Hi, I know this might sound completly stupid but Im 26 weeks pregnant and I hear everyone talking about these braxton hicks contractions.. my question is how will I know that I am having them and not the real thing or even know what it is at all? This is my first pregnancy so everything is new to me and I get confused about alot of things any info would help..
Braxton hicks are your bodys way of getting ready for labor. To me they feel just like the ones I had with my first daughter when I went into labor. The differance to me was these are not consistant and only last 20-30 seconds. They dont really hurt exactly but your tummy gets really tight and hard.
I am actually having problems with them and have been for about a month+ and have to go to the doctor to make sure I have not dialated. I pretty much have 3-4 and hour all day long, sometimes more sometimes less. The rule of thumb is that if you have six or more(what my doctor told me) go to the bathroom (a full bladder can cause them) and then lay down for an hour on your left side. If you have six more within that hour to call the doctor.
Meg
I am 29 weeks pregnant and a full bladder, normally in the evenings, tend to trigger them for me. I can feel my stomach/uterus getting really tight and I have to stop what I am doing, it is uncomfortable, but not painful.
For a while I did not realize that I was having them until my Dr. told me what they were! This is all new to me as well!
b/h are your uterus practising. it goes all hard and is a bit uncomfortable but no pain. when i first started having them i did not realise what they were i just thought it was my baby lying heavy on the wall of my tummy. in fact i am having one now i have several a day and have had them for months. they do come on when i need a wee but at random times as well. it is only if they get real frequent or they get increasingly painful you should see the doc straight away.
Thanks for all the info! This all gets really scary and confusing when its your first one and everyone has some different story to tell you, you dont know what to expect..
Robert Michael Born on 3/20/06 
