Braxton Hicks...

[iris66]

just a quick query to anyone out there but is 22 weeks too early for braxton hicks? I didn't have any at all with dd but have had a couple of batches of what I think are braxton hicks (low shooting pains from side to side)and just wondered if anyone could tell me what they are supposed feel like!! (they've gone for now but am slightly concerned just in case it's something I should be more concerned about)

Nope. I've had them since about 20 weeks w/this pregnancy. Had them very early w/DD and she was born at 38 weeks+3 days.

The bump goes tight. They should not be painful.

They are irregular and painless and the bump sort of siezes up and goes tight for a bit.

Thanx expat.However @not supposed to be painful@ isn't what I was hoping to hear. And my bump wasn't going hard - which is what was confusing me. Think I'll have to make a call to MW if they come back again. Just hoping now that it's just wind

baby is still very active though - so that's got to be a good sign (only had my scan last week and everything was looking good then - ho hum - time for some positive thinking eh!! lol!)

Call the midwife. It could be stretching - there's a lot of stretching going on in this trimester.

No they are not at all painful and the bump goes very hard. DH can tell when I'm having one.

I think it's stretching. It could be ligament stretching.

stretching - bound to be it!! (phew) have been doing pilates exercises for back pain so that could be the cause!! Will wait and see if they come back & stop exercises for the time being (I always knew exercise really was bad for you!! lol)

As long as baby is active it's probably just the body adjusting.

I'm 34 and can feel this pregnancy a lot more!

know what you mean - I was a mere 21 first time round and will be 39 when this one arrives in Jan. I feel positively geriatric!! - funny ol thing, that's how the MW describes me!! When are you due?

18 December. Here's hoping it comes at 38 weeks like DD, cuz I'm feelin' it.

I was 40+1 with dd but hoping this one will be sooner as am huge already (clearly everything's gone baggy in the intervening years!!lol) I'm even having to prop everything up with pillows in bed already. Will you have much of a gap between dd and this one?

expat - thanx for the help yesterday - turned out to be a bad reaction to red meat iykwim I look forward to the real thing in the (hopefully distant) future!!

iris66, I had bh's with my dd. My tummy went tight and it felt and looked like dd was curling up into a little ball. They started early at about 20 ish weeks and I even went to hospital on one occasion as it was so painful. I disagree with people who say they don't hurt! My consultant at the time agreed it was bh's I was having and that contary (?sp) to popular belief they do hurt some people! BTW dd was born at 40wk+1day & my labour was 10hrs 50mins and all on gas & air. Don't know if the bh's helped me prepare..?? HTH

I had braxton hicks from around 20 wks with ds2 & they could be pretty painful at times.
He arrived 1 week & 1 day before his due date!

Mine hurt like hell with dd1 from early on - in fact they were basically contractions.