Google doesn't help......

[Eurogirl]

Hi Ladies,

I have come across a PG site on Google (I can't believe there is still one I haven't checked out!! lol) but it is talking about stuff making me look like a no-eyed-deer. Could someone please help me out here and explain to me exactly what are;

Palpation of the baby,
Braxton Hicks contractions,
Ballottement,
and the change in uterine shape.......
and this is to do with the probable signs of PG.

[Karina]

Hello

I think palpation is when your midwife/ob feels your belly to determine what position baby is in..
Braxton hicks are sort of like practice contractions.. mine werent painful. I think I had them from about 25 weeks onwards, but some people get them earlier and some people dont really feel them at all. My tummy just went very hard for about 20-30 seconds when I had one.

sorry probably not much help?

[Alan]

Hi Eurogirl

Palpation = Feeling your tummy

Braxton Hicks Contractions = Braxton Hicks are a way of your body preparing for birth, they are sort of practice contractions. What they feel like is a little hard to describe, because they are different for different women. Usually they feel like a mild cramp and if you put your hand on your tummy you should be able to feel it going hard. BH contractions are not usually painful but they can become uncomfortable. Late in pregnancy some women find it difficult to know if they are having BH or early contractions. True contractions are regular, they come say every 20 minutes and each contraction lasts for say 30 seconds. They stay like this for some time and then start to get closer together. BH contractions do not do this. They are irregular they can last for a few seconds to a few minutes and the time between contractions varies.

Ballottment = A little hard to explain but basically when the midwife feels your tummy on of the things we want to know is if the baby is head up or head own. So when we find what we think is the head we try to move it from side to side or back to front. If we can move the head it is said to be ballottable.

Changes in uterine shape = You will have to be a little more specific in what you mean by this