Braxton Hicks contractions

I am still confused about these (I am 28 weeks)...I know not everyone gets
them but I am still trying to figure out if I have had them and they are
behind some of my mild discomforts of the stomach. When I mentioned a bit of
pain and tightness to my OB last month she said I am getting about to the
time where it's time for the BH. But my pain was only on one side and she
said that probably wouldn't be it then (then when she remembered I fell, she
said that was likely it). So I get that if it's one one side only it's not a
BH.

BH supposedly can be painless and just a brief tightening. ....I can't
identify any brief tightenings, it's that my stomach gets really tight and
hard and stays that way for longer than a contraction, it can stay that way
for an hour. Sometimes my stomach is not so hard. ?? How will I know when I
am really having BH? If I even do.

You may not be able to recognize BH contractions at all. I didn't for my
first pregnancy, but I did have them. I was at the hospital at 24 weeks and
their monitor could feel the contractions, but I could not. Now, in my
second pregnancy, I have the tightening BHs and some that are quite
uncomfortable as well, as much as five or six times a day. Sometimes (for
me - ymmv) one contraction can last ten minutes or more, but they are
usually only a minute or two. I have heard that may women do not feel them
at all in their first full term pregnancy, but usually do for subsequent
pregnancies. It may be easier to feel them with your hand. Your uterus
will become a little harder and firmer during a BH contraction so if you
suspect you are having one, just feel your belly with your fingers to see if
it feels different. If you don't ever feel one, don't worry it is not
important to have them or to recognize them. When real labor begins you
will know.

-Melissa Ann

How will I know when I am really having BH?

Ugg!!!!....I just was asking about this the other night, but it was in
with an older thread so i dont think anyone saw it....

Anyhow, you'll know!.....I get them a lot....at least i think) I was
wondering if there could be anything else that
=91=91feels=92=92 like BH ? because i thought i read where someone said
it =91=91felt=92=92 like a BH but it was the baby turning or wedged or
something......

It just feels like your belly is really tight for a few seconds...but
one night i had a whole bunch and it was kinda scarey.....
some days i wont feel any at all other days i'll feel them and they
ALMOST can take your breath away, but it does not hurt.....but if you
breath in very deep it seems to help mine anyhow.....

it says in the book WTEWYE,,,,,as long as you dont get more than 4 an
hour then its ok.....but one night i swear i must o had at least
15...BUT that was over a 3 or 4 hour period.....

Oh and my stomach is harder at times too...I dont think its a BH,,,,,for
some reason sometimes its squeesy =8Bspelling=9B ? and other times its
hard all over...its very hard today....and no BH today......yet
anyhow...for some reason they usually hit at night.....

Christine...( Chloe- EDD ) 5-21

Hmmm. From everything I know then, I do not think I am having BH. I think
maybe that one day, I did have them very briefly but it was only VERY
briefly and I haven't gotten anything since. I don't think they are causing
my tightness that I notice...

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 06:14:10 GMT, in misc.kids.pregnancy "Jill"
wrote:

:I am still confused about these (I am 28 weeks)...I know not everyone gets
:them but I am still trying to figure out if I have had them and they are
:behind some of my mild discomforts of the stomach.

Everyone *does* get them, from quite early in the pregnancy. Not everyone feels
them.

--Helen

"Christine" wrote in message
...
it says in the book WTEWYE,,,,,as long as you dont get more than 4 an
hour then its ok.....but one night i swear i must o had at least
15...BUT that was over a 3 or 4 hour period.....

That's what it says in the books. Not a doc but a veteran of preterm
labor, I can only tell you the reaction I get when I go in. I've been in so
many times, I've seen so many docs, the reaction seems to be pretty much the
same. They do check out the cervix every time, but after the first time I
go in, they say don't come back unless I'm having more than 6 to 8
contractions an hour or more than one every 7 minutes. It varies depending
on the doc, but they all seem to think four an hour is too conservative.
So, when I'm released, I have a nurse tell me to come back when I have four
or more an hour, they give me a handout that says the same. Meanwhile, I'm
being discharged with six an hour. And don't even count the little ones
that last 20 seconds, even if you get them every five minutes. They only
want to hear about the big ones that last a minute or more. The little ones
they call uterine irritability. I've been to my appointments where the doc
asked how many contractions I have an hour. They don't even blink when I
say four an hour. This is for a person who has a history of delivering
early.

