Are contractions different from Kicking?

Re: Are contractions different from Kicking?

• tmhallam member

  March 2018

  I’m kind of with you on this one. I’m a FTM and 38 weeks. Sometimes when my baby moves a certain way it gets uncomfortable but also my whole belly will get really firm. I think it might be a combo of her moving and then my uterus reacting? Not sure. Anyway, my doctor did tell me that when my whole belly gets really firm like that, it’s typically a Braxton Hicks contraction. They’re not really supposed to hurt, at least not too much. I did notice though that when I’m laying down sometimes and my belly gets really firm, my heart feels like it’s pounding, which I also think is a sign of a practice contraction. I’m not really sure. I also feel pretty lucky to not have had much “pain” as far as contractions go. Hopefully that means I have good pain tolerance for when labor comes!

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• knottie92b2ac5f62bd8b7f member

  March 2018

  Thank you for your response, I totally agree with you.

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• tmhallam member

  March 2018

  Forgot to mention one more thing.. several weeks back I had asked my doctor why I wasn’t experiencing contractions like some of my friends had described, and she said I probably (or definitely) was having them and just didn’t realize it. That’s right about the time that I started getting the firm belly thing, or at least that is when I started noticing it. 

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• atreestump86 member

  March 2018

  STM...Braxton hix don't really hurt at all and just result in your tummy getting hard. It's happened to me too where baby moves and it seems to kick in a Braxton hix. At least for me real with my first labor contractions felt like period cramps and were painful. I also started labor in my back with my first, so it felt like bad period back pain at first then moved into more consistent contractions with period type cramping pain in my stomach. Hope that helps and good luck to you ladies with your babies!!

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• sjn00 member

  March 2018

  atreestump86 said:

  STM...Braxton hix don't really hurt at all and just result in your tummy getting hard. It's happened to me too where baby moves and it seems to kick in a Braxton hix. At least for me real with my first labor contractions felt like period cramps and were painful. I also started labor in my back with my first, so it felt like bad period back pain at first then moved into more consistent contractions with period type cramping pain in my stomach. Hope that helps and good luck to you ladies with your babies!!

  I think everyone experiences it different too. My contractions arent period like at all. They burn and feel like a hot knife is scraping against my belt line and inner thighs. 
  My braxton hicks take my breath away. Not in a pain way, though, the tightening feels like a tighted muscle that needs to be stretched out. But it feels like my lungs tighten up with it. 

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• sunshine27shy member

  March 2018

  my Braxton hicks don't hurt in the since that o don't feel like they are a contraction but if I am having one or just after I have one my stomach is sensitive and at work i tend to bump our counters a lot and it hurts even if I barely touch them.

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• atreestump86 member

  March 2018

  Agreed..everyone is a little different and so is every pregnancy! My BH this time around have been taking my breath away too!

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• tmhallam member

  March 2018

  My BH make my whole belly super firm and make my heart feel like it’s pounding if I’m laying down. It was a little freaky at first but it’s normal I guess. 38 weeks and 2 days now. 

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