back 15mins later they'd stopped. She wasn't too concerned and just said to keep an eye on the intensity etc as far as whether I'm likely to go into PTL.

[lllani]

this is my fourth baby and I get TONS of B/Hs! The midwife asked about a month ago if I had them and I said "when don't I?!" She startled me when she told me to tell if I was having more than 4 or so an hour- well I was and still am regularly. But as someone else mentioned they are not cervix changing so it is okay. I had lots last two babes two, definitely get more noticable each pregnancy.

Now I just make sure to drink lots of water and rest if they are getting to be too much. Oh, I am about 35 weeks too. I too have not had early babies so I am not worried.

And to those first timers who haven't felt them.... I didn't think I had either in my first pregnancy but after actual labor I realized I had had them but they didn't really hurt or anything so I didn't acknowledge them. Mostly just a tightening of the belly....

Lani
mom to four (almost- due early april)