Too Many Braxton Hicks Contractions

Braxton Hicks can be a nightmare. I had them starting at 6mo prego with my 2nd and by the time I was in my last month I was having them every hour but never closer. Sometimes just the tightening, sometimes the real ouch. My doc said it wasn't hurting the baby, just getting my body ready. I just tried to stop and be still when they would start and they passed almost immediately. Just hang in there, soon instead of a kick in your bladder, you'll get a headbutt:>

I would not worry. With my 3rd pregnancy mine started very early, maybe around 14 weeks. And by the end of my pregnancy they were all day long! Drove me nuts. I had a midwife tell me that the more you have, the shorter your actual labor will be. Not sure how true that is (and I wouldn't know because I had a scheduled c-section), but in her experience with delivering over 2,000 babies that is what she found.

a May baby? possiable Tarus lol like me good luck! just kiddin. We have two boys two years apart.....about the hicks at 33 week..so your about 6 weeks from delivering more or less. You can deliever early also, it's prolly nothing but would suggest making an apptiontment or bringing it up at your next doctors visit you might actually be having mild contractions and need to know if your dialating...
Good Luck and God Bless
Happy Easter

Hello C.,
Good luck.
I am a mother of two, full time mom, part time labor and delivery nurse. Braxton hicks contractions are nothing to worry about unless they are painful. They are sometimes a resonse of your uterus to your baby moving, or your body's way of priming the pump, getting ready for the real thing. As long as your are not dilated, have no bloody show, and do not feel pain, don't worry. Take the opportunity to lay down, relax, and put your feet up.
If your baby is breech, you may discuss a version with your doctor. A version is where your doctor manually turns the baby from the outside. It is done earlier than later, but even with a version, the baby can still turn back to breech. If the baby persists in breech presentation, you should discuss scheduling a c/s with your doctor. My son was breech until 38 weeks, and the night before my scheduled version, I found out he had turned to vertex, and was able to cancel both my version, and c/s the next day if the version was unsuccessful. I tried lots of other things, standing on my head, laying with pillows in every position imaginable, but it is ultimately up to your baby, and your pelvis.
I work at St. David's, so if you plan on delivering there, let me know, and I can help you in any way possible.
God bless you and your baby.

Hi C.,
I only have a moment but there is a lot of information on breech babies out on the net.
Here is an article that gives a good overview.
http://www.childbirthcollective.org/articles/breech.html

Helping your baby turn sonner rather than later would be a good idea. I have noticed in my practice that frequently babies whose moms are haveing a challenging emotional time will more likely be breech-the baby's and mom's heart fields are closer when the baby is breech and both seem to be wanting to comfort the other.

Braxton Hicks are more common with subsuquent preganacies. They are probably nothing to worry about but do check in with you health care provider.

Good luck,
R.
Doula and mom to Ben 16yrs and Daniel 12yrs
PS If you want to email me privately I will answer your questions.

I had a ton of Braxton Hicks contractions during all 4 of my pregnancies. They started about 28 weeks with my first and by number four they had started at 20 weeks. I didn't have any complications because of them. All my babies were born shy of 37 weeks, but they were healthy and went home with me. Also, I had very short labors. =) It wasn't comfortable at all, especially toward the end. I just tried to drink plenty of water and lie down as much as possible. Take care!

I am 27 1/2 weeks and I feel like my uterus is in constant contraction mode, especially when I have been more active than not, and the activity isn't much...like going to the store it seems :) Anyway, fairly normal but I would talk with your OB at your next appointment, then can check to see if you are dialating or if your uterus is just practicing.

