Braxton Hicks Question

[cali]

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question but, what the heck does a BH feel like? I'm 30 weeks and I don't think I've ever had one. I would know if I did, right? When do most people start getting them?

[zoubie]

I didn't have any with my first but my second I kept on going into false labor. For me it happened when I was past my due date and my second was 10 past due when I finally delivered. They feel like a mild contraction and you will know if it happens because it's not like mild cramping. However if you do get them they can go away if you lie down and they don't get any worse, at least in my experience they didn't. Some people get them and some don't.

[cali]

@pinklantern zoubie thanks ladies. I kept reading posts about people having BHs and I started feeling concerned that I wasn't having them. Good to know it can be normal not to!

[justjudy]

I haven't felt any either cali. I keep waiting for it to happen, but alas nothing so far.

[nutmeg]

From my understanding most BH are painless and just feel like a tightening. I don't notice them most of the time and I'm on my second go around.

[king26]

I haven't felt any either cali, My midwife asked last week and I said I didn't think so. She said I'd know if I had them as they would last 30 seconds to a minute, my stomach would get very hard, and I probably will feel them in my back.

[ketchup]

I still feel like a newb with these. I'm pretty sure I've got them figured out at this point, though. Basically, for me, it feels like baby has curled up into a tight ball super high in my ute (so I can feel the tightening above my belly button vs low down like cramps). They also don't hurt, just uncomfortable.

Usually if I press on other areas of my belly, I can tell it is tightened there, too, just not as obvious feeling as where the top of my ute. If any of that makes sense.

[Deleted]

I'm one of the lucky ones, mine hurt. It's usually when I'm being too active. They feel like a side cramp when walking/running and not breathing properly, but it's my whole abdomen and back that feels like that.

[cali]

Jun 17, 2017 10:15:58 GMT -6 ketchup said:

I still feel like a newb with these. I'm pretty sure I've got them figured out at this point, though. Basically, for me, it feels like baby has curled up into a tight ball super high in my ute (so I can feel the tightening above my belly button vs low down like cramps). They also don't hurt, just uncomfortable.

Usually if I press on other areas of my belly, I can tell it is tightened there, too, just not as obvious feeling as where the top of my ute. If any of that makes sense.

Ok, I feel like maybe I've felt something like this but I can't distinguish it from the baby just moving around into a weird position, because sometimes I feel like my Ute is tightening up but when I put my hand on it I can feel something like a leg or arm poking like it's just stretching out.

[mrsrodgers]

I'm still not sure if I'm having BH or if it's the baby moving. I get some tightening to the right of my belly button but when I push on it, it feels hard like there could be a body part there. I think it's BH because I usually don't feel any other movements when it happens but I'm still not 100%. So not a dumb question at all.

[nutmeg]

Yes, ketchup. That is exactly how I would describe them.

[yoshijo]

Jun 15, 2017 21:55:58 GMT -6 cali said:

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question but, what the heck does a BH feel like? I'm 30 weeks and I don't think I've ever had one. I would know if I did, right? When do most people start getting them?

Still no clue. I think I've had them? Because my stomach feels tight? But I don't notice when it stops so Idk if that's it

[yoshijo]

My stomach always feels hard so not sure I understand how that works either

[codex320]

I'm pretty sure I've been feeling them on and off. I think the last time my whole uterus felt hard was last week. Now it's just every once in a while I feel like either the baby is balling up or putting an arm/leg right on my uterus. Not sure. I also called my nurse yesterday and she said the BH (the whole uterus) could be from dehydration but also it's fairly normal. As long as I don't get the them 4 times in an hour I'll be ok, otherwise call back. Just rest and drink lots of water I guess.

[aprilz81]

Mine felt like my whole belly got really tight on the inside and out. It usually didn't hurt but sometimes got uncomfortable. I think mine starting appearing around 28 weeks or so.

[yellowcat]

I have about 20 of these a day. You will feel your stomach tighten suddenly like when you try to suck in your belly. Sometimes I have pain that feels like my period is coming.

One way to avoid them is to not hold in your pee-- go to the bathroom when you need it. Also stay hydrated. I found that magnesium powder helped (same for leg cramps).

I had these started at week 30 this pg and my last. DD was a week late so they just seem random to me in terms of who gets them and when.

[yoshijo]

yellowcat that makes me feel better. I have probably 15 a day but I thought it was too many and couldn't be BH

[yellowcat]

yoshijo nope it is just BH. My doctor said sometimes people who are athletes get them more though she couldn't explain why. I run and do physical labor when not pg so I guess I qualify.