The Braxton Hicks Thread

echo-charlietango · August 2018

I'm seeing BH coming up a lot, so seemed like we could use a place for questions and concerns.

I haven't experienced any yet (that I am aware of - FTM at 25 weeks), but thanks to this Youtube video they aren't scary anymore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URyEZusnjBI

texas_t · August 2018

I had all the BH last week. It was really annoying. Staying hydrated and taking magnesium has seemed to help! I had a few with my last pregnancy, but not near this amount!

ab_canada · August 2018

I am pretty sure I've had some BH as early as 10 weeks. It just felt like a tightening of the muscle. I don't seem to feel them very much anymore but then I am not sure what my belly is supposed to feel like at this stage, so maybe I am feeling light ones without realizing it.

rosebud332 · August 2018

I get them at night pretty often. It just feels like my abdomen getting super tight to me. It doesn’t hurt, but occasionally if they go on for longer than usual I am sore in one spot the next day. Also, tmi, but I often get them after the big O.

hkom · August 2018

I said this on another thread, but for me they feel like a painless, but still very uncomfortable, charlie horse right in the middle of my stomach. They're most frequent when I'm sitting in an odd position where my belly isn't supported, when I have to pee, or when I'm very active (not really a trigger anymore since I'm in bed all the time haha).

@rosebud332 I would get them after sex too. I've read that's a really common trigger!

PensiveCrayon · August 2018

Yup, post-sex is a big trigger. Otherwise, for me this weird thing happens where I get sort of...breathless? Or have this anxiety in my chest? Right before a BH happens. I can’t remember if this happened during labor last time too!

Anyway, I’ve been noticing BH since like 10 weeks. Something you FTM’s can look forward to next time around

hkom · August 2018

@PensiveCrayon I get that weird breathless/anxiety feeling sometimes too! It is so weird.

katy0990 · August 2018

I also notice them when I’m moving too quickly, after sex, or when I have to pee really bad. Thankfully, I don’t get them every time I have to pee because then I would have them constantly.

rosebud332 · August 2018

Last night I started getting them while I was sitting on my couch watching tv. The first thing I noticed was my whole back started to hurt and I tried to stretch but it just hurt. I went to bed and I could feel the contractions and then this pain in my upper back just radiating up. It was weird. Has anyone experienced anything like that? It was a new one for me and I was not a fan.

morgantu · August 2018

Does it ever feel kind of like gas or 'gotta poop' cramps? Mine have been symmetrical and not really consitent. The only reason I think it might be bh is because they're not usually actually followed by gas or an actual poop.

hkom · August 2018

I'm convinced a lot of my BH are triggered by constipation. I feel like the increase in their frequency roughly coincided with me getting put on progesterone 6 weeks ago, which immediately made me horribly constipated as soon as I started taking it. Andplusalso, I was finally able to have a normal BM today and my uterus has been sooooo much calmer since.

orangecrush29 · August 2018

I’ve always had an angry uterus so early BH are common for me. I’m definitely noticing them more and more this week, though! Mostly after working out, sex, when I have to pee, and if I’m laying in a weird position.

hannelorre · August 2018

I think coffee/dehydration does it for me. Was super tired on Monday so had an extra cup of coffee in the afternoon and then had a bad evening. I've been hydrating extra and napping after that and it has not been as bad. I did not like that feeling at all.

CecilB93 · August 2018

I've never had BH, not even with my previous pregnancy. The one time I thought it might have been, my OB said it sounded like it was just RLP. I kind of feel like I'm missing out on a normal part of pregnancy lol.

temmetime · August 2018

@CecilB93 me too.. I feel like I'm missing out, yet happy to be in the boat of no idea how BH feel because I haven't felt anything that I know is for sure them.

countrygirl624 · August 2018

I’ve been getting them for awhile but didn’t know what it was until about a month ago. They come and go - this week I haven’t noticed them as much but I was getting them almost daily. I also feel like I can’t breathe when they’re happening. Not a fun feeling and when I didn’t know before what it was it was really freaking me out. Now I know it will shortly go away. Really uncool when it happens when I’m in a meeting - joys of pregnancy!!

hkom · August 2018

@temmetime @CecilB93 You aren't missing anything. They're annoying af.

MissAmber23 · September 2018

I’ve noticed a lot more BH this pregnancy than any of my previous ones (this is #4). The past two days or so I’ve had them whenever I’m busy / active.

ab_canada · September 2018

Reviving this because I have a question (and don't worry, I have a doctor's appointment later today anyway, so I will make sure to ask):

A tightening just on one side (not painful at all) is a BH, right?
Are we supposed to start counting or timing BH is there are 5 or more in an hour? Because I am pretty sure I had at least five of those yesterday but they don't last long and were not painful.
If we do get 5 or more BH in an hour, are we supposed to do something? Switch positions, call the doctor, etc?

Like I said, I will ask the doctor today, but I find it's good to ask here as well because I might think of follow up questions throughout the day based on your answers... I had a pretty good gym session yesterday, I wonder if having these means I overdid it? That would suck, because I didn't feel like I was overdoing it while I was there...

Jens_Hoes · September 2018

@ab_canada I don't think BH means anything at all, they are just a nuisance. If you feel like they're annoying you then maybe decrease what you're doing, increase water intake.

ab_canada · September 2018

@Jens_Hoes
I wouldn't even notice them, TBH, if I didn't read something about having more than 5 in an hour meaning something. Maybe it meant actual contractions, not BH, and I just got confused.

katy0990 · September 2018

@ab_canada I wouldn’t worry if you have more than 5 in an hour, but I would drink some water and sit down for a bit, just in case.

rosebud332 · September 2018

@ab_canada Mine are usually in the middle but the tightening sensation without pain has been my experience too. I have heard something about 5 in an hour too, but honestly I don’t pay much attention to it. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s BH or if it’s baby putting pressure somewhere. I think that the concern is probably that people won’t know the difference between a BH or real contraction so that’s why they say if they’re timeable you should call (or something). I would ask your doctor if there’s any point that you should call them. And if I’m getting them a lot I usually stop what I’m doing, rest, or change positions depending. I think they also say if you can make them go away by doing something like that you’re fine. Real contractions obviously won’t stop no matter what you do.

ab_canada · September 2018

Thanks to everyone who responded!

In case anyone ends up having the same questions, here is what my doctor said:
1. BH are never anything to worry about. The reason you might want to time them is in case you are misinterpreting real contractions.
2. BH are irregular and painless. So the reason you might want to time them is to make sure they don't follow a pattern. If they appear to be regular, they were probably real contractions.

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