How sore were your Braxton Hicks????

[pop]

I am 32 weeks preg with twins and have been suffering fairly uncomfortable contractions for the past week. I did go in to the hospital where they said that yes they were moderate contractions but that I was not dilating. I have had a baby before and never had painful contractions until the real thing. I keep wondering if this is it and if one day they are going to get worse and worse or whether I could be having these for weeks yet. Any similar experiences? If so how long did they go on before they turned into the real thing?

pop, I am almost 38 wks pg with baby no 2 (not twins mind you). I did read somewhere that Braxton Hicks contractions were stronger in subsequent pregnancies, I don't know if having twins would make this even more so. If it's any consolation I thought I was going into labour last night, can now only assume it was Braxton Hicks, couldn't sleep due to it, baby also leaping about at the same time.

I presume Mears or Leese will be able to provide more info.

I'm in my 2nd pregnancy & had been geting pains since 29 wks, my midwife told me they were my braxton hicks again (i was surprised so early!) She also said they could be more painful in pregnancies after the 1st.

I am now 35 wks & they have been getting progressively worse, not been sleeping at all some nights, I'm just hopeing that when they turn into the real thing I'll know (I'm assuming the regular timing will be a give away rather than the pain).

So direct answer: YES I'VE EXPERIENCED PAINFUL BRAXTON HICKS IN THIS 2ND PREGNANCY

Pop, I had contractions for the last four months of my second pregnancy. The doctor said not to worry as long as they went away after a while. It helped me to change whatever I was doing: eg, walk around if I had been sitting and rest if I had been walking. If all else failed and I thought that it was the real thing, I took a long warm bath. That always stopped them. The contractions were painful and very annoying after a while.

In the end I was induced, but that was a week before my due date.

Braxton Hicks contractions can be very uncomfortable and downright painful but tend to come in runs. When you are really uncomfortable you could take 2 paracetamol and soak in the bath which will help. Resting as much as possible will also help. You will know when it is the real thing because you will notice a difference in intensity. The pain of Braxton Hicks is usually fairly short lasting whereas contractions are painful for much longer. If you find you are sitting wondering if these are contractions then they probably are not!

The bad news is Braxton Hicks can go on for weeks but there is a chance you will go into labour early because you are expecting twins. If you are at all worried do not hesitate to see your midwife or doctor. Rest as much as possible. Sometimes this phase passes though - hope it does for you.

Both times around I had quite painful and frequent contraction for around 2 weeks before delivery, both of which were then extremely quick.

My Braxton-Hicks almost always happened at 1am and were painful enough to wake me. I'd get out of bed and walk around, they'd eventually fade, and I could go back to sleep. One night they didn't fade and ds was born 48 hours later.

I'm 35+ weeks pg (with 2nd child) and over the last few days have been having the most EXCRUTIATING pains down the side of my bump. Hasn't happened often - 3 times in 5 days, but when it does, it feels like a combination of a 'stitch' and a badly pulled muscle. On each occasion I've been doubled up in agony, unable to move for 10-15 minutes.
My MW suggested that it may be the baby moving further down into my pelvis and putting pressure/pulling on my muscles (which 2nd time around are weaker). They don't technically feel like Braxton Hicks, but nevertheless have had me a bit worried and had dh panicking!
Anyone else experienced anything similar/ told anything else? (Any advice from our resident midwives Mears/Leese ???)

Yeah, I had this with nos 2+3, kept getting all excited, esp as I didn't go into labour naturally 1st time, and only felt contractions in my back as DD was OP. Sadly the pains never came to anything until 38 weeks (I hate the last 6 weeks of pregnancy) when I had tightenings across the bump rather than down the sides. But everyone's different, so you never know!!

Im 25/26 weeks and have been having the same as you but not as bad as you have described them (also no2). With ds I had a few twinges in the last week or two. I now have the wonderful knowledge they are going to get alot worse.

Motherofone
Unfortunately after you have had a baby most of us do not manage to firm up our abdominal muscles. That means in subsequent pregnancies you can get a lot of discomfort because your abdominal muscles are strained trying to support the enlarging uterus and growing baby.
There are special supportive BIG pants that can help in Mothercare. My thighs were too fat for them though!

