Stupid BH. Won't go away. Won't turn into real labor

mattandlora

I've had about 24 hours of nonstop Braxton Hicks. I know they're BH because of how irregular they are. Sometimes there's 2 minutes between, sometimes an hour. Sometimes they last a few seconds, sometimes a few minutes. All the tricks to make them go away won't work (change activity level, change position, drink water, warm bath, etc). I just want them to go away or progress to real labor. But this is ridiculous. I can't get anything done. I see the OB on Monday and have my first internal exam. Let's hope all of this discomfort is doing something!

jerseygirl227

Boo.  Sorry to hear this.   Hang in there.

cneiding

I had this happen before in previous pregnancies.  I had it with my 5th child.  I tried all the tricks..walking etc to try to progress them into a more regular true labor..but it didn't work and didn't work.  After a few days I sort of gave up on it.  Then I was sitting there and suddenly realized there was more order to the contractions and that they were feeling definately more labor like.  Sure enough, it was labor.  That was the best experience I can report with the extended BH.

I had them in my 4th too.  It had only been like 24hours however and I went in for a previously scheduled ultrasound and non stress test.  turns out my fluid was low plus that was the baby they diagnosed with fluid on the brain at that point..so I was induced that day.  Don't know if the BH would have progressed and how.

I also had them with my last pregnancy, the 7th.  I found it super annoying that time because I was like "seriously...this is my 7th child and my body has to fool around with Braxon Hicks.  Doesn't it KNOW what to do by now???" They lasted a couple  days and then I was scheduled to have my water broken the following morning.  Well right when the BH started I THOUGHT my water had broken.  I had a trickle while changing my pants and I had JUST got done peeing and I never had trouble with any sort of bladder leakage before so I thought it was my water.  Went to the hospital only to be told that it wasn't my water.  I was really skeptical but ok.  The BH continued.  They were really picking up the day I went to have my water broke.  My dr tried forever to get my water....poking and digging.  Later a nurse told me my water must have broke when I thought it did because they never confirmed they had gotten when my dr was there!  I don't think she was suppose to tell me that!  Just them digging around, however, progressed the BH to real contractions and a couple hours later my labor was done!  When my baby was born the top of her head was all scratched up from the hook that they tried to break my water with!!!

Do you get your cervix checked at your appointments?  If you end up making it till then you might want to have it checked if you normally don't.  It might get your cervix irritated enough to kick up those contractions

mattandlora

@cneiding - I was hoping to hear from you! I figured if anyone here had been through that, it was you. I haven't had a cervix check yet, but will on Monday.

xuxachi

I have them a lot as well, but it's usually because I'm overdoing it with the other kids or not drinking enough water. So I rest a bit with some water and that helps, but they always come back. So annoying, right?

mattandlora

@xuxachi - that's what mine were like until recently. But yesterday, I tried lying down (for a few hours), drinking water, changing position, warm bath, walking them off, etc. Nothing helped. I would have thought it was the real thing if they weren't so irregular. I still have them today, but less intense.

BabyBliss76

Sorry about the Braxton Hicks! I have them all the time. Started around 20 weeks with this baby. I have to lay down for hours sometimes to make them go away. I have had some pretty strong ones the last week, so the end is close!! Hang in there!

mattandlora

I had them every 4 minutes for 3 hours this afternoon, then they were gone. Now I'm taking a break from scrubbing the walls with a toothbrush

niknak1208

Good luck at your appt! Hopefully there's some progress. That's frustrating for sure!

xuxachi

Maybe your body is telling you that no one should be scrubbing walls with a toothbrush :P hope it gets better for you!!

mattandlora

Ha - @xuxachi - I wasn't doing that when they started. I was just playing with my son. Then I tried all the tricks to make them go away and nothing worked. Then they went away on their own. A few hours later, I started the scrubbing. The BH never came back.

topaz7777

Ugh this exact thing is happening to me also.

mattandlora

On the bright side - the toothpaste splatter behind the sink is finally gone.

sonpetitlapin

Hopefully they have gone away or shown some progress.

xuxachi

Ahhh sorry, misread that. So clearly scrubbing walks with a toothbrush keeps them away. Good tip so have they stayed away?

mattandlora

Eh - they come and go. Either they are regular but don't feel real, or they feel real but are irregular.