Braxton Hicks?

lblu43 · April 2016

Been having random cramps the last couple of days. Nothing consistent and it's only mildly painful- but holy crap!

Today it caught me off guard while I was on the phone at work. I don't remember them this early with my DS. I'm 24 wks tomorrow. I can tell the difference, so I know they aren't gas. I kept rushing to the bathroom to make sure I wasn't spotting but thankfully I only found normal discharge. (Pgal brain overdrive)

Is anyone else having these?

shelbiboston · April 2016

I am 24w2d and had them for the first time tonight! Caught me off guard and scared the heck outta me! Makes me feel a little less crazy knowing I'm not the only one.

Sunnyn75 · April 2016

I think I'm having them too. My last pregnancy I had them at the very end...but I thought it was just the big baby kind of pushing out on my stomach making it tight and uncomfortable for several seconds. Now that I have the same feeling already this pregnancy, I figure that's what it is!

emmeline714 · April 2016

I started last week at 22w

bananers · April 2016

I have started having them too. I started with DS1 around this time too. Mine aren't painful, but my belly gets really tight and hard for a minute, and it's mildly uncomfortable.

kcolly32 · April 2016

I started having them at 20 weeks, I thought it was the baby pushing out to for room but I realize now it was Braxton hicks. I haven't had in a couple weeks and it was only a few to begin with. They weren't painful but definitely a tightening of my uterus for a few seconds. I was told that dehydration can cause them so I've been making sure to stay hydrated.

mmclark10 · April 2016

I definitely had some last week at 23w. Agree with PP, I tried to drink more than my normal water intake (which is already quite high) and changed positions. I kept having them at my desk at work so I got up and walked around for a bit.

Bubblegum5586 · April 2016

I think I experienced them at 19 weeks after working an event for 14 hours. I think my body just had had enough and my whole abdomen was really tight and hard. I went home then and have seemed fine since....

SkiChic626 · April 2016

I had one for the first time this past weekend (23w2d), a little earlier than last time, but not much - with DD they started around 25w. They're not painful at all, though, just feels like tightening and a little bit of outward pressure.

Stephanie7693 · April 2016

I started having them around 18 weeks. But as long as they aren't consistent it's supposed to be ok. My ob also told me the more pregnancies the earlier things like this start

Ceventa · April 2016

Yep been feeling Braxton Hicks for the past 2-3 weeks. Yey

charmedlifex3 · April 2016

I had them really badly a couple weeks ago, enough so the midwife on call had us come into LD to make sure they were Braxton hicks. She said to make sure you drink *more* than enough water, like to the point of excess, and to try shifting position when they happen.

And apparently "consistent" isn't the big signifier - regular is. I had them consistently for about 4 hours, ranging from 15 minutes apart to 3, and they were still BH. The fact they weren't 15, 15, 10 - but were more like 15, 3, 7, 15 the mid wife said was a great sign!

It was sure scary. I've had them a couple times since, but not to that degree, more like one or two here and there, which is what *I*thought they were supposed to be if they were BH.

Wylies · April 2016

I strated getting them around 19 weeks and I get them frequently throughout the day, and even more right before bed. I drink tonsss of water too. Sometimes my stomach gets so hard I feel like I can see the outline of baby. (Or where there are huge bulges or my stomach looks lopsided for a second) Anyone else have this? Btw I didn't realize consistent braxtons were a bad thing...Definitely going to bring it up to my OB

(It's actually happening right now as I type this lol. )

The only reason I haven't been TOO concerned is because I feel her moving all day long and checkups are all normal.

Wylies · April 2016

@Allisun85 were they painful or just uncomfortable ? Glad everything is okay btw!

And thats true...maybe I THINK I've been drinking enough water. Def going to up my intake

charmedlifex3 · April 2016

It was uncomfortable, kinda like holding your breath for too long, but in my stomach, if that makes sense... and I could see it harden and release. Weird!
The midwife had me come in because it had been going on for awhile, and it was new, AND I'm a first time mom, so I only theoretically knew what was happening.
She said not to worry if they were consistently happening (which they were) only if they started getting regular. She said all "consistent" might mean is there is something irritating those muscles. They started right after I started a new medication, so the mw thought maybe the new meds were causing it. Or not drinking enough water. Or ... who knows. The condition the medication is treating is worth the trade off, even if it is causing the BH... And the MW said I can have contractions for the rest of my pregnancy, and it won't hurt anything. The concern is only if my cervix joins the party too early, lol.

