Full moon and BH contractions

jfletcher3113 · February 2014

Maybe some of you have heard this theory but it was new to me!

I've been getting Braxton Hicks since about 24 weeks but on Saturday I had a crazy amount (well at least for me). I had seven in an hour so I called L&D because I was instructed to call if I ever had six in an hour. They didn't want to see me but said if over the next two hours I had five an hour, to call again.The second hour I had five and the third hour I had four so I didn't call and just ended up falling asleep.

The nurse mentioned they had "an influx of women coming in but most of them are dehydrated so drink a lot of water and rest."

But I was hydrated and had been resting and my day had been mellow so I didn't really get it.

A friend suggested it could've been from the full moon Friday and Saturday. Huh??? I've heard of hospitals being laden with preggo women during a full moon but didn't really know the theory behind that or whether it might explain my excessive BH.

I found this. I realize this article not super scientific but it makes sense, right? I was totally amused. I'm still going to mention it to my doc on Tuesday because but I just had to share in case any of you ladies experienced what I did.

https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Moons-Effect-on-Natural-Childbirth&id=70253

For those who don't want to read the whole thing, here's the gist:

"On speaking to various medical staff involved in natural childbirth, the first thing I learned was that expectant mothers often experience false signs of labor during full moon.

Contractions known as "Braxton Hicks" -- sometimes noticeable to the mother and sometimes not -- become more pronounced and many travel to the maternity unit in the belief that "it's time". Disappointed -- or perhaps relieved -- they return home, the pains having subsided and with no dilation of the cervix.

The theory is that the moon's gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that's otherwise found in our bodies."

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/70253

spacepotatoes · February 2014

Yeah...no. My mom is a nurse at a nursing home and will swear up and down that the residents get crazier during a full moon but it is all anecdotal.

Putting my Physics Teacher cap on for a moment - the tidal effect from the moon doesn't make any sense for amniotic fluid. Our bodies are extremely small and light compared to the Earth. The gravitational pull of the Earth would dominate any lunar effect. The oceans move because they are so large and massive.

Miles2Go · February 2014

Spacepotatoes is just a skeptical naysayer. The moon totally turns the tides of my ute. I'm naming my baby Pacific. She thinks that because her potatoes come from space that she's some kind of lunar expert.

jfletcher3113 · February 2014

Well shit. It sounded good until I read @spacepotatoes comment. Yeah ... science and stuff. Should've known not to get too excited over an E-zine article. But I did. I got excited as if I had discovered a stellar gem of info.

So wait, does this science you speak of also explain why my Chinese gender chart prediction AND heartbeat theories were wrong??? Double shit.

spacepotatoes · February 2014

@Miles2Go is just jealous that my potatoes from space bring all the cool nerdy boys to the yard.

Pacific is actually a perfect name, what with the Pacific Ring of Fire and all...