Should braxton hicks be this uncomfortable?

[YesIveNameChanged]

I'm nearly 36 weeks and seem to be getting very uncomfortable braxton hicks. My bump goes iron hard and i feel like i cant catch my breath and it feels like all the weight of the baby moves to the bottom of my bump.

I'm not in pain as such but they do take me by suprise a bit and need a few deep breaths to focus me through them. Is this normal for bh's or does it soun like early labour stuff? (hope not, moving house at the weekend and dp in holland monday and tuesday)

Should say this is dc2 but was induced with ds1 and was 4cm dilated when admitted for induction without having felt any contractions, only these sensations in my bump.

They sounds very similar to my Braxton Hicks. Been going like this for last 2-3 weeks or so and now at 38+3. Tummy goes like iron and hard to breathe - I assume because lungs literally can't move!

I wouldn't say they hurt but it is a very intense sensation, even wakes me in the night [annoying]. I'm hoping it means mega toned muscles for labour... I'm no expert though as this is DC3 and I never had BH with other two.

Good luck for your move. Nothing like keeping busy to the end! .

Technically our original move date was the day before my due date, but i thought that was probably pushing it (no pun intended) a bit.

Intense is definately the word i'd use! Bit of a weird sensation really.

Probably. Some people barely notice Braxton Hicks but when I went to hospital convinced I was in labour I wanted to punch the umpteenth person who told me it was 'just' Braxton hicks (and that was DC number 5 so I wasn't new to the whole Labour thing!)
Oh it was 'just' Braxton Hicks though, he didn't arrive until 3 weeks later

Those sound like mine with DC2 - they were a lot stronger and much more uncomfortable for DC2 than DC1. My obstetrician told me it's normal second time around, as your body knows what it's doing, and BH start earlier and are stronger with each subsequent pregnancy. In the last couple of weeks, I would literally get several an hour, basically each time I moved, walked, went to loo, etc. Supposedly, drinking lots of water (to prevent dehydratation) and taking calcium-magnesium supplements can help reduce the severity of BH (although didn't personally try this - with me they definitely got extremely uncomfortable in the 1-2 weeks before I gave birth).

Sounds like Braxton hicks to me too. Mine feel as if I'm trying to hold my stomach in, the whole lot goes rock hard and I get lots of pressure, makes me feel slightly sick and i do have to stop talking and breathe deeply till its over. It's decidedly uncomfortable but not actually painful like proper contractions. I've been getting them since about 18 weeks this time.

Sounds like my Braxton hicks too. They weren't this intense first time round but were the second time. This (third) time I've had some that have been a bit painful& even stronger. Think they just get worse each time. Was convinced I was going to have this 1 early but still here at 39+5