What do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like?

MAtoMEbride · July 2014

I've had a cramp/stitch in my lower left side all day. There is no real regularity to the cramping, but it's getting annoying.

If it's still there tomorrow, might call my doctor for peace of mind.

Can anyone who has experienced Braxton Hicks contractions explain what they felt like to them?

xxMiss2Mrs09xx · July 2014

I think for me my uterus gets really tight/hard and it sometimes takes my breath away. It usually lasts for about 30 seconds. I've never had any "cramping" though.

audreylaine510 · July 2014

For me it is just an intense tightening in my abdomen, my real contractions felt like menstral cramps though. I never got braxton hicks with my first pregnancy but now I have them all the time!

jaimee2003 · July 2014

Hmm, these replies have got me thinking I HAVE experienced some Braxton Hicks and just didn't realize that's what was happening!

rockyrollgirl · July 2014

I get the tightening feeling.

FrodaBaggins · July 2014

I am a little confused now after reading some of these responses. I definitely quite often feel a tightening across my whole belly that feels like he is pushing with his whole body, as opposed to feeling an individual foot or elbow sticking out - have I been having Braxton Hicks this whole time? I've been counting those movements in my kick counts.

I thought I had never felt a Braxton Hicks. For the past week or so I've been getting intermittent cramps that feel like mild menstrual cramps, but nothing consistent or time-able.

BeachM · July 2014

audreylaine510 said:

For me it is just an intense tightening in my abdomen, my real contractions felt like menstral cramps though. I never got braxton hicks with my first pregnancy but now I have them all the time!

This for me too.

RunningJ · July 2014

zoegirlTX said:

xxMiss2Mrs09xx said:

I think for me my uterus gets really tight/hard and it sometimes takes my breath away. It usually lasts for about 30 seconds. I've never had any "cramping" though.

I can't usually feel it internally- I only notice if I push on my belly. At night, I notice a shortness of breath and/or increased heart rate. Sometime I can tell internally if it feels like baby moved or is suddenly taking up whole tummy or turned her back out- but that's not her, those are BH.

This. But I have heard that BH are somewhat different for everyone. Mine happen all the time, but I specifically notice them with: full bladder, during workouts or getting up/down and changing positions, and when I'm particularly hungry/thirsty or tired...aka ALL the time.

shutaff · July 2014

I've been told it's BH feel like a tightening, which I think I have felt before, but I'm not sure that's what it was.

But like you, I have been having cramps the last few days off and on. Mine are low and feel more like period cramps but are very brief. I'm not sure what they are either.

gahorseygal · July 2014

OP since it is just on your left side it sounds more like intestinal pain/cramping. I was having this earlier in my pregnancy and talked to my doctor about it and thats what she told me it was. I still get that (had it today) and I also get braxton hicks. The braxton hicks sometimes feel crampy in my lower back or lower front but it is not isolated to one side. Mostly I just feel the tightening across my whole belly and right before it happens I get a little short of breath.

I would talk to your doctor though because you dont have to be careful when you get pain on just one side.

MAtoMEbride · July 2014

When I went to bed last night, I felt like I had some gas going on in there. So, it possibly being and intestinal pain/cramp would make sense. Definitely calling my doctor tomorrow. For now, thankfully, the cramping has gone away.

sarahsimon said:

OP since it is just on your left side it sounds more like intestinal pain/cramping. I was having this earlier in my pregnancy and talked to my doctor about it and thats what she told me it was. I still get that (had it today) and I also get braxton hicks. The braxton hicks sometimes feel crampy in my lower back or lower front but it is not isolated to one side. Mostly I just feel the tightening across my whole belly and right before it happens I get a little short of breath. I would talk to your doctor though because you dont have to be careful when you get pain on just one side.

blgills · July 2014

My whole uterus tightens and my belly is rock hard to the touch. Baby can't or just doesn't move during them. They last about 30 seconds. I've had them almost my entire 2nd and 3rd trimester but with my first pregnancy it was only near the end they began. My midwife told me something cool I didn't know about - apparently after each BH is over baby gets a big whoosh of blood, so BHs are a way of nourishing the baby. Kinda cool!

tamarar5 · July 2014

I can no longer tell a difference between the BH and real contractions. They all hurt like fricking hell. I feel like I've been in labor for weeks. My belly gets super hard, I can't talk through it, and I feel baby being pushed down.

But I went in and it's "not labor."

rockyrollgirl · July 2014

tamarar5 said:

I can no longer tell a difference between the BH and real contractions. They all hurt like fricking hell. I feel like I've been in labor for weeks. My belly gets super hard, I can't talk through it, and I feel baby being pushed down. But I went in and it's "not labor."

*hugs*

Unknown · July 2014

This content has been removed.

KittyMisha · July 2014

My BH are the whole belly tightening type, and I frequently get short of breath as well. Mine can last for upwards of 15 minutes, though. Or maybe I'm just having a whole bunch of shorter ones, but I can't feel them stopping and starting.

trblanton · July 2014

I explain it by saying it's like holding position during a sit up..right when you get to the point in your sit up when your abs tighten. But you can't relieve the pressure. Mine usually last about 30 seconds and it helps if I can sit during them.

Dawn5481 · July 2014

Anyone else's make them feel sick? Like nauseous?

shaylagirl · July 2014

Another where my belly/abdomen get SUPER tight. Sometimes they take my breath away with their intensity. They're pretty frequent now (been having them since 2nd tri [STM]), but certainly not what I feel are true labor pains.

basketballbelly · August 2014

For me, I can't even feel them. My abdomen has been 'tight' the whole pregnancy so I don't notice any tightness. The only reason I know I get them is because I had some while I was hooked up to monitoring and the midwife saw them on the chart and mentioned it to me hahaha!

herecomesthesun · August 2014

zoegirlTX said:

are these freaking BH doing anything????

they must serve some purpose....I feel like i'm getting them more often now.

are they just generally 'preparing my body for labor' or strengthening my ute? i was having some while swimming laps yesterday & it made them considerably more challenging

That's what happens to me too when I swim/walk for a good length of time. Doc said it's fine and normal and there's no harm in working past the BHs. He encouraged more swimming and walking and likes the increased BHs- says it's a good sign of things to come.

herecomesthesun · August 2014

@zoegirlTX

I had stopped walking because it was triggering back to back to back BHs. I'm sure part of it was the heat. I've started walking with a big thing of ice water or swimming and it helps, though I still get them. Once I stop walking or drinking or sit, they stop. That means they are BHs and not true contractions. If they don't stop, they are real!

Doc was NOT worried in the least. (He's very laid back if you've had a normal pregnancy) But I'm guessing at this point, we can go into labor anytime and things would be alright so might as well get those last few work outs in. :-)

mae3014 · August 2014

basketballbelly said:

For me, I can't even feel them. My abdomen has been 'tight' the whole pregnancy so I don't notice any tightness. The only reason I know I get them is because I had some while I was hooked up to monitoring and the midwife saw them on the chart and mentioned it to me hahaha!

I think I have the same thing - my belly is as firm as my shoulder and if it tightens, it feels the same as normal. I have gotten some pressure waves of cramping in my lower abdomen a few times that I actually had to breathe through, which is the most noticeable thing so far.

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