I know I've asked this similar question before when I was about 18 weeks along but ever since I turned 28weeks Braxton Hicks have down right sucked. I feel like I get at least one every hour. It seems like every time I stand up from my desk or the baby moves a ton I get one. I'll even get one when I wake up in the morning. They do NOT hurt at all they are just annoying. I get so nervous because pre-term labor keeps coming to mind. Are some of us just more prone to getting them in the third trimester? I am going to mention it to my OB at my Thursday appointment but wanted to hear if any of you ladies just had a lot during you last trimester. (Sorry for the repetition!) 
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I know we've talked about this but I just left my 30 week appointment and my OB was concerned at the amount that I'm having as well. She said that since they come on more on the weekends when I'm more active and outside that it's probably activity related but she gave me strict orders to skip the gym until baby is born and to take it easy. I feel like I already am and I know I'm taking in plenty of fluids so I guess we will just have to see.
She said the fact that I can feel them coming on by my breathing and if I 4 or more in an hour (which I often have) is a concern. If that happens and persists after a couple glasses of water and rest that I need to head to L&D.
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I had braxton hicks from about 25 w with almost every movement, sometimes timable, sometimes painful. My midwife said some people just get them, and said I had an irritable uterus. DD was born at 40w exactly. She said rest and water would help.
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I think I might have a irritable uterus as well @banana330! I will ask OB on Thursday and see it that's a possibility. @pinkarmadillo I am sorry she was concerned! I drink loads and loads of water as well so I feel ya! I've been working out 3 times a week low impact cardio but have cut that out since the BH's kept happening and thought it was best to stop and listen to my body. I have gotten 4 in a hour before but usually I just get 2 an hour and then it skips a couple hours until night time. They are pretty irregular.
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Mine started at 17w with DS1 and he lasted in there until my scheduled c-sec at 39w on the dot. I never had any real contractions or anything. You, like me, might just be one of the "sensitive" ones as my OB put it.
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@ValentineMommy: did you get them pretty much every day in the third trimester?
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I'm sure you saw the other BH thread where @Torchwood ended up delivering at 33 weeks...
I know some people have them a ton and I did a lot of reading about irritable uterus when I started contracting at 23 weeks. But at the very least take it easy and follow doctor's orders! The alternative is not good. (I had my son at 25w so I take preterm labor super seriously.)
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@paigeface: I got them very consistently from 17 weeks in. By the third trimester they were 2-6 times an hour. I never dilated until 40+3. You know it's one of those things that could be something or it could be nothing...
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As was mentioned, I just delivered at 33 weeks, and I had major BH's. They started at 10 weeks this time, and just got more and more frequent. By the last month or so, 2 minutes apart was not unusual if I didn't have enough water and/or over exerted myself. I was always told not to worry (even when they hurt some), just drink water and get off my feet. I also frequently took baths, which always stopped/slowed them. Obviously I have no way of knowing how much that played into things (they thought initially it was an abruption that caused the pre-term labor, but apparently my placenta looked normal so now they don't know), but it's certainly worth taking seriously. Though like I said, mine were VERY frequent for weeks. I hadn't had just one an hour in months. So we're talking a pretty big difference.
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Thank you all for your input! I counted them last night when I got home from work (had a few at work) and laid down and they went like this;
6:40 - 7:40
3 of them7:40 - 8:40
just 18:40 - 9:40
2 of them9:40 - 10:40 (went to sleep)
just oneI can't wait to see the doctor tomorrow and get his opinions. They seem so inconsistent so I'm trying to just remain calm and not freak out. (easier said than done of course!)
I also stopped working out completely. My job tends to be a little high stress sometimes because of the amount of call levels and customers we get but I am thankfully sitting all day. I'm trying to take it easy at work too!
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@paigeface: I would get them when I was stressed out at work. Once I realized that I was getting them, I made an effort to stay calm and drink plenty of water. They went away. I was about 30-32 weeks along. I would take it easy and definitely talk to your doctor. My principal also had a talk with my kids about staying calm because I was getting the Braxton hicks when dealing with stressful situations with them.
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@singingbee: good to know! I will try to keep reminding myself to take it down a few notches at work. It does seem like the more stress I am feeling the more I get.