Another problem that can cause abdominal pain is a urinary tract infection which can be a common occurence during pregnancy.

It sounds thou that you have strained muscles and need support and rest. If at all worried do contact your midwife .

I had a very large fibroid hindering my one and only pregnancy, meaning that the baby was always a lot higher up than it should have been. Although I'm not sure whether I had Braxton Hicks contractions, or if I did, they weren't bad, I did get excruciating pains either side of my bump, like yours, Motherofone. I put these down to muscles stretching, as they did feel rather "stitchlike", and they were helped, or rather prevented by using one of those thick elastic belts to support my bump. The only problem was that pushing my bump up and in made my heartburn worse!

Thanks everyone - useful to know I'm not alone! Said pains seems to have gone now, and when I saw my midwife she said it was probably because the baby was beginning to move down and put pressure/strain on different abdominal muscles. Sure enough, when she came to check me the little thing is now 2/5 engaged! Yikes - not nearly ready for it yet.....
Tried my elastic belt while trogging around the zoo with ds, and it helped a lot....

I didn't have any Braxton Hicks with my 1st pregnancy, but think I am having them now (I am coming up to 27 weeks). First I thought it was the baby's head pressing on the front of my uterus - there is a definite tightening sensation with a dull ache, when I touch my tummy it is rock hard. It lasts about a minute and I usually have two or three at a time. Are these Braxton Hicks? Can you have them this early? Are they going to get more painful? They seem to happen after I have been rushing around or doing a lot - should I take things more easily?

Lots of questions, sorry

I found my bh got stronger with every pregnancy. With my 4th I was unable to walk the 5 minutes to school to get dd sometimes because of the pain.But boy they were nothing compared to the afterpains!!!!

Enid - I've been told they can get stronger with each subsequent pregnancy - because the uterus has already been through labour once apparently it is more 'efficient' and can start practicising earlier!
Like you, mine were worse when I'd been running around or exercising.

Enid,

I don't know if it makes a difference that it is your second pregnancy, But I had lot of strong braxton hicks with ds in fact one Sunday night after we had been away we ended up in labour ward (at 29 weeks) as I'd had contractions rangeing from 2-20min in waves continuously all weekend. They registered on the monitors, so they gave me an internal and luckily all was ok. I knew it wasn't labour but figured that it's best to get these things checked out just in case (esp after two days worth!).

Anyway the good news is that even though they were just as strong as the ones at the begining of labour i.e. they took my breath away but where easily bearable, they never progressed beyhond that.

The more active I was the more I had and also the more active the baby was the more I had. However not all activitys had this effect, so try cuting things out one by one so you can identify which is the culprit. The bad news is that one this had happened it happend regularly untill the real thing, so much so that by 3weeks before I'd had to give up my daily walk, swimming etc. Body's way of forcing you to rest I guess!

Enid I have been having braxton hicks too for the last few weeks. Sometimes they are just uncomfortable and need to stretch out but a couple of times I have been bent over for a good minute or too, mainly quite high as if you have severe trapped wind, mmm nice. I was told by my midwife that the baby doesnt move down the second time until you are in labour but some days I feel like I have been kicked between the legs with the pressure. Lovely, lucky we are on the downward side.

Joe1 there are exceptions to this rule though, as I was engaged from 27 weeks with my 3rd child, and I know exactly what you mean about the pain.

Thanks Lou33, so Im not imagining it. It does feel at times that baby is nestling down really low as if swinging on a hammock, very chilled and relaxed. So maybe it is getting ready after all and my first date of 18th September might be more the due date than 2nd October my scan date.

Actually Joe1 I was glad to hear what you said about them, because I thought it was only me who had these pains! My last baby (number 4) was induced early, one of the reasons being that I could hardly walk from the pains you describe. It used to take me 25 minutes to take my daughter to nursery, a journey that should take only 5, and often couldn't make the return trip, having to call dh back from wherever to collect her!

Wow. Just searched mumsnet, braxton hicks and this came up. Just saw the date is 2002. That must mean, by God's will, your twins are cracking 18 now!!!!!! Wow hope your family is all well God bless