early Braxton Hicks - good sign?

[MrsPatMustard]

Is there any truth in the old wives tale that getting Braxton Hicks early on means you'll have a quicker labour?

Am 27+3 and think I've probably been getting them for a few weeks now (didn't actually realise that's what the sensation was until midwife pointed it out - one came on whilst she was examining me....)

Is there cause for optimism here or am I just clutching at straws??

Eek I hope the old wives tale isn't true because I'm 38+5 and haven't felt a single one!!

I hope its true for your sake though!

(I know I did have some around 33 weeks though as they were picked up on the monitor at hospital but I didnt feel a thing!)

I had my 12 week scan a few days ago and Braxton Hicks were visible in my womb (at 12+5) the radiographer wasn't fussed or worried about it at all, said you get them all the way through pregnancy, obviously I can't feel them at the mo because my womb is still small, but I found it AMAZING watching this sort of wave roll around the baby in my womb (I found seeing the baby for 1st time very amazing too!). So perhaps it is normal to have them throughout. DH and I had DtD that morning, so that may have caused the BH I suppose... We couldn't finish the scan with the BH going as baby was bouncing around doing somersaults like it was on a bouncy castle as the BH went by I certainly hadn't been expecting it to be moving so much. So I went for a walk for a bit and had some food and when I came back the BH had gone and baby was calmer! All very fascinating. Sorry doesn't really answer your question, but thought I would post how normal the Radiographer said they were!

Oooh just found this... Helpful read... www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/braxton-hicks

Sorry didn't convert link www.mumsnet.com/pregnancy/labour-and-birth/braxton-hicks

I had palpable Brixton hicks from 14 weeks in my last pregnancy, every 15 minutes. It was blimmin' annoying. They got really strong at 31 weeks and were every 5 mins which convinced the midwives I was in labour so they steroided me up and prepared for cs since dd was breach but I checked out as I didn't agree it was labour.
Had her on her due date (!) entirely normal delivery, oh except labour was just about half an hour from first (proper) contraction to delivery.

So maybe there is something in it?

I had BHs from 20 weeks. In the last few weeks they'd be every 5 mins from midday till 8pm.

DS was born at 40+3 after a 13 hr labour (which, incidentally, went straight to contractions every 5 mins, none of this every /0 mins business you hear about!).

I thought 13 hrs was pretty good

I had noticeable BH from 17w with DS1, who finally showed up at 40+6. My later pgies did the same (DC2 on due date, DC3 due tomorrow).

My mw says that early and strong BH seem to be correlated with reduced risk of haemorrhage and faster uterine contraction postnatally, which makes sense and is some consolation.

Ooooh, maybe there's something in it then... Fingers crossed!