contractions vs babies moving

Mrs.Babbsy

I am getting to the point where I can't tell what is a contraction and what is the babies moving. My belly gets hard and I am not sure what I should be counting.

Please tell me I am not stupid and this is normal.

How do I truly tell? I have gone into PTL at 19 weeks..... help.

mrscalkins

If it's getting hard, it sounds like a contraction.  It's probably just Braxton Hicks, but since you've had PTL, I'm not sure how you would tell the difference.  You're definitley not stupid, and for me, BH were very very normal, I had them all through the 3rd tri.  Just make sure there isn't a pattern to the contractions, if they are really random, then it's most likely BH.  I do remember my doc telling me to call if I had a lot within 1 hour, say, 5?  Sadly, I can't remember the number. 

Mrs.Babbsy

Yes that's our rule too, 5 in an hour. I have been paying attention to so you think you can dance and haven't been counting. Shame on me. I go in tomorrow for a growth scan so I will ask then and start counting now. It's so hard to tell.

mrscalkins

If it doesn't seem like the pain is increasing then it probably just is BH.  You would probably also start to pick up a pattern to it.  Of course, I'm kind of talking out my ass since I never went into real labor, just pitocin induced mayhem.  If it helps you track it, check out this website  www.contractionmaster.com   I think it's still up and running. 

Mrs.Babbsy

THANKS!!!!! How helpful!

boshi799

I so had this issue and could not tell what was what - movement or BH? I am almost 37 weeks now, and have learned from experience that the feelings that I was questioning (in my late 20 weeks) were in fact BH. Hope that helps.

hollyoid7

what I would always do was when I feel my stomach getting hard I would feel in different places. If it was hard all over that is was contractions, but if it wasn't it was just babies...Make sure you say something to your doc tomorrow. They could do a non-stress test and just monitor you for a hour and see what is going on.

allinduetime

when i have a contraction, i swear i can feel my entire pulse/heartbeat over my entire abdomen - that's how i can tell.  but i also get a distinct wave-like feeling, almost like nausea. 

omalley

Mrs.Babbsy:

Yes that's our rule too, 5 in an hour. I have been paying attention to so you think you can dance and haven't been counting. Shame on me. I go in tomorrow for a growth scan so I will ask then and start counting now. It's so hard to tell.

I had a lot of BH contractions during the last month or 2.  I would keep a notepad next to me while watching tv and would just jot the time down when I would get one.  It helped me 2 ways: if I was getting more that 5 or 6 in an hour and I needed to call my dr.  Also sometimes I would just feel like I was having them frequently but when I checked my notepad times they were more stretched out than I thought.

I was on bedrest from 32 weeks so I did a lot of sitting in front of the tv and my time felt distorted! ;-) 

groovygrl

DItto the pp who said that a contraction (real or BH) would be hard pretty much all over so I'd feel in different places. The babies moving, esp at 27 weeks, shouldn't cause major firmness in large areas, they're still pretty small. I'm 32 weeks and if they stick their butt out or something, that specific area will get firm but not all over and it doesnt really feel like a contraction, more like something trying to shove its way out of my belly.?

GL!!! In my first few weeks on bedrest, I had so much trouble figuring out what to be worried about & was constantly poking at my belly, it sucked. ?

franciscaz

My best advice is that when in doubt GO IN TO L&D.  It is sooo hard to tell.  I didn't think I was having issues but holy moly I was having contractions.  For me I had a lot of period like cramping and would get small short ones... but that was enough to land me here