Q about contractions and BH

[Netti]

There may already be a thread similar to this one, i apologise if there is. But this has been bugging me for a while. Ive been having BH, where my stomach tightens and bunches up. Since last Friday these tightenings have been accompanied by mild period pain and lastnight/this morning i had even more painful ones.

My question is, what did contractions feel like for you? Did you think they were BH or are they definitely distinguishable? How far apart did they start off?

Any input will be greatly appreciated. Both Friday and this morning i was going to phone the hospital, but i thought not as the contractions weren't really excrutiaiting and i thought they would eventually stop anyway. The last thing i wanted was to get there and not even be dilating and sent back home. I just don't want to get to the hospital too late and i don't want to get there too early LOL

Thanx

[iris]

Netti have you been timing these contractions? I would time them and call the hospital and get their advice.

At first mine were like mild period pains, but I was then given pictocin(?) to help it along.

[~Jo~]

Hi Netti...mine definately felt like period pain coming in regular tightening intervals strengthening in intensity and time...once they got to lasting around 60 secs each time and 5 mins apart I was up at the hospital.

Goodluck...its sounding very close hon

Jo

[Netti]

Thanks ladies

I have timed them, if they are painless BH they start either 10 or 15 minutes apart approx, then if they are BH with period pain, they are either 10 minutes or 5 minutes apart, approx. As they get closer together they do last longer, this morning when i had the painful ones they were lasting a minute, but i thought they would disappear and i was apprehensive about phoning the hospital so i didnt call. Il see what happens when they start again, i could just see what the hospital suggests i do.

Until then more waiting..................LOL

[BellyBelly]

Netti,

The funny thing with BH is that some people find them to be noticable and some don't - I never had any with my two except when we moved house and I was doing too much. But none the less, any contractions you have, your uterus is preparing for labour and they are all helpful - it's not a game your body plays with you.

Try not to get too caught up in the timing of them in early labour, you'll just make yourself more anxious and when they start feeling really uncomfortable, then take note and call the hospital, otherwise you might be timing early labour contractions forever and the hospital will tell you to stay there unless they are fairly close together, which can be deflating.

So when they start to hurt or you feel that you can't cope with them or distract yourself from the pain, then you will likely be further progressed and feel better when they tell you to come in.

I know it's hard sweety, but you don't want to be getting to hospital so over waiting for it to happen that they decide you have been in there long enough and they'll start deciding to induce or augment you (ask anyone about induction and I tell you they will put you off the idea - I can vouch for that!) and at worse case, decide on an emergency caeser for failure to progress because you have been there for a while and baby just isn't ready....

So hang in there hon and you'll give your baby the best gift you can - birth when he is ready. I know you are over being ready

[Melody]

The only thing I can add after all that good advice (bearing in mind that I have yet to have my baby) is that I have had a lot of BH since around 26-28 weeks. Barely a day has gone by without having some &, on some days, more than just a few.

The week before last I had just over an hour of contractions.... when i say this I am aware that they stopped but they were ten times different to any BH I have ever experienced & my BH have intensified as I have drawn closer to my due date. These were definately contractions.

When I talked about this pre/practise labour to my OB he didn't blink an eyelid & he is very down to earth so I have no doubt that if he thought i was overstating it, he would tell me.

I did get a lot out of what Kelly said regarding letting this first 'stage' of the process happen naturally though.... next time I will approach it being a bit more relaxed I think.

[~Raven~]

I had a few BH but only when I was tired from too much shopping LOL when PG with Angus. When I rested they stopped.
I had a false labour and those were much stronger than BH but didn't really get longer than 40 seconds and 3 mins apart.
The real labour contractions were 60 - 90 seconds long and the pain was more concerntrated on my lower tummy and (sorry for TMI) up my bum.

[BellyBelly]

Yep those contractions are the best to look out for. Ignore the time between them as it can be erratic, for me they were always anywhere between 5-10mins apart, alternating between strong and weaker contractions (weak enough that I was worried labour was slowing), especially towards the end. It's the length of contractions which are most important - 60-90 secs are good contractions (although you might not think so at the time!!). Those long ones are the contractions working hardest to get that cervix open as much as they can, especially towards transition (7-10cms) when the stretch is really on to get to 10cms.

[Melinda]

I had plenty of BH, but didn't find them to be painful at all. They were just my stomach tightening for a few minutes and it would feel uncomfortable, then it would return to normal.

When I went into labour I still wasn't convinved that what I was having were proper contractions or if for some reason the BH had just decided to become painful LOL. They weren't regular to start with and went on for what felt like ages......I didn't realise I was having one contraction on top of the other. But those contractions, which were the real deal, were definitely painful and had me rocking backwards and forwards to get through them!!

[Netti]

Thanx for the input ladies it definitely puts my mind at ease i think all ive been having is BH, not any actual contractions yet. Its just with being over every little twinge gets me thinking LOL, but now i have tried to just relax when i feel things happen and just keep an eye on the time. I have my appmnt 2moro with the daily assessment unit and my 1st internal so i will see what is happening and have some answers of what will happen However i am [-o< ing that the little one makes his appearance all on his own

[BellyBelly]

Good luck Netti, fingers all crossed here for you!!!