Braxton Hicks or Baby Moving?

Smile58

How can you tell the difference between the baby moving and a braxton hicks contraction? My upper bump has been tightening a lot today, and the bottom stays squishy. TMI, I know!  

But, because the baby still feels 'high', how can I tell if the tightening is a braxton hicks contraction or the baby turning himself around up there? Is that even possible? I've got a Dr. appt tomorrow but was wondering if anyone had any thoughts before then...tia!

mrsoc

I never had BH contractions, with this pregnancy or the last one...or if I did, I did not notice them.  I hear that drinking water helps to relieve them, if that is what you are feeling.  

goosh24

I don't think I'm much help but I had the same issue as you and didn't realize that they were BH-I just thought she was sticking her butt out.  I didn't feel uncomfortable but certain spots of my bump, at the top right for me, would get really hard and kind of tight (I guess that's how I would explain it).  I didn't know that it was BH until a nurse told me, which made me feel silly.

Smile58

Yes, that's it! The top right usually will get really hard and really tight. I can feel his butt? shoulder? something pushing up against the skin, but it overall feels really tight too. Not painful at all, but a couple were so intensely hard/tight that it took my breath away.

I've been drinking water like a crazy woman but it doesn't seem to help much. And, they are definitely more pronounced than ever. I am going to ask about them tomorrow b/c they are so frequent. Weird, b/c up until today they were super infrequent. Maybe because I finally broke down and had a cup of coffee?

Thanks Ladies!

Kristen61607

See my dr. told me that if it was hard just in one spot, it was the baby pushing on you. If your whole uterus is hard/tight, that was a BH. I've had both, but definitely get a baby pushing on me far more than BH's.

Based on my growth u/s last week, I know how my babies are situated in there and I can really actually feel them when the push out and make one spot hard. It's so weird - I don't like it honestly! lol! 

mommabird77

That is funny Kristen, because my doctor and NP told me that if you feel tightness in one area, that is a BH. If you feel tightness everywhere, that is a contraction.  The reason why this came up is because I thought I was having BH, and it turned out I was actually having contractions.

Kristen61607

Oh that is weird! I don't know then?!

Well either way I told my Dr - I HAVE felt both (not very often - maybe once or twice a day? And it's almost always hard in just one spot) but he said that's to be expected because my uterus is measuring 6 weeks ahead (twins). Plus I get bi weekly cervix checks and my cervix is staying long and closed, so I guess if it was bad we'd know about it!