Could I have just had a contraction?

[Naisy]

Hi, I'm 26+3 and just stood up and felt a sharp tight pain across the entire under side of my uterus that doubled me over in pain taking my breath away...

And then it stopped.

Is this what Braxton Hicks feels like? It's far too early for labour surely?

Hmm, Braxton Hicks aren't usually painful, at least it is a dull achy pain, not a sharp pain.

If it happens again, I'd get it checked asap.

I agree, make a note of the time and if it happens again call the labour ward. Always better be safe than sorry.

Eek! Now I'm really worried. I'm currently three or four hours away from the hospital!

I did have some braxton hicks that were painful with DC2, enough to think I was actually in labour, but the midwives that checked me over assured me it was normal. Sometimes they can just feel like tightening, sometimes they can be quite uncomfortable, even painful. Mine often took my breath away. But if you aren't sure it's always best to get checked over.

I've had some serious muscle pains with this second pregnancy that I didn't experience with my first. It could just be that but call MW if you're worried.

Ligament pain ?? That used to double me over

Hi, I remember my labour which is almost exactly 3 years ago now... The contractions to me felt like they came in waves.... imagine your in a pool/the sea and a wave comes along and you just ride the wave... that is how my whole labour contractions felt.. EXCEPT to begin with I could laugh through them like whee this isn't so bad... in the end I was more like whoaaaaaaaAAAAHHHhhhhhhh....

So I think you're likely to know when it happens as I definitely felt I knew this is it!

But if you have a doubt call midwife or Dr.

:-)

Also, I'm only 16/17weeks or so now, but I get random pains shooting through my back/legs/bum area! Sometimes it immobilizes me for a few mins... but I just assume its the whole bones softening etc etc..

Remember you can go to ANY hospital if you're worried - not just where you're booked in to.

Thanks ladies. After having another (and feeling really heavy, almost numb on the right side of my vagina) I called the midwife.

She said if i get anymore or any wet or bloody discharge to call the labour ward as they may want me to go in and get checked out. She also said it could also be normal, but different, ligament pains or even related to a UTI.

So, I'm now on a train back to London!

Hope you are OK Naisy, glad to hear you've spoken to your MW.
take care

Thanks Lime!

Had a little scare yesterday over the tiniest smear of blood, but feeling back to normal now. Feels like the baby thinks he's at a rave - he hasn't stopped dancing for the past 24 hours!

I had loads of Braxton hicks which were always just as you described, very painful for a few seconds and would stop me in my tracks and I'd have to sit down or at least lean on something/someone. The walk to and from work used to be the worst, it would happen every 5 steps or something and made me take ages getting into work! I never had these supposedly pain free BH people describe, only the painful ones from about 6 months. DD came on her due date.

Did you get checked out Naisy?

Nope. Spoke to the midewife again, but it didn't escalate so I didn't need to go in...

Have read that, like ItsMyLastOne, some people get a similar type of Braxton Hicks so feel a little more reasurred we're not rushing headlong into early labour!

They stopped on Saturday and all of Sunday and didn't have another until this afternoon. I hadn't drank as much today and think the connection to dehydration may have something in it. Keeping fluids up is obviously important.

In fact, I'm off to have another glass of water now ...

Dehydration made my BHs worse, as did "over doing it". Didn't hurt though till I was MASSIVE

Take it easy