Can't tell if it is a contraction or the babies moving.

AlpacaBunny

Does anyone else ever get confused?  I sometimes can't tell if the tension in my stomach is from the babies shifting around or if it is a contraction.  I just get so frustrated and so worried.  The past few nights I've had a lot of contractions late at night...not enough to have to call the dr., but enough to make me worry.  I wish it could be April already.  I feel like every day I'm thinking...will this be the day I go into labor, or end up back in the hospital.  I mean I sit and I do very little all day long...how is my uterus contracting this much?!  Thanks for letting me vent.

Mrs.McJeep

Do you mean you sit all day long?  That's probably why you are contracting.  I would try laying down for an hour a day.  Tell your doc at your next appointment.

ChiBride2007

My OB said sitting can be worse than standing sometimes because everything is so compressed. He wants my feet up whenever I'm sitting. I just had an NST yesterday (thankfully with no contrax) but they said it can be difficult to tell between movement and contrax with twins. I'd probably call the OB to be on the safe side if you're worried, they're coming in regular intervals, drinking water and laying down doesn't make them go away, etc. Stay hydrated too - I'm so sick of water but down it as much as possible these days. Good luck! PS. I'm hoping for April too!!!

autumngigi

My doctor said that you need to lay down and then if your whole belly feels tight to the touch, its a contraction. I was just like you wondering if it was just the babies moving or a true contraction. Even being in the hospital, sometimes I can't tell. One time I asked a nurse if I was having a contraction, and she said it was a baby's butt, because the tightness was only on one side. As far as your uterus contracting so much, it's being stretched to the limits and then some. So the only way it knows how to react to that is to contract. If you really want peace of mind, I would call your doctor.

Skatcat

I didn't realize until the end that what I thought was a baby moving actually WAS a BH contraction. I finally realized it when I was having a NST and the nurse said I was having a contraction.

For me, I'd get very flushed and warm feeling when I was having one, and I'd feel pressure as if on my lungs. Don't know if that helps you any..

VinsWife

I feel the same way!!!  I am not sure what is what, and everyone says, you will just know!!  Last night my stomach felt sooo tight, and loosed up, I thought it might have been gas, but then the babies were moving like crazy...who knows, I have a Peri appointment this week, I will see what they say.

AlpacaBunny

I am on bedrest, so I am sitting either with my feet up or laying down all day long.  I can get up a little bit to move around the house, so I do that, but not much.  I do get that flushed feeling someone mentioned when I have contractions, so I try to go by that, if I'm feeling those other symptoms too.  I try to poke around and see if any of my stomach feels soft, but sometimes it is hard to know, b/c I feel lumps all over from baby parts.  I do have an OB and peri appt this week, so I'll be sure to ask them about it.  Or I'll call before then if it happens again today or tomorrow. 

Livvie's Mom

I am with you but I think I can finally make the distinction.  I also get period type crampy pressure down there and just like the pp said, a tightening in my lungs.  Also, lots of times if you look down, your belly is all lopsided or pointed or just mishaped and really hard.  My Dr says the most important thing is that they are not coming at regular intervals.

 Keep us posted on what your Dr says.