The very last time I was discharged with "uterine irritability," I was
contracting every 2 minutes lasting 1 1/2 minutes, cervix was not dilated.
Doc wanted to put me on morphine so I could get some sleep. No thanks. DD
was born 4 1/2 hours later.

Braxton Hicks contractions

Group: misc.kids.pregnancy Date: Wed, Feb 25, 2004, 11:55pm (EST+5)
From: (toypup)
"Christine" wrote in message
... it says in the
book WTEWYE,,,,,as long as you dont get more than 4 an hour then its
ok.....but one night i swear i must o had at least 15...BUT that was
over a 3 or 4 hour period.....
That's what it says in the books. =A0 Not a doc but a veteran of preterm
labor, I can only tell you the reaction I get when I go in. I've been in
so many times, I've seen so many docs, the reaction seems to be pretty
much the same. They do check out the cervix every time, but after the
first time I go in, they say don't come back unless I'm having more than
6 to 8 contractions an hour or more than one every 7 minutes. It varies
depending on the doc, but they all seem to think four an hour is too
conservative. So, when I'm released, I have a nurse tell me to come back
when I have four or more an hour, they give me a handout that says the
same. Meanwhile, I'm being discharged with six an hour. And don't even
count the little ones that last 20 seconds, even if you get them every
five minutes. They only want to hear about the big ones that last a
minute or more. The little ones they call uterine irritability. I've
been to my appointments where the doc asked how many contractions I have
an hour. They don't even blink when I say four an hour. This is for a
person who has a history of delivering early.
The very last time I was discharged with "uterine irritability," I was
contracting every 2 minutes lasting 1 1/2 minutes, cervix was not
dilated. Doc wanted to put me on morphine so I could get some sleep. No
thanks. DD was born 4 1/2 hours later.
=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=9 5=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=
=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=95=9 5=95=95=95=95=95=95

Wow thank you! that was great info,,,,;-)
that is why i prefer groups like this over books or research because i
would be pressing the panic button everything i read something....

when I do get them ( BH ? ) the tightness only lasts about 5 - 10
seconds....so i guess i dont have to be too concerned.......;-))

thanks again...)

says...
I am still confused about these (I am 28 weeks)...I know not everyone gets
them but I am still trying to figure out if I have had them and they are
behind some of my mild discomforts of the stomach.

I don't believe I have had them yet ( at 34/35wks ? ).


--
Baby, I can't wait to meet you !
EDD: 10-Apr-2004

says...
melbgal1 wrote:
says...

I am still confused about these (I am 28 weeks)...I know not everyone gets
them but I am still trying to figure out if I have had them and they are
behind some of my mild discomforts of the stomach.

I don't believe I have had them yet ( at 34/35wks ? ).


Yup..you've had them. All women begin braxton hicks early in the
pregnancy...it's just that many moms (especially first timers) don't
notice them or know what they are until late in the pregnancy.

I believe you can have them without feeling them though ?
I have painless periods when not PG, no morning sickness, no discomfort
at all in this pregnancy. I don't get sick generally, and apparently
have a high pain threshold. We don;t even have aspirin in this
household.


--
Baby, I can't wait to meet you !
EDD: 10-Apr-2004

Elfanie wrote:

On Sat, 28 Feb 2004 14:31:11 +1100, melbgal1
wrote:



I believe you can have them without feeling them though ?


Absolutely!! In fact, like I said, *MOST* first time mothers don't
feel them - at least until the end of the pregnancy....

I felt 'em back during 2nd trimester when they'd happen after er... sex.
But I haven't felt them like that since. I have been noticing what I
*think* could be BH in the last week or so. It's hard to tell because my
tummy is hard a lot these days anyway!