As for the breech, I love my OB and am so glad I trusted him. The flipping of a breech baby is called an inversion, and like the other poster said is very painful- My second was breech and I wanted so badly to deliver vaginally because my first was very fast and easy for a first baby. My doctor did a sono each appointment and at 36 when they were going to do an inversion they did another sono and the doctor just didn't like the placement of the cord and the size of the baby. During my c-section Dr. Cowan kept saying "C. we made the right decicision." The cord was actually wrapped around her neck a couple of times and caught up under her arm, as well her head was very stuck in my rib cage....i have an amazing video of the c-section if you ever want to view it :) but anyway, most likely your little guy is breech for a reason and many will flip on their own about 35-38 weeks, but don't be disappointed if he doesn't, modern medicine is amazing. Your doctor will perform an inversion, but the stats show that about 80% will flip back to the breech, or it will not be sucessful...Anyway I am rambling but talk to your doctor and share your concerns as well as listen to his/hers about it all as well.

Good luck and congratulations! I am having a boy too!

Hi C.,
I agree with most of the women who have already responded and they are probably nothing to worry about, but I would have it checked out. With my second pregnancy I started having what I thought were braxton hicks contractions about every 3-8 minutes constantly for about four hours straight. They did not hurt--none of my contractions hurt until transition, they just take my breath away. I went ahead and took a trip to L&D just to be safe since it was my second pregnancy--I was 4 centimeters dialated and 80% effaced. Needless to say, he was born the next day--so it can be something. If you have a high pain tolerance like I do, I had all three of my children naturally, and they do not hurt, so to be safe just have it checked--even if they just do a fetal non-stress test. Good luck!

COngratulations!! Well to me is was normal and my baby turned on my 36 week, kust be pation, and important thing is that you feel your baby everyday, if you don't drink a glass of water (very cold) and wait if it moves if your baby does not moves call your doc or go to the emergency room. By this time you have to feel your baby every day more than 3 times a day.

Congratulations on your second child. Your braxton hick are normal, thats just to be expected. And you baby may be breach now but the closer you get towards your due date it may decide to turn. I would not worry to much about it. Good luck and I hope all goes well!

Hi C.!

Congrats!! I experienced a lot of braxton hicks contractions from 6 months of pregnancy and on. They were never very painful- mainly just uncomfortable especially towards the end of my pregnancy. I actually started getting the braxton hicks contractions every 10 minutes 3 days before I delivered my son! I would have them 10 minutes apart for a few hours and then they would subside and then come back and so on... So I went to my doctor and found out I was 3-1/2 cm dialated and 50% efaced. I would wait it out and if they continue you should probably think about seeing your doctor. Good Luck!

When I was about 7 months pregnant I started having them constantly. My husband and I started counting how far apart they were around 33 weeks and they were anywhere from 3-10 minutes apart. I wouldn't worry unless you feel the cramping along with it. Some women feel them from the very first trimester. If you're really worried, or if they get more intense then talk to your doctor. Your body is just preparing itself. Just remember to get as much rest as you can with an 18 month old. Congratulations!

With my daughter who is now 6 months old, the way my ob/gyn did it when she was in a breech position, was attempt to turn the baby as it was close to my due date. I will not lie to you, that is the most painful thing to have done to you next to actually having the baby. The doctor had a colleague help her to do this procedure which I cannot remember what it was called, but they just basically tried to turn it is all.

The procedure did not work so they scheduled me for a c-section on August 31. We got in there, they got me fully prepped for the surgery and at the last minute they did another ultra sound, and guess what? The little monkey had flipped over to the proper position after all! :-)

That could happen to you, your baby could flip over towards the end but definitely make sure your doctor keeps up the ultrasounds and monitors it. If they do that procedure and works on you and they are able to turn the baby things will be fine I'm sure unless he/she decide to turn 'back' over again.

Needless to say I am changing doctors on my next baby. My ob/gyn, Dr. Chalasani had told my husband, then me, right after the birth that the birth was hard on 'her' and that I was basically too fat to have kids and should consider not having anymore. This coming from an itty bitty woman who was about 7 months pregnant with twins when she did my daughters delivery!

Good luck to you! I'm here for you! :-)