Cramps: braxton hicks or slow labour?

[Lorrymac]

Morning Ladies,

I'm hoping someone might be able to help me here - for about a week (give or take) i've been getting cramps. They started quite low down like a period cramp used to feel, but yesterday I was having a nap and when i woke up I got a few of them over the space of 5-10 minutes and they were across the whole of my belly. I thought they were braxton hicks because although people say they're painless some women get them when they're not. I keep reading the word "uncomfortable" about them too but what does that mean?!? i find my bra uncomfortable!!

Can anyone shed any light onto what this might be? i don't like using the word painful (my burst appendix a few years ago was painful so i compare pain to that now) but it wasn't much fun. baby is sitll moving plenty, getting hiccups daily and shuffling around on a regular basis. I am 38 weeks this coming sunday.

many thanks, Lorraine

[yogasun]

Hi Lorrymac
Quite a while since I had my sons (24 and 22 now!!)
but I remember that Braxton Hicks contractions can be quite painful. Usually the abdomen goes really taut and they can go on and on. I assume it's your first. I think I felt it even more with my second. Obviously if you are very worried ring the hospital.
All sounds normal to me!
By the way my second son was born at 38 weeks! Good luck.

[redcrx]

braxtons can be quite uncomfortable as in you notice them and have to move position to try and ease the feeling a bit.
One way to find out, if possible, whether they are the start of labour is to try and have a bath, this will usually slow down and stop a false labour or braxtons.

It could be any day for you now so keep an eye on the times and durations of these pains, if they increase in strength and length then call the maternity ward for advice.

I had braxtons last weekend which came every 5 mins for over an hour and then just suddenly stopped. They were like a constipation pain and went in a ring over and below my bump

[warpig3]

I had a lot of BH during my pregnancy and right at the end didn't know that I had gone into labour until the pain kicked in as I had no show and my waters didnt break. I found, whilst the BH were uncomfortable, the onset of labour was painful, it started off as very bad period pains but got progressively worse relatively quickly. I was concerned that I wouldnt know the difference between BH and contractions but believe me it soon became apparent! If you have any concerns ring the hospital for advice but also trust in your own judgement and dont let the hosp fob you off, you know your own body best. Twice the hosp told me to take painkillers, have a bath and go to bed in the space of half an hour. Finally, I thought 'sod this' and I jumped in the car and landed at the hospital and baby was born 50 mins later (about 2 hr 50 mins after I first rang them!)

Personally I would rather have been sent home from the hosp for having BH than sitting at home having contractions and giving birth on the kitchen floor.

Good luck with the remainder of your pregnancy, not long to go now.

[Petal~flower]

Warpig.........you should be catching up on your sleep!! :-)

[warpig3]

My turn for the night shift PF, am sitting here expressing milk, LOL, perhaps that is too much info!!!!!! Sorry Lorrymac but this is all ahead of you.

[Petal~flower]

get the formula out warpig.


mind you,, you will wake up with boobs like lead balloons if you dont express! lol

[lindapinda]

Just want to say congrats Warpig ;-)..Well done you,and i see from your reply to Petal..(hi babes,btw)..that youre multi-tasking lol....Sorry for the hi-jack Lorry

[Petal~flower]

hiya Linda, yeah, I was wondering how warpig was managing to express and type at same time! lol xx

[warpig3]

Thank you LP. It still all seems rather strange, she isnt even two weeks old yet but it seems like I have never been without her.

As for the multitasking, I only need one hand to express (got a manual pump thingy) and am typing very slowly with the other.

[lindapinda]

Aww I'm so glad its going well then Warpig ;-)..Have you got a name for her yet?..Not expecting you to say it here of course ;-)

[Petal~flower]

yeah warpig... only took you 17 mins from your last reply lol


night mate.... hope you get a good nights sleep xxxx

[pastafreak]

Oh my...I was reading this and trying to remember what BH were like ( it has been 22yrs ).....and I suddenly recalled a 2am trip to the hospital. My husband and were convinced it was time ........nahhh-another 2 weeks passed!

[lindapinda]

Night Petal ;-)..Glad i never went through all those lady horrors lol

[warpig3]

LP, She is called Alexandra (Lexi), and is so sweet and cute just like all new babies, awwwwww and that smell (not the poo smell, the other one, the baby one) awesome!

LOL PF, I am off to bed now, well settee actually, hopefully get a few hours sleep before the next onslaught!

[lindapinda]

Aww ..nighty night to you and the lovely wee Lexi Warpig xx..

[Ice.Maiden]

Night petal - x.

Hi Lorrymac. Unlike the other posters, my Braxton Hicks weren't painful at all. It felt strange - little tightenings that I couldnt control. I used to look forward to them!!!
If you continue to get the pains, or they get much worse, I think it may be best you phone the hospital. Good luck anyway.
Hi warpig - sounds as though you're settling into mummyhood very nicely! x

[warpig3]

Thank you ice maiden, yes motherhood is great, still cant believe it sometimes. Like you my BH werent painful and in a way I did look forward to them, my tummy just went rock hard, guess thats how I knew the difference between the BH and the contraction, ouch!

[Ice.Maiden]

They say each pregnancy's different don't they, but my two were very similar. Tjhe only difference was in the labour times - about 25 hours over my first, six and a half over the second. Both very easy though, so i was lucky.
Is Holly being a good little girl?

[Lorrymac]

Thanks ladies,

I think the concern wasn't so much that i wouldn't know if it was labour or not, because i know that the feeling will be regular and increasing in intensity (apparently!) but i just wanted to rule out anything bad. my book said that uterine pain could indicate placenta pravia (spelling?) so just checking really that BH could feel like a period pain and be normal...

Incidentally, i've not had one for a few days. I finished work yesterday - and i hate to say - i am BORED!! i try to do little jobs but they leave me to tired it's untrue!! it's so annoying - i have so many things to do and yet i just can't do them :-(

Hubby finishes work in a week so at least i'll have not only company but someone to help me! (here's hoping baby hangs on till then!)

anyway, not sure anyone will read this post now because it's right at the bottom but hey... i guess i'll be a bit more regular on here now i'm not at work!!

all the best to all new and future mummies x

[redcrx]

hi lorrymac.

Placenta Previa is where the placenta is covering or part covering the cervix. This would normally be found at a 20 weeks scan and then checked on nearer end of pregnancy to ensure its moved out of way.

chances are the baby is causing the BH pains by fidgeting. sometimes i can set off a BH purely by touching my belly, its very odd.

when do you see your midwife next?