Braxton Hicks are horrible, make them go away please.

[openerofjars]

I am 27 weeks with DC2 and have bloody rubbish horrible Braxton Hicks most of the time, unless I am resting. My bump feels like a bowling ball most of the time.

My third trimester has all kicked off at once, with heartburn, leg cramps, constipation, weight gain, SPD and now these crappy practice things, literally all in the last week.

The BH are the worst bit, though: not actually painful, but unpleasant, uncomfortable and weirdly tiring. Tell me that this really isn't going to carry on for the next 13 weeks.

Anyone else got this? And should I be concerned about how often/much I'm having BH? Or is it a case of stfu and get in with it?

Make sure you are drinking enough water, as being dehydrated makes them worse, also go and get checked out for a UTI as last weeks I posted about painful BH that were more like early contractions and it turns out I have a water infection!

Having been on antibiotics for a few days now they seem to have settled down.

A warm bath should help, both the SPD (I suffer with this too) and the BH.

I hope you get some relief and can enjoy the rest of your pregnancy, have a look on The Pelvic Partnership website for lots of tips on managing SPD too.

Good luck!

Hi openerofjars BH suck big time I have had my fair share of late. Rest when you can and drink pleanty. xx

merrier intersting. I too have horrendous BH, baby seems to fight against them. Today at MW (36 weeks) I had White blood cells in wee (indicates UTI) apparently.

Yep, Gaviscon that's what was found in mine on Friday! Lackocytes (?) white blood cells, did you get antibiotics?

Hope it settles down for you too!

Because I'd had no symptoms she wanted another sample first, so I'm dropping that in tomorrow. But of course now I do feel like I've got an infection! Yes, she said anti biotite if I do. Would be great if this intense tummy discomfort would stop.

I thought I had braxton hicks turns out I was in labour. Please get it checked out, you never know.

Ooh bugger, really? How far on were you?

I see my MW next on Monday, so I'm going to neck water like crazy, phone her tomorrow and see if she wants to see me any sooner, check my wee for UTIs etc.

Just had a whole hour with a non rock-hard stomach - it was lovely. I think I need to sit down more but I am going to get soooooooo fat.

Does anyone else feel like they have something stuck in their throat all the time.

I miss the second trimester.

Sorry for moaning but if I told DH all this his ears would retract into his head in self preservation, poor man. He is being brilliant and putting up with a lot of hormones these days.

Have had Braxton Hicks since week 14. At least this time round I knew what they were - with DS they started at week 18 and I had no idea what was going on!

I second keeping well hydrated and also peeing regularly - don't sit there hanging on to it (assuming your pelvic floor permits this!) A warm hot water bottle may also help.

I think so long as you're not having them more than once an hour (average) you should be fine. Some days I get them all the time, other days nothing. (I also caused consternation in Waitrose with DS - heavily pregnant at around 35 weeks, got BIIIG BH in the bread aisle, bent over trolley with an "oof!" - you should have seen the shelf stackers rush up to see if I was OK!)

And try to look on the bright side. My m/w told me that plenty of strong BH means that your uterus is getting nice and toned for labour, so you should have an efficient birth. (Mine certainly was, for a given value of efficient - 8 hours, which for an induced labour is apparently PDQ!)

I've had BH since week 20. I'm now 31 weeks. I've been told it's perfectly normal, although mine can be very very painful at times. Trying to do the weekly shop at Tescos wasn't much fun this week :/

I find they're worse if I'm dehydrated, and when I have a full bladder.

I started taking a Floradix Magnesium supplement and mine stopped almost entirely from being really full on at 17 weeks to 23 weeks. Now 29 weeks and haven't had more than one a day in ages. Magnesium can help with other cramping too.

Sympathies. Mine were vile all through my first pregnancy - proper contractiony ones, that just escalated when I went finally into labour. (Which, er, sorry did take quite a while too.)

My first labour was like that too! Stop, start, stop, start, real thing or not, etc. It was bloody boring! I called the MW and she's not too worried; rehydrating seems to be helping a lot.

I had a massive BH in the supermarket (Waitrose, actually, get me, but no naice ham) and had to stop walking and stare in an interested fashion at a display of loo roll while trying to look normal. Driving is a bit of a PITA as well.

Three more months: I can totally do this. Don't quote me in two months, though.

Can I just say, as well, that chocolate cheesecake does cure a lot of ills?