Braxton Hicks Question...May Be Stupid.

CVislo · March 2014

Okay, so I'm a STM, but I never felt BH with my first, so I'm a little clueless. I've researched them, of course. But what does "tightening feeling" mean?

I think I'm feeling BH, but I'm unsure. My belly gets really hard, I get super hot, and it feels like there is an elephant sitting on my chest so it's a bit tough to breathe. They do not hurt at all. Does this sound like BH to you all?

Also, I've noticed they are pretty regular. I'm not timing them, but I'd guess that they are aound 20-30 minutes apart. I experienced this earlier today for about 2 hours and then again this evening for about 2 hours. Should I be timing them even though they don't hurt? Is this something I should notify my doctor about?

Edit to add: I'm 31 weeks today.

MrsT2008 · March 2014

Yes, that sounds exactly like BH - mine feel the same.

My OB has always said not to call unless I get more than 5-6 per hour for a couple hours, even if they don't hurt. I get 2-3 an hour for a few hours and then nothing for a while.

Staying super hydrated helps some too, so if you think they're getting too consistent, try drinking 32+oz of water and try to stay off your feet.

spacepotatoes · March 2014

BH shouldn't be timeable so that's something keep an eye on if yours do have a regular pattern. I'd mention it to the doctor.

I'm not 100% sure if what I've been feeling is BH or baby pushing up against my belly but the tightening and hardness are there. Sorry, I'm not of much help that way.

Mr. & Mrs. Woodtick · March 2014

What you're describing sounds exactly like what I'm feeling. Sometimes though, I get the tightening without the shortness of breath. I'm a STM also, but I don't ever remember feeling this with my son, and I'm pretty sure that I would have remembered the shortness of breath. I have been told the same as what the PP mentioned. If you have more than 6 in an hour you need to call.

ksyknelvr73 · March 2014

I think those are them - I am also a STM but never had any with DS1 so this is kind of new to me. But I am pretty convinced that's what they are - mine sound very similar. It's definitely uncomfortable and a little harder to breathe but not painful.

awc1986 · March 2014

My belly feels like a balloon that's about to pop and I get a little crampy/heavy in the lower abdomen. I also get a pain in my lower back sometimes. There's no pattern to it though. I get them a couple of times a day at the moment.

momo214 · March 2014

Is it usually an all over hardening or can it be in spots. I'm like @spacepotatoes‌, I can't tell if I feel baby or my uterus is tightening in spots.

jenb_99 · March 2014

That's what a lot of my BH contrax feel like. They take my breath away, almost like an anxiety attack. They last for 30 seconds or so.

aforst · March 2014

That sounds like exactly how mine feel. My belly gets really tight, I can feel pressure on my bladder, my heart races a little and it's a little harder to breathe.

I get several a day, but pp are right, they should not have a consistent pattern. I was also told to call if I have more than 6 in one hour.

HARLEYSMOM2010 · March 2014

I've been having BH since 16 weeks and it's exactly how I feel as well my belly gets extremely hard and I get short of breath... they are not painful nor do I time them they usually come when I'm relaxing but subside once I move or get up

stephierd81 · March 2014

Thanks for posting this. I've been feeling this and even asked my OB yesterday. She said it was BH. But it's so hard to tell. I like hearing everyone's descriptions. Plus I'm suffering from bronchitis my DH passed to me and I think the coughing is making me have BH. Fun fun.

vszapp · March 2014

I get a ton of BH (several per hour), and often a get a trippy, head rush sort of feeling. It's not really unpleasant, but sometimes it takes me by surprise. It's usually how I know one is coming. I got a ton of them the last pregnancy too, and I thought for sure I would be dilated when my water broke. Unfortunately I was still tied up like Ft. Knox, so I guess in my case frequent BH didn't do a thing.

momthatlifts · March 2014

I never actually feel the initial tightening part. Just the part where my belly is tight. I even took a picture to compare the difference in tight and not tight. It kind of looked like everything was being squeezed in to the middle. My belly just feels super hard. Sometimes it makes me feel like I need to pee. It also happen a lot after I pee or go for a walk.

ETA: I also feel like I can't stand straight because of how tight it becomes. Like I'm going to pull a muscle if I do

Bootsie327 · March 2014

That sounds like mine, too. I only recently experienced the shortness of breath thing during them, but I think it's just because my belly is getting so big and things are closer to my lungs than before. The most I've had in an hour is 4, which my doc said is fine as long as they don't maintain a regular or increasing pattern.

gypsymystic · March 2014

spacepotatoes said:

BH shouldn't be timeable so that's something keep an eye on if yours do have a regular pattern. I'd mention it to the doctor.

I'm not 100% sure if what I've been feeling is BH or baby pushing up against my belly but the tightening and hardness are there. Sorry, I'm not of much help that way.

Same here. It feels like my stomach gets tight and hard, and like a body part or the baby's back is stretching out across my stomach. My Dr. said it was most likely BH when I asked him but I am not entirely convinced. It does always stop when I change positions.

Bootsie327 · March 2014

Azlebella said:

spacepotatoes said:

BH shouldn't be timeable so that's something keep an eye on if yours do have a regular pattern. I'd mention it to the doctor.

I'm not 100% sure if what I've been feeling is BH or baby pushing up against my belly but the tightening and hardness are there. Sorry, I'm not of much help that way.

Same here. It feels like my stomach gets tight and hard, and like a body part or the baby's back is stretching out across my stomach. My Dr. said it was most likely BH when I asked him but I am not entirely convinced. It does always stop when I change positions.

Could be both...baby's movements can cause BH!

CVislo · March 2014

Thanks, ladies! They are only timeable when I am relaxing. If I'm active, they are very irregular. None of them cause any pain at all. And if I change positions, they let up a bit. I try to drink at least 12 glasses of water a day. My doctor told me to increase my water intake due to slightly elevated blood pressure.

This may be another dumb question... Can Braxton hicks change the cervix? Can I dialate and become effaced from them?

JoelleOK · March 2014

I don't think BH directly cause changes to the cervix.

Like people have said in other threads being dilated or effaced doesn't necessarily change how long your labor is or how soon it will start. I was about 1-2 cm dilated, and had been for a couple of weeks and just a little effaced and I had a 6.5 hour natural labor as a FTM.

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