Braxton Hicks........what exactly does their frequency mean?

[Melly]

Have just posted on the "Anyone due Mid 2003" thread about this but thought I would start another thread as well. What exactly do these Braxton Hicks contractions mean.....I think I started to get very, very mild one as early as about 28 weeks (2nd pregnancy) Am now 39 weeks and today they have been really quite strong, not painful really, but enough to make me stop what I'm doing and catch my breath. They seem to be happening about every 20 minutes.....is this a sign of anything or quite normal for this stage of pregnancy?

[sb34]

Message withdrawn

[Melly]

Oooh thanks sb34, I will keep an eye on things and see if they get any closer together.

[percy]

hi again melly
just posted on the other thread too - just wanted to say that sounds pretty encouraging to me. I 've never had a braxton hicks, with this or the last pregnancy - so it all kind of mystifies me.

[mum2toby]

Any news Melly??????

[ninja]

Hi Melly I've had a similar experience,

I'm only pg with my first baby and have been having them since 16 weeks!

A couple of weeks (at 33 weeks) ago I started having them VERY frequently - sometimes 20 mins sometimes 5 mins apart! Not sore so I didn't think I was in labour. Although I did spend hours on the web trying to get info and found that:

1. they can be caused by dehydration so go and get yourself a drink!
   2)If they subside when you change what you're doing i.e. sit if you have been on your feet or vice versa then they're probably not labour
   
2. only be worried if they come more than 4 x an hour
   
   The next day I went to the anti-natal clinic where the midwife suggested I might go to hospital to get it checked out. I did this was monitored and told that everything was fine and that I was probably overdoing it (the night before I had been to the gym) They have calmed down now but seem to always come if I go to the toilet or exercise.
   
   They are practise contractions so I'm just hoping that practice makes perfect and that means labour will be easier - maybe this is wishful thinking!
   
   Hope all's well and let us know how you are getting on

[ninja]

Just realised that maybe you WANT this to be a sign of labour! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

Know what you mean about the terrible sleep. I keep changing beds in the night (poor dh)to try and find a more comfy surface

[mum2toby]

My braxton hicks started at about 16 weeks too. They used to wake me up every morning and later in the pregnancy they used to take my breath away they were SO strong!!!!

I timed them at one point, but ds wasn't born for another 2 weeks so it was definitely BH Contractions.

[ninja]

I'm glad I'm not the only one to start so early mum2toby - but do you think all the extra practise your uterus had made any difference to your labour?

[Quimble]

hi melly. i just gave birth last week to my second child. i had a lot of BH contractions during this pg from quite early - around 25 weeks i think. like you, they would be so strong they would make me stop and catch my breath, prodding my tummy in the process and marvelling at how hard it went!!. In my experience they were completely different to the contractions that I got when labour started which were low down in the uterus and were just like bad period pain. I know there is a link between BH and labour starting, sometimes, but for me it felt they were completely different and there was not much of a correlation between them and the true labour pains. This was the case in my first pg as well. They didn't really get more frequent either as labour approached just stayed about the same until labour kicked off. Good luck- perhaps it's all happening now as I type!!

[mum2toby]

Ninja - Yes I do. I was admitted to hospital at 38 weeks + 3 days with high BP... nothing serious, just cautionary. I had had only Braxton Hicks contractions and I wasn't in labour, but when they examined me I was 1cm dilated! I went into the labour 5 days later and the contractions got very strong VERY quickly and within 2 hours I was 4cm dilated and whisked down to the delivery suite. Then it took 5 LONG hours until ds made an appearance. But I still think that was a relatively quick first time labour.


Are you excited Ninja?? When are you due? I'm terribly broody.

[ninja]

I'm exactly 35 weeks and when I had my antinatal last week they said I was 3/5 so I think that's nearly engaged.

I can't wait, just so excited to see what this thing inside me is.

Thanks for your reply and comments - this website really helps to make me feel prepared as wll as realising that nothing can prepare you (if that makes sense)

[mum2toby]

Oh Ninja, just reading your post makes me even more broody!! You're very lucky. Isn't it amazing... I couldn't wait to see my wee baby's face and give it a proper cuddle!!

I gave up work at 35 weeks and I thought I had all the time in the world to relax and prepare, but then I was taken into Hospital the first time, kept in for 2 nights, let home for 2 nights then taken in again!!!! The next time I left the hospital, ds was in his car seat. Fantastic!!

Soon you'll be on this site asking people for advice about... breastfeeding etc and lots of other POSTnatal issues. Enjoy it... it's the best thing EVER..... can you tell I'm broody?

[ninja]

Thansk Mum2Toby - I can't believe that I've enjoyed being pregnant so much (I've obviously forgotten the first 3 months already)

I'm meant to be working til my due date - I teach and wanted to get the little darlings as close to their exams as possible. I only work 3 days (at Uni the other 2) so it's not so bad.

It's probably a good thing that something keeps me off the internet and out of the shops! I'm someone who likes to be prepared and I keep finding new things to research and read all about.