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Childbirth

How do I know when contractions are BH contractions and when they're the real thing?

5 replies

StealthPolarBear · 03/07/2009 16:42

Apologies as I bet this has been done.
I'm 30 weeks pregnant and have just had what I assume to be my first Braxton Hicks contraction. I don't remember having them this early on last time. I'm not panicking but I would like to know how you tell! I wouldn't say it was painful (am at work and no-one noticed) but it wasn't painless either - similar to how I remember the early contractions being last time.
is the only way to tell to see if you have more and they become more painful?

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diedandgonetodevon · 03/07/2009 16:46

If you get up and walk around when you next feel it- it it goes away it's BH's, if it gets worse, it's a proper contraction.

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diedandgonetodevon · 03/07/2009 16:46

if it goes away

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pooka · 03/07/2009 16:47

More or less. You will know when it happens - even if the early "real" contractions aren't more painful than BH, they tend to be in a series rather than odd one off events, and gradually (in my case first time at least, very gradually) become more painful and more frequent.

Just seen that this is dc2. I also had BH contractions much earlier with dc2, and even earlier still (like 23 weeks ish) with this one. With ds (dc2) I just programmed myself almost to completely ignore what I could, and when I couldn't ignore the pain any more, that was when I believed I was in labour (did this because with dd I was on red alert from the first tightening and got rather bored of it all by the time I was even in established labour).

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StealthPolarBear · 03/07/2009 16:47

hmm
going to be doing a lot of short walks from my desk in the next few weeks
Walking around helped me manage my real contractions - not sure if they felt better or it was just psychological
Thanks

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StealthPolarBear · 03/07/2009 16:49

lol pooka - keep having more DCs and before you know it you'll be having BHs before you conceive
You're probably right about ignoring - I eft it as long as possible last time and was pleased with the way it went, but am getting a bit nervous as I'm working up to 38 weeks (which I think will actually be 39 weeks...)