Have you had Braxton Hicks contractions yet?

Jbabylove2016 · March 2016

Just curious to know who has started having the Braxton Hicks contractions yet....and most importantly, what they feel like to you. I know it's different for everyone, so I (and I am sure other bumpees) would love to hear your experience with them. I am almost 35 weeks and haven't any....yet.

saladflambe · March 2016

Yes, I get them. I've had them since 13 weeks.
My bump gets very hard and "heavy." I feel really uncomfortable.

Lusitano8 · March 2016

I'm 34 weeks I haven't had anything that's 100% BH. Any time I feel weird I just assume it's related to extra weight or baby moving funny. I've had a few dull menstrual-like cramps but they only last a few seconds. OB said that was probably BH. But nothing that takes my breath away or lasts more than a few seconds.

I've read some women never feel them... I would love to feel like my body is preparing and there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

businessmama · March 2016

I've had them a handful of times when I was walking around and not drinking water. Definitely cramp feeling, but I had to sit down in the middle of the stores because it made me so uncomfortable.

kbrands7 · March 2016

Yes, I've had them since the beginning of the second trimester. My uterus gets very hard and tight-- if you press on it in a few different places, you'll feel the muscles are firm unlike when there is no contraction happening. If LO is in an odd position, they can be a little painful too. I think I started getting them around the halfway point during my first pregnancy. I'm someone who tends to be prone to lots of them regardless of how much water I drink though.

TXmamatobe · March 2016

I never really felt them in my first pregnancy but I do this time. Same as above, the whole belly area just gets really hard and feels sort of heavy. They don't hurt for me but can feel a little weird and uncomfortable for a short time.

hellogoodbye2 · March 2016

I've had BH's with both of my pregnancies and they definitely pick up in 3rd tri. Tightness feeling...sometimes all over, or just lower/upper belly. They aren't supposed to be painful, but some can get very uncomfortable!

Some people never experience them though...

Jparke2 · March 2016

I'm 34 weeks and I dont think I've had them yet either! I had some pain and pressure last week but I'm 99% sure that it was gas pain/bloating, because it was constant and went away by the end of the day. I have had some weird pressure feelings on my pelvis/hips that feels like someone pushing their hands on each hip or something, but I'm assuming it's just the baby moving? It's not that I WANT braxton hicks, but it feels odd that I don't think I've had them!

southerngirlgetsfit · March 2016

I've had them for probably the last 10 weeks or so. Just tightness and discomfort.

dsmith211 · March 2016

I have moments where my belly area feels tight and sometimes uncomfortable, so maybe I've been having them and I just don't know that's what they are? I've been noticing this for a few weeks and I'm now 33 weeks.

saltedcaramel518 · March 2016

I'm 30 weeks, and I haven't had any, either.

Jbabylove2016 · March 2016

I appreciate the replies. Maybe I am just not in tune with my body. I recently figured out that baby gets the hiccups at least once a day...for awhile I had no idea what those little 'movements' were, lol. Now that a lot of you are saying that it is more of a 'tightening' in the tummy, I am wondering if I have had one here or there and just didn't realize what it was.

cortney626 · March 2016

I'm 34 weeks and have been having them since 26 weeks (or what I think are BH). Tightening of the top of my belly to where it gets hard and almost feels like a warming sensation. They're not painful but definitely uncomfortable and do feel better when I change positions.

valerie4786 · March 2016

I got them once in my 2nd tri, maybe around 23 weeks, a handful of them throughout the day. I chalked it up to being too active and not drinking enough water, so I relaxed and increased my water intake and they went away. I haven't had them since, unless I'm just not noticing them.

Edited for typos.

amberraysofdawn · March 2016

I *thought* I was having BHs, but then one day I was hooked up to a fetal monitor for the NST test and the monitor didn't register what I was feeling at all (which was a tightening in both the stomach and chest area). Apparently that was just LO moving up and into my diaphragm.

But actual contractions were still registering, I just couldn't feel them. My stomach didn't feel that particularly hard or tight or anything during those either. So...yes, I'm having BHs, but I can't help you beyond that because I still have no idea what they feel like? :P

#ImSuperDuperHelpfulToday

MsIan · March 2016

Do BH's show up on NSTs? I think I've had them, but honestly I can never tell. I think baby just moves and stretches a lot.

amberraysofdawn · March 2016

@Mslan There were two numbers on the NST monitor thingy when I had mine...the one on the left was the baby's heartbeat (which for me averaged between 140-150, but would occasionally jump/drop during contractions and some of the movements she made). The number on the right (according to the nurse) was monitoring my contractions. I don't know how high the scale goes, but the number would slowly increase from 0 to about a 6 (on average), hold it there for a few seconds, and then decrease back to 0. The highest it went was 8. The little chart it printed on had lines going up to 100, so I assume the actual contractions I was having were just really weak since I didn't feel them at all.

lalala2004 · March 2016

As others have said, it's a tightness that hardens my belly. I've had them all 3rd Tri and they can get very uncomfortable. Mine tend to stay until I sit down. Now I get them while I'm sitting, too.

Sharra13 · March 2016

I am pretty sure I had them on Saturday. I was actually a little worried I was going into labor for a bit there!

