contractions..

Wendy - posted on 12/16/2009

Hi, I had braxton hicks for about 6 weeks before my son was born and in the last 2 weeks they were 5-8 minutes apart....It got tiring! I ended up being induced at 40 weeks due to high blood pressure and had a 17 hour labour but Iv heard that lots of braxton hicks can mean a shorter labour, hope that is true for you! all the best, however they come, it is worth it!!

Natasha - posted on 12/16/2009

Hi Kelsea!
These contractions you are explaining sound like Braxton Hicks or false contractions. I had these for the last month of my pregnancy with Madalyn. There not very nice especially while your trying to get as much rest as possible for the new addition arrives. All I can say is when you get real contractions you will know the difference it's not something I can explain you just have to trust your body.. I was 2wks overdue and from 38wks onwards my partner and I would stimulate my nipples by just rubbing them and when your body is ready you will find this will actually give you Braxton Hicks and when my water broke we had just finished doing this for an hour. 15mins each side and then swap for an hour. Hope this helps.

Kelsea - posted on 12/15/2009

awwwe thanks ladies!!
its so heart warming to see everyones responses, really.
at this point in my pregnancy im just anxious to get my little guy out and in our arms finally. i wish there was a straight, knowable, time i could count on until his arrival, im just very anxious. ive really enjoyed being pregnant, but im ready now.
im playing the waiting game, so here till then, cheers

Karen - posted on 12/15/2009

I've had 7 & currently 38wks with baby #8, and I have had BH with each of them from about the 20 wk mark. Mine were born 42wks, 42wks, 39wks, 35wks, 38wks, 41wks & 40wks. And anyones guess is as good as mine as to when the next one will come. I do believe the frequency & strength of the BH has a bearing on how long your labour will be as the longer (12-14 hour) labours had fewer & a lot less intense BH, where as my 2hr labour I'd had BH every 20mins for 3 wks straight before he arrived & some of them were that intense I stopped what I was doing & took my breath away. You'll just know when it's "time". Good luck :-)

Jackie - posted on 12/15/2009

Dear Kelsea, I do believe you have Braxton Hicks, I have had 3 children do not worry and it is your bodies way of preparing for the real thing, they should stop in the next day or two, if they do not contact your midwife as there is a chance you may be in slow labour and the baby will be need to be monitored this is nothing to worry about though, take care, Jackie. xxx

Tasha - posted on 12/15/2009

It's no way to know....I had similar symptoms and I went to the hospital with each one!! I stopped going afte awhile and didn't go until my water broke (actually I had a doctor's appt the next morning, my water broke around 12 midnight)!! You will know when it's time.....no doubt about that!!

Crystal - posted on 12/15/2009

i had braxton hicks from about 8 weeks rare but not unherd of my doctor said so i guess your baby will come when ever it feels like it

Erica - posted on 12/15/2009

Right now you are having Braxton Hicks which is your body preparing for the big day. The inner thigh thing is normal too. However I would start timing them. If you are having contractions 7-10 min apart and it stops after 30 mins then its false labor. If they start getting more intense and become 3-5 min apart and last more than 30 min then I would suggest going to the hospital. If your water breaks before then go to the hospital right away as well.

ASHLEY - posted on 12/15/2009

I had that for about two weeks before my son was born I asked at my doctors appt and was told I was still 0cm and not effaced so they were definetly braxton hicks (nurse said this my doc was out of town) 3 days after that appt my water broke and when I got to the hospital I was 4 cm. Doctor said that I was actually having prelabor contractions since they were able to make me dilate.

Cybelle - posted on 12/15/2009

Hi there,

I am 37 weeks and I have sharp knives pain in the lower pelvic area. They happen at night too. I asked my doctor and she told me that the baby is getting ready and the cervix is thinning out for labor. She said I will experience contractions until delivery and need to time them. Best of luck and patience!! !May you be blessed with a healthy baby and easy delivery.

Meagan - posted on 12/15/2009

I had minor contractions for months before my baby finally arrived. My water broke finally at 38 weeks, but I was having VERY consistent contractions for 3 days before the real stuff happened. You might to call your doctor about the leg contracting though and shooting pains...

