Tightening in my stomach, is it normal?

[Reepz88]

I'm 32 weeks and I've started to feel tightening in my stomach where the baby may be holding on to something and then let's go after maybe about 5-7 seconds, this happens quite often? Is this normal and if so, what does it mean?

Sounds like contractions, give the delivery unit a call.

Google Braxton Hicks contractions.
Could be this ..... your body getting a bit of practice before D day .

It could be braxton hicks, but at 32 weeks it’s not worth risking making that assumption, best to get checked in person.

Ring triage for advice

So I was thinking it may be early labour was but it stops and starts every few hours and it's been going on for days, and it's not very painful so ruled out labour, I was just thinking maybe it's the baby's movement is what's causing the tightening? Could this not be it? Didnt anyone else feel any tightening around their stomach here and there throughout their pregnancies?

I'd google Braxton Hicks first to see if it could be them. Do the tightenings stop if you change position or move? Do they come at random times or always the same time/activity. From about 34 weeks I got BH every single time I sat on the sofa, but the second I got up they went.

They come randomly, during the day, evening. Mainly when I'm lying down or sitting down. I don't know much about BH so I may google it to find out more about it. Thanks for your response! X

I had this OP and it led to early labour at 33 weeks. Please do get checked.

Nobody on MN can really give you the answer to this. It could be Braxton Hicks contractions, with one of mine I had them for a really long time, several weeks, including one occasion when my uterus was just rock hard for several hours. It is probably worth getting checked out just to be sure, some babies do appear at 32 weeks and for my friend, it seemed that her experience was a bit like this and a few hours later baby arrived!

Probably braxton hicks but to echo PP at 32 weeks I would be checking in with your midwife.

Have you had any backache at all? That was the first sign of labour for me. Like that low down nagging backache you get with periods.

Do you have a magnesium supplement? I was prescribed a higher dose one when I had similar, worrying tightness, and light cramps which I thought were contractions. But the doctor smiled and knew it was magnesium, confirmed by blood tests.

Sounds like Braxton Hicks, I had them every evening for weeks and weeks. They're uncomfortable but not painful. (I hated them though.) But we can't tell you for sure, so you need to ring the number on your notes and have a chat with them. They might ask you to go in for monitoring.

I had this and was early labor for me.
I was past 40 weeks... first time I was experiencing BH.
Please get checked!

I had this and then had my baby at 32 weeks. Worth checking it out.

Thank you guys, you're right it is worth getting checked out, thank you for all your help! X

@AppleButter

Do you have a magnesium supplement? I was prescribed a higher dose one when I had similar, worrying tightness, and light cramps which I thought were contractions. But the doctor smiled and knew it was magnesium, confirmed by blood tests.

@AppleButter could you please clarify whether you mean it's because you were magnesium deficient or because you were taking a higher dose?

Sorry to hijack your thread OP, I've been having the exact same and really not feeling great, so wondered if it's the magnesium I am taking or if I need to up the dose.

@SEE123 i was prescribed magnesium for mild cramps during pregnancy too.
It is because you are deficient

@SEE123 I am not in the UK, and routine blood testing is done at the gynaecologists as soon as the pregnancy is confirmed, and at key intervals. They test many different things. There were no (confirmed) deficiencies then, (or before pregnancy or even in during pregnancy) and the odd tightening only occurred after more than halfway through the pregnancy. I was prescribed the following (245mg) (10mmol) by my doctor, after reporting the tightening, even though I definitely did not have a deficiency, and the magnesium levels were not particularly low, just the lower end of middle/normal levels. most pregnant women where I am are given a magnesium supplement and all appointments are with a gynaecologist directly, not another healthcare professional. I was generally very satisfied with the heathcare during pregnancy and birth here, and post-birth care, although there is a massive shortage of midwives and doulas here due to insurance expenses.
www.shop-apotheke.com/arzneimittel/16004075/magno-sanol-uno-245-mg-kapseln.htm
Of course, go to your doctor and hopefully they will be able to help.