Natural Birth

Braxton Hicks as precursor to real labor?

I've had a marked increase in BH contractions....off and on all night last night to the point that I had a really hard time sleeping and they have been there all day today--at least 6+ an hour. They don't seem to get better or worse when I change positions/move/eat or drink and they don't hurt...just the normal tightening.

I'm wondering if this a precursor to real labor starting at some point in the near future (as in this weekend, not 3 weeks from now on my due date). Anyone have any past experience to share? 

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Re: Braxton Hicks as precursor to real labor?

  • hello neighbor!

    not for me. i had practice surges all throughout my pregnancy and especially in the last 6 weeks. i had so many the last two weeks i was pregnant with #2 that i might say i was in early labor for 10 days! 

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  • Ok I'm glad that someone else is talking about this problem.  I've still got a little over 5 weeks left and I have been havin BH so bad that I called my midwife at least twice now just to let her know what as going on.  They'll be 10 minuets apart for 2 or 3 hours and then nothing.  I never remember having ANY with my first pregnancy at least none that I recognized.  This time everytime I turn around I'm having some kind of practice surge!  So annoying!  So I'd say what I'm sure you already know, that it's just practice and you'll know when it's the "real" thing!  Good Luck Dear!
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  • Thanks Ladies! I'm just a ball of nerves because honestly, I have a lot left to do at work before I'm ready to be off. I know this baby will come when he's ready but I feel like I'm in race against the clock.
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  • I never felt BH with my first either and then started having timeable, regular contrax 4/1 (we called it DS's april fools joke) until I actually went into labor 4/17.  I went into the hospital to be monitored 4/10 because they were textbook labor (which the nurse remarked as she said that I was in labor by the monitor but not by looking at me) and didn't want to have to call childcare for DD in the middle of the night.
  • I wish I knew... for the past few days, I've had a LOT of BH contractions. Yesterday, every time I moved my stomach would go rock hard. My husband was on a graveyard shift so I kept my feet up most of the night hoping it wouldn't happen while he was away!

    I've felt BH throughout the past few months but they are definitely increasing in quantity and sometimes with a low band of pain at the bottom of my stomach. Bring it on baby Wink

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  • I think for a lot of women the BH do help the body prepare by starting the softening, effacing, dilating process before actual labor starts. I'm not sure how long they will go on before turning into real labor though. I would suspect it's different for everyone.

     I've been having BH for months now but within the last week or so they have definitely gone up in number.  Most of the time they are the same tightening feeling but sometimes they are actually enough to make me stop what I'm doing and breathe. I would think that with all this "practice" something would be going on inside, but alas, I'm still preggo. lol!

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