Sorry if this is TMI--you have been warned: Hubby and I had some sexy time and things got a little heated near the end. I've had after-sex (after O, really) cramps/contractions since first trimester but usually they were immediate and only lasted a few minutes. This was definitely different! I was pretty uncomfortable afterwards (my stomach got pressed in too much, during, and I just felt SQUISHED) and I thought it was bad gas or something, at first. I got more uncomfortable over the next hour or so and then it turned into cramping sensations that kind of ebbed in and out--from almost no pain or discomfort all the way to shaking my leg to distract myself from the intensity--for a few hours. Finally eased off and went away completely.

I wouldn't describe it as super painful, but it definitely wasn't fun. Very uncomfortable and the closest thing I can describe it as would be period cramps that are riding ocean waves!

kbrands7 · March 2016

@Sharra13 the oxytocin release after orgasm causes uterine contractions-- the same happens during bf. It's not dangerous, but can be sort of uncomfortable.

hellogoodbye2 · March 2016

@mslan yes, mine do.

LovingLife! · March 2016

I feel like I've had them this whole pregnancy! Out of breath & tight belly!

araecasey · March 2016

That happens to me, too @Sharra13! Now that I'm getting BH pretty frequently, I'm using them to practice relaxing every muscle in my body. I've found that helps with the discomfort rather than just trying to grin and bear it. BH can get intense the closer we get to birthing.

babymackey · March 2016

I am 35 weeks too and get them often! For me, my whole stomach gets very hard to the touch and visibly hardens / tightens. They feel like painful period cramps with added pressure from the tightening. The further into the contraction I get, the tighter my stomach gets and the more intense the pain (though still very manageable) and then it piques and starts to relax until I feel normal again!

proudparent2b · March 2016

I think I get BH, but they don't last for just a few seconds. Typically my middle will stay hard for a half hour to few hours at a time. Is that BH or something else?

hellogoodbye2 · March 2016

proudparent2b said:

I think I get BH, but they don't last for just a few seconds. Typically my middle will stay hard for a half hour to few hours at a time. Is that BH or something else?

@proudparent2bSomeone correct me if I am wrong, but I would not think these are BH's. Mostly likely baby is stretching and/or has gotten himself into an uncomfortable position for you.

jenl1681 · March 2016

hellogoodbye2 said:

proudparent2b said:

I think I get BH, but they don't last for just a few seconds. Typically my middle will stay hard for a half hour to few hours at a time. Is that BH or something else?

@proudparent2bSomeone correct me if I am wrong, but I would not think these are BH's. Mostly likely baby is stretching and/or has gotten himself into an uncomfortable position for you.

Whenever LO moves around and pushes his butt out in the middle of my stomach it gets hard and feels sort of like a BH, but it lasts a lot longer. I never experienced BH with my other pregnancies, but this time I have been having TONS!

AnastasiaBeaverhausen09 · March 2016

I had an NST today and during the 20 minute period, I had two BH contractions. I had no idea and couldn't feel them at all

gardenandread · March 2016

I've started getting the the last few weeks- at least to where I notice them now. My tummy just will seem to get tight and uncomfortable, and it's usually a little hard to breathe until they stop.

wsgjmw1 · March 2016

Yup . Bump gets super tight , hard and heavy . Very uncomfortable

mjAnder · March 2016

I've been awake for the last hour and a half counting bh (i think), stomach gets tight and heavy and i have a wave of nausea and painful cramping feeling, it only lasts a minute or two but it feels longer. I'm 35 weeks and already have a shortened cervix, so I'm supposed to contact the dr if i have 6 in an hour. Only counted four. I'm hoping i just over did it yesterday and didn't drink enough. I'm downing water to try to get them to stop so i can sleep. I'd like LO to hold of a few more weeks.

JoMunson · March 2016

I'm feeling frustrated by BH! At about 25 weeks I felt like my belly was made of rubber band and someone was stretching it and then letting it go and some women at work told me it was BH.
at 30-33 weeks I started to feel low back menstrual cramp pain or top of bump tightness and my midwife said both were BH. This week (34) I started feeling whole bump tightness and people are saying that's BH. Im starting to feel like any mid body discomfort is BH, and that's just confusing.

saraleigh2 · March 2016

32 weeks & nope no BH that I've noticed.

araecasey · March 2016

How are ya feeling @mjAnder? Did the BH mellow out with some water and rest?

mjAnder · March 2016

@araecasey yes, water helped slow the BH down, and then i was able to take a warm bath which helped as well. I even a got an hour or so of sleep before work. Just going to take things easy... easier, for the next couple of weeks. It is hard not to feel lazy, when DH is taking care of so much while i sit around, but keeping this LO in for the next few weeks is more important than pride, right. i just hope all these BH make labor less of an ordeal. . . A girl can dream.

JoMunson · March 2016

@mjAnder I feel the same way when I rest! DH is cleaning, taking care of the dog, cooking, basically everything. I try and think of it as "voluntary bed rest" instead of laziness. If I'm on VBR, I could get up if I wanted to but I can also decide to lay down all day. Whatever's best.

Delitachan · March 2016

I don't really know what they're supposed to feel like. I've read information, but still don't know if it's what I feel or not. I get diarrhea cramps/gas cramps, but then I just end up farting, so I doubt those are BH.

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