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I had a lot of them, and probably downplayed them more than I should have. I ended up having LO at 34 weeks. SO I would just say to be sure your doctor knows the frequency and is monitoring you closely. I wish I had advocated for myself better, and taken it easier
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I also have a lot of them. I think as they become more frequent, you should definitely talk to your doctor about them and mention it at your next appointment. If they become painful at all, call your doctor and make sure that you're seen! It's better to just be safe!
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@2PeasinaPod: Did your doctor mention anything to you about why you had a lot? I will definitely talk to mine tomorrow and ask!
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I had BH *everytime* I stood up from about 20-22 weeks on. I never dilated and had a RCS at 40+3. Worth talking to your doctor about, but more than likely it's totally normal.
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@NeekieRose: that's really reassuring! I talked to a midwife friend who didn't seem concerned when I told her the lack of pattern and how many I was having in an hour. It usually goes 3,1,2,0 or skips for a few hours and I won't have any at all. She said if I couldn't fall asleep or I was having more than 6-10 every hour for three hours then she would be concerned. Still going to check with my OB tomorrow too!
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@Paigeface definitely mention it/keep an eye on it. I started contracting about 23 weeks. I am 31 weeks now and contract all the time. The contractions are often painful. They are shortening my cervix so I'm on modified bedrest and get frequent ultrasounds. I'm also on medicine (Procardia) to help relax my uterus and reduce the frequency of the contractions.
Not saying that will be the case for you, but I think better safe than sorry!
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UPDATE: went to the my doctor today and everything looked great! My marginal placenta had even gone bye bye! He was not concerned at all about the Braxton hicks. Actually, when I walked in the door he said "having a lot of Braxton hicks?" and I said "YES!!!" and he goes "yep, you're going to." He said the amount I'm having a normal and to ignore them unless they hurt or if I have more than 6 in an hour for two hours. If he is not concerned than I am not concerned. I feel a lot better. Thank you all for your responses and help!!!
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I tend to have a lot of BH contractions with my pregnancies. My first pregnancy I had them nonstop from 23 weeks on. I spent a lot of time in the hospital and on bedrest. I took procardia, brethine (I dont think they give that anymore) and eventually had to have magnesium sulfate. My cervix shortened and I was getting it measured every week along with getting for fetal fibronectin tests.
@mrsads Stay on the Procardia as long as possible! My OB took me off of it at 34 weeks. Within one week I lost my mucus plug, my water broke and I had by first little boy at 35 weeks. Don't get me wrong we were REALLY lucky to have made it that far, but he was only 5 pounds and wouldn't eat or keep his temperature so he had to stay in the hospital for a few weeks--that's hard on a new mama. Looking back, I felt like if I would have stayed on the procardia, I might have kept him in a little longer, but who knows.
This pregnancy my BH contractions started up again around 23 weeks. I am 28 weeks along now. This time, they are not as frequent as before but some are painful. They go away when I drink water, empty my bladder and lie on my left side. I am not on any medication this time, but I do see the MFM specialist and I go in every two weeks to have my cervix measured just to make sure its not shortening. I guess one bonus having lots of ultrasounds and getting to see the baby every two weeks!
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@Jenculverhouse wow, that is crazy to hear that as soon as you stopped the Procardia you went into labor! I don't love the way the Procardia makes me feel so I was looking forward to stopping it at 34 weeks. But that is really scary!! Maybe I should consider staying on a little further, like to 36w.
Also, it sounds like your situation is the EXACT same as mine. My ctx started around 23w, cervix is shortening. I was going to MFM every 2 weeks and when it shortened 1cm in a week he bumped me up to every week (and biweekly FFNs). I got steroid injections at the hospital in case he comes early. Sometimes I feel like it's probably a little overkill, but I guess better safe than sorry.
My mom had preterm labor with me and my sister (my sis was actually born at 28w), so I wonder if there's some kind of hereditary element!
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@MrsADS: I remember being ready to get off the procardia too. It made me have very low blood pressure, so I felt weak and lightheaded all the time. I was on bedrest anyway, so I wasn't very active. I was taking procardia every 6 hours around the clock. But it definitely seemed to work while I was taking it.
It's crazy how similar our pregnancies are! Finally someone that knows and understands what all I went through!
Keep me posted and let me know if you have any questions! Good Luck!!
I also stopped working out completely. My job tends to be a little high stress sometimes because of the amount of call levels and customers we get but I am thankfully sitting all day. I'm trying to take it easy at work too!
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