Someone please talk to me about Braxton Hick Vs REAL contractions

[OnNaturesCourse]

Background story (sorry it's long, I'm tired and rambling...)

• I'm 36 weeks
• For about two weeks I've had "signs" including braxton Hick tightenings, losing mucus plug, fatigue, backache and the occasional pressure of feeling baby head low.
• I've had looser bowels for about a week, and tonnes of gas.
• Yesterday baby wasn't moving as much so went into triage. Baby was fine.
• Triage noted my blood pressure was higher than they'd like and I've been put on tablets for this. It's now dropped to the lower side of normal.
• When I was in hospital last night my braxton hicks progressed to painful tightenings that I will describe below.** They registered on the monitor too. I've been given stronger pain killers to take. These were happening as I tried to sleep/relax on the bed.
• I got home early morning and the braxton hicks/contractions eased off enough to sleep.
• Woke this morning with no pain or discomfort
• Braxton Hicks/contractions kicked in around a hour after being up and we're stopping me in my tracks and I was having to breathe through them. This lasted a good few hours, pressure building in my bum with each one
• Started leaning on my birth ball, knees on floor, and it all eased off for the half hour I was there.
• All came back as soon as I moved from the ball to the point I've got a warm hot water bottle on my back now.
• I am now resting, lying down. Still getting the pains but not taking my breath away as much.

** these pains were starting really low and building up and over my bump until it was tight all over and the pain built in my pelvis as the pressure built in my bum. Lasted about 30-50 seconds. They eased off in reverse and left my hips a bit achy each time. Some times there was 5 minutes between, sometimes 15. At the very start, when I was on the monitor and the pain wasn't as bad, they registered on monitor around 60 but as I say this was at the very start when they were minimum.

The thing is when it starts it feels very like a real, early labor, contraction but shorter but there is no pattern to timings and some positions or movements ease/help the discomfort so that makes me think braxton hicks...yet in my previous pregnancies my braxton hicks were simply tightenings with very minimal discomfort (more of an annoyance than discomfort) and certainly never caused any pressure to build up during them.

Has anyone else had braxton hicks like this? What helped you ease them? I feel like they are going to tire me out for labor if they continue like this. I'm usually good with pain, I've had my babies with gas and air for pushing and one of those was a back labor (which actually had similar bum pressure like this), but this is really grinding me down.

Or has anyone else had labor start like this? How long did it go on for?

Note - I had a internal check last night and all they said was "all normal for 'this point'..." so I'm assuming no signs of active labor etc.

Trust me, you'll know the difference

Not really apparently as I've had both and I can't work it out.

Think it's really person depending. I never felt any Brixton hicks. But when I went in for monitoring the CTG was picking up Brixton hicks contractions. I did have a 'feeling' when the machine picked them up, wasn't painful, so I learnt what was Brixton hicks. Labour was very very clear. It fucking hurt and I begged for an epidural immediately despite non labour me not wanting one. But I was having 3 in 10 within an hour and dilated from 2 to 9 cm within 2 hours so that may have something to do with it 😅

I don’t think you necessarily would know. my “Braxton hicks” - pain free regular tightenings that I could only feel happening by touching my stomach - turned out to be actual labour and I was past 5cm before I realised it was happening! It’s a really broad spectrum. This does sound like it might be early labour. In view of previous RFM and raised BP, can you call triage for reassurance, and start timing the contractions? Did they check your cervix when you were in yesterday?

Are you drinking plenty? dehydration can cause Braxton Hicks and make them more uncomfortable.

Yes they did, but all said was "normal for this point" and at 2 in the morning I didn't question what that meant stupidly.

They knew about the pains etc when I was discharged so I don't think they are concerned. I was just told to come back if I had bleeding or waters, or my BP increased (it's not, it's actually on the lower side now)

@UpUpUpU drinking plenty as I'm off my food a bit so drinking in its place a bit (plus I can't get enough of cool drinks) My urine test last night showed very hydrated.

This sounds like prodromal labour to me. I had it with both of mine - they are real 'early labour' contractions rather than Braxton Hicks, but they don't build into a proper labour pattern. I basically had them overnight every night for a week 😅 but for what it's worth my second labour was very short and anecdotally many are after prodromal labour (with my first I didn't know what they were and thought labour just wasn't establishing so after days of it I went to hospital to try to get them to nudge him out - they did but suspect it would have been an easier birth if I'd left it!)

Sounds like prodomal labour to me- real contractions that are more than braxton hicks but that stop and start and don't form a pattern. I had a over a week of this before I gave birth to my second but this started for me at 40 weeks and she was born 41+2. When labour actually happened it was very quick.

Wow just saw your post- very similar to me although I only had it with my second.

Hmm what you have described sounds very like the two to three days before labour started with DS1. I had braxton hicks with him from about 20 weeks. These were different, more growly, not an established pattern and according.panoed with backache. He was indeed posterior ans was born at 36.3.

Oh, I've never heard of that. I'll look into it.

I just wish it would hurry up and happen, or give me a break now.

Prodromal labour. You can get these painful false labours on and off for weeks before actual labour. In my experience it's been a malpositioned baby and the false labours are attempts to turn. If they become more frequent try getting on hands and knees during the contractions - basically work with your body. I did this, eventually baby turned (felt it!) and no more prodromal labour after that. Happened with two babies.

I'll give that a try, maybe that's why on my knees leaning on my ball helps!

Woke up this morning to my mucus plug coming away in gloopy lumps and hanging out of me. There is tonnes of it. 😬 Maybe these pains have been doing something but they have stopped for now. Just feel like I need to poop.

Do you feel as though you really need a big poo? That was the main sign for me 😯

OMG cross post on the poo feeling, you sound just like I was before DC1 was born. My waters did not break naturally so that’s not always a sign.

Yes. I've been on and off the loo this morning. Managed a few droppings but feel like there is something there but nothing to move out if that makes sense. Odd as last week I was way more regular than normal (had constipation most of the pregnancy)

So many cross posting 😂

I remember I had the I need to poop feeling in labor with my first but it was right at the pushing stage, DC was born face up so technically the wrong way...my whole labor was back labor. I hope I'm not in for that again.

I would get checked out if you're getting the need to poop. I had that and turned out to be 10cm dilated!!

I'm due to be checked later today anyway.. At the day bed midwife unit as my blood pressure was borderline over weekend. No contractions again but my boobs are leaking...lovely.

How did you get on today @OnNaturesCourse?

appointment went good.

Baby is head down, tucked right in "Very close to exit" and weighing just under 7lbs. All good to deliver whenever... Just waiting on baby and body working together.

No internal was done as scan showed baby being pretty low so they are happy to just work off that given my gestation I think - less poking around down there the better.

I'm doing good too. BP been behaving.

Back at usual midwife on Wednesday for standard appointment.

36+3 weeks and I'm done. Baby is ready. I'm ready. Get out now lol.