https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 12 Apr 2026 16:20:40 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2211722 Wed, 17 Jun 2015 22:32:41 +0000 Mrs.KMM 2211722@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope - I never felt any BH before my 37w induction. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210735 Wed, 17 Jun 2015 05:15:40 +0000 Mama Bird 2210735@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them very very early, like around 9 weeks, this time around. It was really scary. Thankfully that nonsense stopped, but they've been back for a while and at 35 weeks, I get them every time I stand up too fast or put something on my stomach. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210678 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 22:24:12 +0000 GoGoSnoGirl 2210678@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh yes! I think they started around 20-something wks, usually with activity. Every time I went for a brisk walk my belly tightened up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210262 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:07:21 +0000 travellingbee 2210262@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: Totally. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210260 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:06:02 +0000 2PeasinaPod 2210260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them with LO1 starting at 30 weeks, and they were pretty frequent. Because I had GD, I had non-stress tests twice a week from about 34 weeks on, and you could see the rise and fall of each contraction. Just like you described, my stomach would just get tight for a bit, then release. </p> <p>When I was in labor, my contractions were painful. You'll definitely be able to tell the difference. The day I went into labor, I had BH contractions on and off all day with some cramping (I had cramping on and off all week long), but when I went to bed that night, a full blown contraction was so painful that it shot me right out of bed. I downloaded a contraction app after I had the second painful one, and I knew these weren't BH contractions and that they were real ones! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210259 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:04:33 +0000 Torchwood 2210259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@travellingbee: I'm not sure I would even have recognized them so early if I hadn't had so many before. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210241 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 13:48:52 +0000 travellingbee 2210241@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Torchwood: I'm getting them already too and I'm only 11 weeks. My dr said today that it's normal to feel them really early with your 2nd if you had them with your first. I had them from 17 weeks on with my 1st. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210158 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 13:04:11 +0000 Torchwood 2210158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've gotten them a ton with both of my pregnancies, starting at 10 weeks with this one. My "normal" is every 5-10 minutes, and they get to 2 minutes fairly often. They hurt sometimes, but not usually. My midwives (and the MFM doctors last time) basically just said I have an irritable uterus, and unless I'm having bleeding, loss of mucous plug, lots of pain, or my water breaks, don't worry about it. I'm just supposed to get off my feet and get hydrated if they get bad. I usually take a bath when they hurt, which always helps. I didn't go into labor on my own last time, but the difference between BH's and the real thing for me was solely the pain level. Since mine are frequently easily timeable already, even that wouldn't tell me anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210100 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:35:50 +0000 mrsrugbee 2210100@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I got them with both my pregnancies around 14 weeks onward. I seem to get them pretty often and sometimes they get regular in the evening but it didn't cause a problem getting to 40 weeks with my first. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210067 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:18:19 +0000 Pepper 2210067@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them from 16 weeks on, throughout my entire pregnancy. I had them so frequently at times, I ended up going to triage on several occasions, but they were always non-productive/normal for me (I apparently had an irritable uterus). They felt just as you described them, a gradual tightening, which would peak and eventually relax. No pain at all. I could visibly see my stomach tighten with them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210062 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:14:54 +0000 MrsADS 2210062@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Portboston when I was at the hospital this weekend that's what the L&amp;D nurse told me too. She said when your uterus contracts, it's like a tube of toothpaste and squeezes from the top to the bottom but you tend to feel real contractions more lower down with cramping, etc. Which is how all of mine have felt - I have never felt contractions above my belly button. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210060 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:11:39 +0000 Portboston 2210060@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I haven't had any BH yet but from what my midwife tells me....BH are all over the belly and "real" contractions are only in your lower abdomen and typically in the middle. More like menstrual cramps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210045 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 12:02:24 +0000 MrsADS 2210045@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm 30w and I've had a ton of contractions starting like 22 weeks ish. Sometimes they are just tightening but often mine are painful and low - like menstrual cramps, they hurt in my back and wrap to the front, sometimes hurt in my upper thighs. Turns out my contractions are making my cervix change so they aren't "just" Braxton Hicks. </p> <p>I was basically told the only difference between BH contractions and "real" contractions is that real contractions change your cervix (efface/dilate/etc) and BH do not and sometimes there is no way to tell. I think warning signs would be frequency, regularity, pain, or cramping and if I had any of those I would check with the dr! Which is what happened to me. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210041 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 11:59:25 +0000 pinkarmadillo 2210041@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I started having them around 26 weeks - currently 29 weeks along and they have become more frequent. Anytime I step on the treadmill and then on a off during the day. Mine is a tightening of my uterus. It feels like it's frozen and they take my breath away a bit or makes it hard to breath. </p> <p>I'm no help as to them transitioning into real contractions or labor though :sad: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2210028 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 11:52:17 +0000 rattles 2210028@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had them all the time from 23 weeks on. I could definitely tell when they were the real deal because it hurt more and lower. The BH were just that uncomfortable tightening. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/did-you-have-bh-hicks#post-2209943 Tue, 16 Jun 2015 10:53:10 +0000 mrsjyw 2209943@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When did they start? How did you tell the difference when real labor started? When did you go into actual labor vs when you started getting BH?</p> <p>I'm 34.5 weeks, and have been feeling what I think are BH contractions for the last couple of weeks. (I never had them with DS1). </p> <p>They're not painful, my stomach just gets really hard and tight all over for a few minutes and then softens. It happens quite frequently throughout the day now (and I"m sure overnight). </p>