Allison - posted on 12/15/2009

With my first I started having the Braxton Hicks contractions, which is what yours sound like, at about 34 weeks. I also had those shooting pains in my legs. I started keeping a log of every contraction, the length and time, how and where I felt it. She was born the morning of the 24th. My labor contractions started at 10 pm. on the 22nd. The were a bit stronger and in the back lasted a bit longer than usual, but I was still able to sleep through the night. I had contractions all day the next day, and still went grocery shopping because I only need to hunch over the cart and rock my hips side to side concentrating on breathing through those. I knew that "today is the day" though. Contractions got steadily stronger and closer together and I waited for my husband to come home. I couldn't cook dinner because I couldn't concentrate on anything else long enough so we wen to my mother-in-law's and I could not eat so I interrupted dinner and told my husband we needed to go to the hospital. They were about 1.5-2 min long and 5 minutes apart then. It was 5:30 pm on the 23rd. We got to the hospital and at 6 they checked me out. said I wasn't dilated enough and walk around for an hr. I was thinking 'are you kidding me!?!?! I can't walk throught these!' so I was stopping ever 2-3 minutes then to rock through the contractions on my hands and knees for 3 min at a time in the hospital halls. Then they finally admitted me. I gotta say if you choose to go with pain relief, Statol does not work. Just makes you groggy and sick while you feel the pain. I was against the epidural until I couldn't take it any more then labor was a breeze, I got some sleep and was smiling and enjoying delivery. I would request Pitocin to go along with the epidural, because epidural alone slows labor down siverely, Pitocin keeps contractions going. That's wath they use to induce labor. Wish I would have known to ask for pitocin the first time. The 2nd I was induced. I will never recommend that. Good luck and God bless!

Oh! and the 1st one came exactly 1 week pas her due date!

Amaka - posted on 12/15/2009

hello, is not a strange thing, it happens, i had d experience when i had my second daughter, what i did was each time it comes, i will go on a walk for an hour or 1hour.30mints, come back have a cold bath and sleep and finally when the D day came it was just like magic, within 1hour few seconds, behold my Angel.gudluck

Melissa - posted on 12/15/2009

Quoting kristen:

My contractions just automatically began 2 minutes apart and lasting 45 seconds to a minute each time. I had braxton hicks and was worried i wouldn't know the difference but I sure did. They say wait until 2 min apart with 45 seconds each one. I took a shower and did my hair and they were still going so I went to the hospital and had her that day. It will work out and youll know.

I was excatly the same, was in hospital 2 hours after my contractions started.  I had been having braxton hicks since 15 weeks and right before I gave birth I had shooting pains in my pelvis when I had braxton hicks and they stoped you in your tracks and took my breath away!!!!  You definately know when they change!!!!

Holly - posted on 12/15/2009

Sounds like you've gotten alot of good advice. Each of my 4 kids were different. With the 1st one I had little to no braxthen Hicks Cramps. My 3rd I had them for 1 1/2 months! Use all the advice below and also maybe ask your mom (if that's possible) what her labor was like. For me my contractions started like BH and then just got stronger and stronger. They didn't "peter" out. You will know real labor but don't be afraid to go in or get help. Since you've never been in labor before, its hard to know what labor will be like! Also, when the time comes, do what works for you as far as pain control. I had help on 2 or my 4 and each one is just fine as am I. Everyone's pain level is different, so go with how you feel and what your body says. It wil lhurt but if you can handle the pain try to not have medication has you then don't have to deal with IV's and other yucky things. Good Luck! and congratulations!!

Kristen - posted on 12/14/2009

oh and I had my daughter at 39 weeks and 1 day

Kristen - posted on 12/14/2009

My contractions just automatically began 2 minutes apart and lasting 45 seconds to a minute each time. I had braxton hicks and was worried i wouldn't know the difference but I sure did. They say wait until 2 min apart with 45 seconds each one. I took a shower and did my hair and they were still going so I went to the hospital and had her that day. It will work out and youll know.

Kevlyn - posted on 12/14/2009

someone above said that true contractions will take your breath away...with my last child i had contractions all night that i slept through mostly and the next morning i went to the hospital and was in labor... I thought I just had a kidney infection b/c i was having them in my back... by the time i got to the hospital pains were only two minutes apart and i did not have contractions that took my breath away or could not talk through until my water was broke about an hour before she was born and i was in labor for 14 hours.. Everyone is different and feels pain different and can handle more pain than others... It does sound to me like you are having contractions... The best way to tell is to time them and once they get five minutes apart go to the hospital... or you could go ahead and go to the hospital and be put on a moniter to see if they are contractions or not...

Brandy - posted on 12/14/2009

Sounds like Braxton Hicks to me. With my first, I had them from about 30 weeks and delivered at 37 weeks. With this pregnancy, I started having them at 19 weeks and I'm going on 36 weeks now and still no signs of labor. I know exactly what you mean about the inside of your legs. What an annoyance hey? A real contraction will start at the top of the uterus and radiate downwards towards and into your pelvis. Unfortunately, there is no way of using BH to detect when you are going to go into labor but the good thing is, the more often you have them and the stronger they are, the easier your labor *should* be because they are actually the muscles of your uterus practicing for labor. Think of them as little mini workouts for your uterus.