Wylies · April 2016

Okay, sounds like what I'm having. Ftm here also, so I have no idea what to expect or what is normal/ not normal. I also started a new thyroid medication so maybe I need to up my water intake.
And that's good to hear that I braxtons won't hurt anything

I just feel like when my stomach gets hard like that she can't move around, like my uterus is consticting her or something. Its just more uncomfortable / disturbing than anything haha

SkiChic626 · April 2016

I had very regular BH with DD, and my midwives weren't concerned about it at all, and I would get them every 10 minutes like clockwork for a few hours at a time, and once I hit the weeks in the mid-30s, they were literally ALL the time, even while I slept, I just got used to the feeling. Again, not painful, but makes you feel uncomfortable and sort of takes your breath away sometimes once you get further along. The only times it would ever bother me was when I was driving and sitting at my desk - it must have been how I was sitting, because it would be hard to breath through those for some reason, but once I got up or moved they were almost unnoticeable. I even had cervix checks because I had a previous LEEP, and it was even thicker than what is normal, so that was all good. I needed to be induced, so it's not like it put me into early labor or anything. I think some of us just get them more than others for whatever reason.

PregnantPolski · April 2016

Mine started at 18 weeks. Just extremely uncomfortable for about 30 seconds. Feels like the baby is trying to push his head out and my whole lower stomach tenses. But I only get them a few times a week.
I didn't expect contractions to feel this way as this is my first pregnancy. So now I'm kind of nervous for the real thing. Yikes!

allishally13 · April 2016

FTM and have been having them the past few weeks, but like others said, since I've never had them before I just thought it was the baby pushing out on my belly with his back! Then my apps started mentioning bh and I figured that must be what it is since it's just uncomfortable but not painful.

squishy0511 · April 2016

I started having these and it seems like it happens a lot when I'm laying down and change positions. They kinda freak me out!

JLyn821 · April 2016

I'm 26+1 today and have been having BH for a little over a week now. I didn't start getting them until at least 30 weeks with DS. It surprised me when they started this early.

Whitmore1027 · May 2016

So...I am FTM...would it be a slightly painful pulsing sensation in the abdomen? Some people say there is no pain, but I had some weird pulsing feeling a few days ago while sitting then I got up and it went away. Does that sound like it could be Braxton hicks?

beenabee · May 2016

allishally13 said:

FTM and have been having them the past few weeks, but like others said, since I've never had them before I just thought it was the baby pushing out on my belly with his back! Then my apps started mentioning bh and I figured that must be what it is since it's just uncomfortable but not painful.

YES, I didn't realize I was having BH until I thought about it and did some reading. I just thought baby was pushing out with his back or something! Definitely not painful just uncomfortable.

jacmkelley · May 2016

Only issue I having is when I pee, after I pee I have a contraction. It's happening more frequently. With DD I had BH A LOT! So much that I thought I was in labor multiple times. Not this time.

bananers · May 2016

jacmkelley said:

Only issue I having is when I pee, after I pee I have a contraction. It's happening more frequently. With DD I had BH A LOT! So much that I thought I was in labor multiple times. Not this time.

I get these while I'm peeing! Strangest sensation. Never had that happen with DS1.

ginger819 · May 2016

With DD I don't think I got them to the point of noticing them until after 30 weeks and they weren't consistent until around 37 weeks. I kept waiting for them to become actual labor, but they never did (I was induced at 41 weeks). This time I've been feeling them pretty consistently when I'm driving in the afternoon. I was thinking I'm feeling them earlier and more this time because of lifting DD all day (DD is 22 pounds now). They're not as strong as the later ones last time were, though.

satto_takai · May 2016

I am 25w, and honestly don't know if I am having BH or not. Feels like lower-abdomen tightness or cramping, but not across the entire abdominal region - only about halfway from my pubic bone to my belly button. This is usually when I am walking around in the office, or after a period of baby moving around for a while.

Your thoughts, lovely ladies?

ETA: these are not painful in the least, just kinda weird. Kinda like a mild (unpainful) charley horse in my lower abdomen.

AliKay20 · June 2016

At now 32 weeks, I finally understand what these are. It makes me just grab my lower abdomin right above my pelvic bone. I wasnt sure at first because it almost felt like LO was kicking my bladder again but felt somewhat different - like someone was grabbing my lower abdominal muscle and releasing it but on repeat. It starts with some noticeable pressure that gets stronger then releases. I get them quite frequently these days!

