Painful Braxton hicks

[mod19]

I've been getting these shooting pains that start in my lower back and radiate to my hips. Every so often it shoots down my crotch or the front of my belly. And they hurt! Like stop me in my tracks wide-eyed- hurt. I can't sit down or relax at work, I need to be on my feet. Is there anything I can do to ease these pains, and are they in fact bh? If so, I thought they were supposed to be painless.

They're sporadic. I'll be fine for an hour, then I'll get it 10-12 times in a half hour. And only are painful for about 2-3 seconds.

 

[Insomniash]

I get something sort of similar associated with Braxton Hicks. When I am walking my uterus will go hard and I will get a shooting pain in my pelvis and I have to stop because it feels like I am going to tear my cervix open or something if I keep walking (best way I can describe it although I am sure that wouldn't happen). When I do start walking again I have to do so slowly or I seem to trigger it again. My cervix is still sealed, so I guess it is just a result of stretching down there in combination with Braxton Hicks and possibly because my boy likes to hang out very low. I am going to talk to my new OB about it on Wednesday and see what he has to say about it.

 

[mod19]

Let me know what she says. I don't have my next appt till Thursday

 

[Insomniash]

Let me know what she says. I don't have my next appt till Thursday

I will do.

 

[Insomniash]

So I mentioned it to my OB today, and he said what I am experiencing is normal for this stage of pregnancy and it is Braxton Hicks. He seemed very unconcerned. Naturally you should still bring it up to your doctor, but so it seems it is normal.

 

[mod19]

Good to know, thanks. I'll still mention it tomorrow. I'm hoping they start checking me this week or next to see if I'm dialating or not. The only way I've been able to describe the pain to dh is that it feels like someone is sticking a knife up my crotch. I think he gets it now lol. I've pretty much had zero pain this entire pregnancy up until last week.

 

[Christina86]

You're a day behind me. I've been getting a ton of Braxton hicks this last week. I used to notice 3-4 a day, uncomfortable but not painful. Yesterday I had 15 that I was able to count. Quite uncomfortable!! If I change positions or walk they usually stop quicker but def a take your breath away kinda thing. I had a bunch today also. I'm not a fan. My next appt isn't until next week but I've been told that it's all normal(unless they get very painful, and close together,not stopping)- I know a heck of a lot of nurses lol.

 

[mod19]

I called into my Dr and a different nurse called me back and basically told me I'm getting to the uncomfortable part of pregnancy and to get a belly band to alleviate the back aches... They're not back aches though. Grr. Mine actually are worse when actually moving around and doing stuff vs sitting. Got my appt in an hour, I'm sure I'll be told it's all normal. But I feel you on the uncomfortable thing. The guys I work with freak out every time it happens and are asking me if they need to take me to the hospital lol.

 

[mod19]

Well just as I thought my Dr basically said it's normal. She will be checking me starting next week for dialating and strep b. I guess we just get to live with these pains till d day lol.

 

[Christina86]

Yeah today I've had some wicked BH. Some lasted longer than I had expected too! I am also feeling just different today. My boobs even hurt more than they have recently. Hurts to wear a bra and hurts not to wear a bra! Then I just feel like my bump is heavier at the bottom. I wonder if that means baby is starting to slowly drop. I don't think I look like I have dropped any but when I think something it seems as if everyone else says the opposite lol. Blah. My appt is still 5 days away. Hmm no More like 6 bc its late afternoon on Wednesday. =[ I kind of feel like it's forever away. I also don't want to call and sound crazy for calling for something that's totally normal. (The BH is what I'm talking about)

 

[Perplexed]

My bh have been extremely painful too. I went in to get checked for reduced fetal movements and asked if it was possible I'm not feeling baby due to the frequency of my bh and they said no and that the bh are normal for this gestation.

 

[Christina86]

I didn't mind it so much when I could only tell I was having them is if I really had to go to the bathroom and held it to long. Lol. But this all the time stuff. I know my body is preparing and all that jazz but it makes me feel like I'm going to be a complete wimp (even with pain medication) and not handle labor/delivery very well!!

 

[mod19]

I feel the same way about labor! I went into this thinking I could handle it without pain meds but after what I've been experiencing the past week or so, I'm not so sure anymore! If the fake ones hurt this bad, how bad are the real ones going to be? Ugh. I hate calling my Dr office and bothering them with stuff too. I feel so dumb. Only have called twice, and this last time the nurse wasn't even listening to what I was saying. I kept wanting to scream in the phone that it wasn't a backache, that I'm just saying it starts in my back, it's not constant.

Last night it turned into an upset stomach feeling, but all over my abdomen and not my actual stomach area. Why do new things start AFTER I've had my appt for the week?

 

[Perplexed]

Do you guys feel better after taking panadol or other paracetamol types? A few doses helps me but also I don't like going on meds for pain management that much. like I'll only do it if the situation was extreme.

 

[Christina86]

Haven't had that. I got woken up this morning to a BH contraction. Apparently had to pee! I didn't even realize. I also feel a bit crampy this morning which is a new one. I had a cramp type feeling on my left side at one point but I was told it was stretching. This doesn't feel like stretching. I have a strange feeling I'm going to go early but idk now early. And with my luck I wont and I'll be overdue (oy!) I'm not sure I can handle all this for 5 more weeks.

And I agree on the after appointment stuff. Most Of what I deal with starts a day or two after my appointments.

 

[mod19]

I haven't had any of that either. I've been told to take tylenol, but haven't.

I hope you go in the next few weeks. I've been thinking I'll go in the next 3 weeks too, but like you said, I'll probably go over. Ugh.

 

[Christina86]

Do you guys feel better after taking panadol or other paracetamol types? A few doses helps me but also I don't like going on meds for pain management that much. like I'll only do it if the situation was extreme.

I don't usually take anything for it. I do have tylenol w/ codeine that my OB prescribed when I had my headaches/ swelling, etc. and she said I can take it PRN for my hip pain but I haven't had to take any recently. I think I did about a week ago for my hip because I just couldn't take it anymore.

 

[Christina86]

I haven't had any of that either. I've been told to take tylenol, but haven't.

I hope you go in the next few weeks. I've been thinking I'll go in the next 3 weeks too, but like you said, I'll probably go over. Ugh.

I've had a bunch of people tell me they think 3 weeks is the timeframe. What is that... between 37/38 weeks? Just because of how I've been feeling and each day it's something new. I even had people telling me yesterday they think I'll go early because my dog is being extra clingy and she might have a "sixth sense that labor is going to happen sooner rather than later". I don't know what I think about that but it's making me nervous. lol

Then I have people telling me they won't let me go past 38 anyway because of GD. But it's been controlled by diet and my sugars (even though higher now than in the past) have been okay. So I don't see why they wouldn't let me go past 38 weeks if that's the case.

Oh! And the baby rolls and stretches are hurting! Idk what the kid is doing in there but I get the bulge of the butt up top towards my ribs and then it seems like at the exact same time I get a swift punch to the bladder or towards my hip area. Seriously? I can only handle so much at once.