Contractions vs Braxton Hicks

[faille]

Sorry, another thread about contractions and braxton hicks lol

When it's contractions, does your *whole* bump tighten and contract or is it only a certain area..? I know a lot of people say it feels like a belt around their belly so I'm guessing it's not the whole area??

I'm getting quite strong tightenings every now and then which last quite a while, however, it's only in the middle of my bump, across where my belly button is and really bad pressure along my pubic bone. Also been having period type cramps for last few days.... could this be a sign of something happening?

But then it could just be braxton hicks right?

 

[spicysugar]

really dont know cant remeber sorry hun didnt want to read and run

 

[claire-eedie]

It's all good, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's imminent!! I've been having what you describe for about a week now, and sometimes it is hard to tell between the strong Braxtons and early labour. If it's labour they'll get progressively stronger and closer together, that's the only way to know really.... Hope that helps and it all happens for you soon! xxxx

 

[1cre8tivgrl]

from my personal experience I didn't think labor felt anything like braxton hicks. Real labor felt more like period type cramps that come and go and get intensively stronger, along with some back pain. (not everyone gets the back pain though). I didn't get the tightening feeling like BH with real labor, unless I did and was in too much pain to realize

 

[moomin_troll]

towards the end my braxton hicks got really bad and it was my whole bump and when i was in labour and having contractions they were all in my back and lower bump.

 

[sarah_george]

Ive gone through natural labour twice already and I still find it really hard to tell the difference! I keep getting really bad BH sometimes that strong that it takes my breath away and then it dwindles into nothing the best way to see if its the start of something is to watch the times when you get them, labour contractions will be very rythmatic normally starting around 20 mins apart (although they can start closer/further apart) and will be pretty consisitant in the pattern they take, BH will be a lot more random like 5 then 10 then 30 mins apart etc, hope that helps xxx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I think you just know when they change from BH to the real deal.

 

[faille]

Thanks for all your replies...

It ended up being nothing as I'm still here

They did feel different to BH, but my BH never cause my whole stomach to go hard either, only ever the middle area across my belly button but the hardness goes down whereas last night I was getting the pain going across iykwim.

I've always had the 'peak' with BH aswell but last night it was a dull period pain (which I've been getting a lot of lately) which then turned into a painfull tightening and I could also feel it in my lower back (exactly the same place I get back ache with AF).

My BH have always been pretty intense and quite rhythmetic(they've caused the hospital to keep me in several times because they thought they might be contractions) so if "real" contractions are worse then I'm dreading what they're gonna be like I won't know when it's the real deal or not haha

They were going for about half hour before making the post, about every 15mins and carried on when I went to bed.. but I woke up this morning and they've gone.

 

[moomin_troll]

as u get bigger bh do get stronger and make u feel extremely uncomfortable but hope baby comes soon for u x