Andrea - posted on 12/14/2009

P.S. My cramps were not that bad, they were hard enough that i knew what they were but were not doubling me over even when i delivered.. The Best thing to remeber is that every womans body will deal with the pain in its own way.. Also depends on the Pain tolarence that you have.. Mine is and was very high.. Right before i had to push the asked me to rate my pain on a scale of 1 tp 10 i was only at a 6 to a 7 when i began pushing... Take care, but your body will tell you when the time is right... Best Wishes..

Jessica - posted on 12/14/2009

Well i think it just depends on you body if this is you first they say that feel them for a while mine lasted for about 3 and a hlf weeks with my first and about a week with my other 2 but you will know when you start having the really hard contraction and those are what actually progress your labor. They only get worse from here on out so just be tough. My doctor said with all 3 of my kids that the contraction need to be closer than 10 min apart and the contraction need to be at least a min long and you will not be able to talk throught the contraction. before you need to worry about getting to the hospital and i am about a 1/2 hour away from my hosptial. You are almost done so good luck with everthing and try enjoy every moment they all go so fast.

Andrea - posted on 12/14/2009

I would say if you walk around the house(inside if cold out) and they do not go away in an hour or so i would be calling to see if they would like to come in and be checked.. I was able to talk and laugh through my WHOLE LABOR.. ( and no i did have any pain control) So if you have drank water and have walked around i would call.. I walked around my house for 2 hours before calling my doctor and he was an hour and a half away from us. He told me that i should come and be checked out to make sure.. He said that rather safe then sorry and my hubby and i delivering the baby ourself.. lol.. I had all the same things that you are talking about. I also only had these for a few days with both my kids then it was SHOW time.. ( as my doctor and family put it) Well congrats to you.. Hope this is helpful and Best wishes take care

Kiera - posted on 12/14/2009

This post is helpful to me also! I have been feeling the same way n my due date is less than a week away!

Christine - posted on 12/14/2009

p.s. i forgot.. me sure to drink lots of water.. your body can start contracting due to dehydration too. sometime if you drink water it might make them stop.

Christine - posted on 12/14/2009

oh boy.. for me they lasted a lon time.. towards the end every day!! But don't worry you will have NO doubt that you are in labor happens. Mine felt like the worst period cramps ever and I had them in my back and lower stomach. but do't worry.. it will pass and then you have a beautiful baby as a reward!

Teresa - posted on 12/14/2009

I would say those are tightenings. Preparing your uterus for the real deal. When the real contractions start they will be like a real bad mestrual cramp. As they progress they will just get more intense and longer lasting. But thats a good thing (who would think that pain in good :) ) Some people might say it is like a snake bite (when someone twist the skin on your arm). You will have choices to control your pain, so don't be afraid of it, work with it. If you can stay as relaxed as you can, the pain will be less intensified and the labor will progress quickly. Good luck! Wishing you all the best during your experience.

Alina - posted on 12/14/2009

it sounds normal to me. your body will do this to "practice" for a while then eventually the cramps and shooting pains just wont stop. (well until after the baby anyway) when it happens see if they stop when you walk around and drink a glass of water. if they do they are just braxton hicks. if they dont go away....its time to call the family. sometimes braxton hicks can go on for a couple hours (i learned this the hard way) and then just vanish. so just know that if you cant talk through it, its real. if it doesnt go away, its real. and last but not least, if you are leaking fluid, it is definitely real. good luck and welcome to the end! congrats.

Alina - posted on 12/14/2009

it sounds normal to me. your body will do this to "practice" for a while then eventually the cramps and shooting pains just wont stop. (well until after the baby anyway) when it happens see if they stop when you walk around and drink a glass of water. if they do they are just braxton hicks. if they dont go away....its time to call the family. sometimes braxton hicks can go on for a couple hours (i learned this the hard way) and then just vanish. so just know that if you cant talk through it, its real. if it doesnt go away, its real. and last but not least, if you are leaking fluid, it is definitely real. good luck and welcome to the end! congrats.

Tammy - posted on 12/14/2009

it probably is contractions, but you will know when it is time, your whole stomach will tighten up. when you have contraction like you are having now, your body is just getting ready for the real thing, at least that is what the doctors told me, and I had contracts for 3 weeks before I was put in the hospital. Hope this help ya a little. good luck!

Kate CP - posted on 12/14/2009

The kind of contractions you're describing can last for a few weeks. A true contraction will take your breath away (meaning you'll be concentrating more on the contraction than anything else) for at least a minute.