Painless Braxton Hicks?

Up until about 2 weeks ago, I thought that I hadn't had any Braxton Hicks yet. I wasn't worried, OB wasn't worried, so no dramas.

However, I have noticed that fairly frequently throughout the day, my tummy gets really really hard all over, and I can't gently press it in and feel some 'give', like I normally can. BUT, I can only feel it from the outside ... with my fingertips. I can't feel anything inside - no cramping or tightening or any sensation at all.

Could they possibly be Braxton Hicks? Or should I be feeling something on the inside as well?

No, that sounds like BH to me. Not long to go now - how exciting!

Well, in that case, I hope my real contractions are like that then ;)

Hi Cherie,
My BH were exactly the same.. all the way up to 4 days overdue, on the 5th day they started making my tummy get harder and harder and more frequent, 11:30 that night I had the contractions start and was like WTF!! it was a shock because I didnt get painful BH.
Good luck with your birth! :D

Hi Cherie
Yes sounds like BH to me.

My BH started like that too i think, then after a while I could actually feel when it was happening. When I was at an appointment with my midwife, she was feeling my tummy and told me it was a BH, but I didnt even notice at the time unitl I felt my tummy too.

Oohh ... how exciting LOL! I've been telling the girls at work that I haven't had any BH's yet ... now I'll be able to tell them that I have :)

The midwives at our hospital are definining a BH as a painless contraction, and a contraction as a painful BH.

Which really helps! (not)

Wow Cherie, your body is getting ready...how exciting! :)

I wish I had Bh's like that, mine start in the pit of my chest, I feel like the breath has been knocked out of me, then about 10 seconds later, my whole tummy hardens like a big fist on the inside and I have to breath twice as much as it presses on my lungs. This happens at the most inconvenient times, like when I get from sitting to standing, or bend down to get something and often it happens in shops. I can't actually walk with them without waddling badly so it's embarrassing doing the groceries lol.

I've had them since 16 weeks, but not this intense till the last 4 weeks.

With my first, I don't remember getting them at all, I was induced at 37 weeks with DS and I'm sure I had none in that time.

Good luck, I can't believe you are this close now!

omg girls! i love finding out im not the only one.

What do you mean by cervix shocks Fletch? I am having some "pains" there and am going to see my OB about it tomorrow.

Fletch, I totally know what you mean with 'cervix shocks'! If we're having the same thing that is! Mine feel like I'm being flicked on the cervix from the inside out!

I think I must have had some of these painless BH's as well, but I was just putting them down to junior moving around and ending up with his back against my front and that was what was causing the firmness...I guess it could be BH's after all!

I know those cervix shocks!

My BH can be just tightenings, or ones that I can feel coming, my eyes start to water and I get a hot flush.

Oh dear. I am just like expat. I thought the tightening/firmness was just due to the baby moving around and feeling hard bits against my belly, ie back. But then I can't really feel squirming baby at the same time so I think it's actually BH!

WOW!

Never had these in my first pregnancy either. And yes - hello cervix shocks - feels like someone's trying to kick a football outta there!!!!!

Jo
x

I'm exactly the same. I was sure i was gonna go another preg without any BH but after i got a huge tightening today when i was mopping the floor i'm now sure i've been getting them for a while. I guess i expected some kind of pain - they'd be easy to miss (especially when i'm busy) if i wasn't paying attention. So yay to getting BH!!!

Oh and yep those cervix shocks are the worst - so uncomfy!