# With real contractions does your stomach go hard? Sorry to sound dumb



## butterfly5

Hi all ftm (obviously lol)

I am 37+5 and experience braxton hicks quite a bit and sometimes quite sore.

Last night I had on/off waves of period like back ache but my tummy didn't go hard

When I finally have real contractions should my tummy go hard also? 

Thank you


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## meow951

My stomach went hard when i had contractions, obviously it's different for everyone though. For me i knew it was real proper contractions as they were really intense and i couldn't do anything else whilst having one, whereas braxton hicks/early niggles were just sort of 'there' and a bit uncomfortable.


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## Lovemybump1

I think my stomach went hard through contractions. But like pp said, the real contractions are intense and you can't do anything else through them. I'd had practice contractions the night before I went into labour and thought they hurt,but it was nothing compared to the proper ones!


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## waitingfor

My contractions didn't make my tummy go hard and I couldn't feel it going tight. The pain was immense and the contractions showed up on the monitor but I just felt the pain, not the tightening.

My braxton hicks were completely different - I could feel my entire tummy tighten and my face would flush like having a hot flush. Absolutely nothing like real contractions in my case.


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## jenniferttc1

My stomach went rock hard with my contractions


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## babyjan

Yes they do and it goes tight, I remember when I was in labour in hospital the midwives would touch my belly when I was having a contraction x


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## d_b

Maybe.. I didn't notice, lol!


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## Eleanor ace

Yeah you should feel your stomach tighten with real contractions. It's like how firm your stomach feels when you do a sit up, but more- your uterus has to contract hard to get that baby down! I'm not sure whether mum's size has an impact on how hard your stomach goes though- like if you were a larger lady you might not feel it as much?


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