Do you have to have Braxton Hicks?!

[Apples6544]

Hi I’m 36+5, and FTM. I’ve had some twinges and period type pain, bump goes very hard when walking but I wouldn’t say I’ve had any BH in the way I’ve seen people describe them.. Does everyone get them before labour or is it just a most people get them thing? A friend has Said she’s been having them since about 26 weeks! Just wondering 😊

I didnt get any with my first DD, or any that I recognised as being that. Second time round I've had them occasionally since 19w. Just a sudden uncomfortable feeling for approx 30 secs. Stomach goes really hard and uncomfortable. I find moving position and getting lots of fluids helps.

Didn't get any with my son. Getting loads this time round. So just seems individual to each pregnancy!

I got Braxton Hicks really early and had them most of the way through except at the end of my pregnancy.
I didn't get any around my due date but I did go 2 weeks over and end up being induced - I've always wondered if those two things were related.

But my mum said she didn't get BH at all, or at least she never noticed them.

I didn't get them, or not that I noticed.

Thanks for the replies guys! As it’s getting closer to due date I was thinking the absence of them could mean we’re miles away but sounds like a mixture!

I didn't think I had been having them until I was hooked up to a monitor and a midwife pointed them out!

I didn't expect BH to be the 'belly getting hard' feeling as I thought BH were like minor contractions, so expected cramping.

From your description is sounds like you are having them, but like me it isn't the feeling you expected them to be.

“bump goes very hard when walking but I wouldn’t say I’ve had any BH in the way I’ve seen people describe them.. “

I would say that’s classic BH! They are just mild painless contractions of the uterus - that make the bump go hard.

Sounds like BH to me OP! Classic sign of BH is your stomach going hard briefly. They're just not feeling how you expected them to

I think I was expecting something that more was a hint of a contraction! Thanks everyone 😊

I didn’t with any of my pregnancies.

I didn't get any with my daughter :)

I've been having BH since about 26/27 weeks. In my first pregnancy I just wasn't sure what BH were and what they felt like. So probably did get some tightenings but didn't realise.

I am now 32 weeks and get these several times a day. Sometimes just when I'm resting. I went into hospital the other day for reduced movements and saw a BH contraction registering on the CTG, as soon as my belly went hard and funny shaped, the TOCO% went up to 30%.

I didn't with either, I believe, I always assumed (and from feeling) that my bump went hard when baby stretched out and stuck a hand / elbow / foot / etc in one direction and something else in another direction

I never had anything I could identify as BH