For the past few days now that I have been feeling the 'flutters' of baby moving; I like to lay on the couch with my hands on my lower belly to see if I can feel anything from the outside.
The last few nights, while poking around on my belly I have randomly noticed that sometimes my uterus is very hard. Sometimes I have to really search for it and sometimes it is very hard & distinct. When I notice that it feels hard; it seems to stay hard for a while - maybe 5 to 10 minutes?
I consulted Dr. Google and read about Braxton Hicks (which I never experienced with my last pregnancy) but those seem more like a quick tightening and release. This is lasting several minutes.
Any idea what this could be? Could it be baby pushed up against my belly? Or does your uterus just feel hard sometimes?
Could it be Braxton Hicks even though it seems to last a while and there is no tightening feeling at all? If I hadnt been poking around down there, I never would have even noticed that it felt hard?
Re: Is your uterus supposed to be hard?
I was worried and talked with my midwife about it, cus I thought it was a little early for BH. (mine are mostly shorter though) She said it is a bit early for that, even for a second timer like me, but your uterus is going through all kinds of crazy things and any of those stretchings and growings and ligament movements can cause the hardness.. I think technically it is a type of contraction, but it's just the muscles getting a work out as they stretch. Nothing to worry about unless there is real pain or it becomes a regular timable thing.
P.S. I am pretty sure I actually felt the baby on the outside today, I have been feeling tiny kickings and one very softly I felt with my hand as well!