Stephanie7693 · June 2016

I've been getting them since 17 weeks or so, and I notice they happen most when I'm doing too much, or when baby is being active. But for the most part it's only the right half of my uterus, which is where baby's legs always are

when they turn into labor contractions (for me at least), they become uncomfortable to slightly painful and it is definitely my entire uterus. But even those happened before labor, just not consistently.

SkiChic626 · June 2016

So I learned on Friday at my OB check up that BH can actually hurt with subsequent pregnancies. What the what?? I've been having period-like cramping on and off and just figured baby was moving weird or it was really RLP....nope, apparently those are BH and I had no idea! I even tried convincing my doc that it was something else and she wasn't having it LOL. I have also been having the tight/hard feeling ones that I have to breathe through and take over my entire belly, not nearly as much as I did with DD, but maybe the low crampy ones are making up for that. Ew.

AliKay20 · June 2016

SkiChic626 said:

So I learned on Friday at my OB check up that BH can actually hurt with subsequent pregnancies. What the what?? I've been having period-like cramping on and off and just figured baby was moving weird or it was really RLP....nope, apparently those are BH and I had no idea! I even tried convincing my doc that it was something else and she wasn't having it LOL. I have also been having the tight/hard feeling ones that I have to breathe through and take over my entire belly, not nearly as much as I did with DD, but maybe the low crampy ones are making up for that. Ew.

I have slight cramping with my BH and I'm a FTM...hmmm

Jaspertheyoungturnip · June 2016

@AliKay20 me too. For the past 2-3 weeks my BH contractions feel a lot more like period cramps than just the tightening in my belly that they used to be.

MamaKSquared · June 2016

I'm 31 weeks today and I still can't say for sure that I've had any. I thought I may be having some several weeks ago, but since I haven't felt that same feeling since then, I'm chalking it up random cramps or something.

SkiChic626 · June 2016

@Knottie1442786653 and @AliKay20 Maybe you're just lucky

I just thought it was weird because I didn't experience that at all with DD, but I would get the tight, whole belly, can't breathe, can't get comfortable BH, and I got them A LOT after 25w. I've had a few of them this time, and I'll be 31w this week, but not nearly as much as I did with DD, so I thought it was strange that I wasn't getting them more often since they say typically you get them more with subsequent pregnancies. But I have been getting the period cramp-type ones quite a bit, so that must be it. I actually prefer the crampy ones because at least I can still function, with the other ones I feel like I have to sit or lay down and deep breathe until it stops.

Duffgurl · June 2016

I'm for sure getting BH more often now. It can be so painful. I notice if I walk too much or over do it I get them. Also had the worst Charlie horse this morning...I had to wake my DH to pull my toes back because I couldn't reach them. Oh the struggle.

ShanRum3 · June 2016

I never had BH with my first 2, or at least not that I ever noticed, but I've definitely noticed them this time around! For me, they aren't painful, but a tightening of my whole belly, that is just weird and uncomfortable!

Jaspertheyoungturnip · June 2016

@SkiChic626 I'm 32w today, and they're SO crampy that these ones do take my breath away at first. The ones that made my belly tight, I probably wouldn't have noticed if I didn't get them for the most part while I was moving around, because they made my hips less flexible/walking required more effort, but they weren't at all painful. I'm a FTM though, so it might just be that I'm not used to feeling contractions that makes it initially shocking

edited because my post cut off

SkiChic626 · June 2016

Duffgurl said:

I'm for sure getting BH more often now. It can be so painful. I notice if I walk too much or over do it I get them. Also had the worst Charlie horse this morning...I had to wake my DH to pull my toes back because I couldn't reach them. Oh the struggle.

It's so weird how our bodies are all so different. I actually get them way less when I'm more active. I get them a lot during the week when I'm just sitting at a desk all day long, but the weekends when we're up and moving and groovin' I hardly get them at all. Even when we were in Disney, walking God knows how many miles a day, I hardly got any at all! I also get crazy swollen when I'm sitting, too (i.e. all flippin' week long sitting at a desk), but when I'm active the swelling goes away.

ShanRum3 · June 2016

@SkiChic626 I get more BH when I'm relaxing on the couch, and like you said, less when I'm up and moving around.

JournoGrl23 · June 2016

@SkiChic626 my feet get swollen sitting at a desk all day too. They don't swell as much when I'm up and moving either. Definitely the opposite of what I've always heard!

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