Week 33 - Braxton Hicks?
August 9, 2006
Sites like PregnancyWeekly say that Braxton Hicks contractions generally start around 20 weeks. Braxton Hicks contractions are also known as false labor - contractions that many new mothers think means the start of their actual labor. The difference with Braxton Hicks contractions is that they are not usually as regular as actual contractions, and they can often be solved by changing something - either walking if you’re sitting, or changing positions, etc.
A lot of the literature also talks about Braxton Hicks being “practice” - that the uterus contracts itself in preparation for upcoming actual labor. So, I haven’t had any Braxton Hicks contractions and now I’m starting to get worried - is my labor going to be more difficult if my uterus hasn’t been practicing since week 20 like some women? What are the negative effects of not having Braxton Hicks contractions? I heard of many women who actually want contractions, but I do! I’m worried that if I don’t get them my body won’t be as prepared and I will in turn have a harder time. Plus, they say that Braxton Hicks is a great time to practice your breathing and relaxation techniques that you learned in childbirth class, so I haven’t had the opportunity to do that either. I’ve got a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, so hopefully he can shed some light on this rather confusing subject, and I’m hoping he’ll reassure me that it’s perfectly fine not to have Braxton Hicks.
Hi there,
I’m a first time mom-to-be too, however I’m only at 17 weeks. I came across your blog while searching for how soon people feel their babies move. I swear I can feel some action going on down there! Glad to hear your pregnancy is going well. I’ll definately be checking in! Good luck!
Hi Jennifer - congratulations! I remember waiting excitedly for that first movement, and wondering what exactly it was I was waiting for - it is a pretty strange feeling when it first starts, and then you start to get used to it as time goes on, and then sometimes you jump a bit when you get a strong kick someplace unexpected. They say up to 28 weeks is when you feel the best movement, then after that the baby is too big to get up much momentum to move around as much. It seems to be pretty accurate - I feel more swishes and rolls these days than I do actual kicks or punches. Good luck to you as well - hopefully your pregnancy is a healthy one!
Hi, I am 15 weeks pregnant with my second child and when I was pregnant with my first child (he is three) I never had the braxton hicks contractions I went for a checkup at 35 weeks and thought I was the doctor told me it must be the real thing because I was dialated 2 centimeters two weeks later I had my precious baby boy.
Hi Elizabeth, congrats on your second baby! I asked the nurse about it today, and she told me the same thing - some women just don’t have them. That is a relief - at least things are still normal. Thanks for the encouragement - I always enjoy hearing about other women’s pregnancy experiences. I wonder if you’ll have braxton hicks contractions this time around. I guess you’ll find out in a few months! Good luck!
Hi, I’m 32 weeks pregnant and have three children already. Each pregnancy is different and comes with different types of emotions. With this pregnancy I feel like a pro, and have really have learned the difference true and false labor. Still and all towards the end of pregnancy you become more impatient and feel like this will never end. Congats on your second baby.You may be lucky again not to experience “Hicks”. This is the most exciting time in our lives. God bless and keep you and your baby safe.
Congratulation on everyones that pregnant! Im only 18 years old, but cant wait for my baby tobe born. I know how people exspect a een mum to be, but im different. I really happy about this, and ive stopped goi out round town drinking and stopped people smoking in my house, I still live with my mum so she can help me when the baby comes along. I only have 4 months to go, i dotn know what im havin yet but it will be a nice suprise. Im really scared abou the labour and now the Braxton Hicks. Good Luck everyone
Congratulations Lou! I’m glad you are excited about your pregnancy - and you’re right, not all teen mothers see it as a positive thing. I’m also glad you’ve got your mom around to help you out, as we all know support - especially in those first few weeks is incredibly important to new (and seasoned) mothers! I’m sure you’ll do fine with the labor process, though it is pretty scary to think about - especially for those of us who haven’t been through it before! Take care, and please let us all know how everything turns out for you
Hi! I am 35 weeks pregnant with my third pregnancy and I must say that every pregnancy is different. I’ve been having alot of braxton hicks with this pregnancy and I did with my first, but not so much with my second. So, don’t worry if you’re not feeling them alot. It doesn’t mean that your pregnancy isn’t progressing like it should. Remember too, when it comes time to get checked for effacement and dilation, everyone is different on how they progress. I walked around dilated at 3 cm for over a week, whereas my sister went into labor dilated at a 1, but was 100% effaced. Good luck to you! Your big day will be here before you know it!
Hi Erin, congrats on your 3rd! I admire your energy. I recently realized that almost every description of what contractions feel like - whether they are braxton hicks or true contractions, says that it feels like your uterus is contracting. As this is my first time with all of this, I’m not quite certain that I know what a contracting uterus feels like… I am very excited for “d-day” and I’m hoping that it’ll get here quickly! Good luck to you, and thanks for the encouragement!
Im 16 weeks pregnant and am considered high risk. my abdomen has been tightening constantly. i had a cerclage put in 2 weeks ago, but could i still be on the verge of yet another preterm labor?
Hi Shay, I certainly hope that you aren’t in preterm labor. They do say that Braxton Hicks often starts around 20 weeks, so maybe you’re just on the early side of that average? I hope you were able to talk with your doctor about your tightening abdomen. Please keep us updated!
I am 30 weeks with my second child. There is a lot more movement than with the first. The movements never seem to stop. Some of the movements feel almost like a spasm or just lots and lots of movement. It feels like the baby never sleeps or can’t get comfortable. It isn’t so much the kicking it is the spasms I am worried about?
Hi Jennifer, could those spasms be braxton hicks contractions do you think? I imagine that every baby has a different level of movement and apparently this time around you have a rather active one! If I were you, I’d talk with my doctor about the spasms the next time you have an appointment, or if they’re keeping you up at night with worry, call and ask about them. Good luck!
Hi i am 18 years old and 27 weeks pregnant will thats what the doctors say i actually think i am more like 32 weeks pregnant but yea i am very excited for my baby to be born i am having a girl and me and her daddy cannot wait i’ve been with the dad for 3 years and its nice to know that i have someone by my side throught all of this because most girls just get left when they tell their boyfriend their pregnant. good luck to all of your guys with your pregnancy. best wishes and and have a good thanksgiving and christmas!
Hi Jamie, congrats on your pregnancy! It is a very exciting time, and very wonderful to have someone around to support you. Do you have names picked out? I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!
my wife is 33 weeks pregnant for the 3rd time but just last hour shes got bad stomach cramps and i came accross this braxton hicks thing so i wondred if this could be whats she getting but we have a doc appointment int he morning but still a little worried
Hi Nick - congrats on your wife’s pregnancy! Braxton Hicks is certainly a possibility. Did your wife have Braxton Hicks with her first two pregnancies? I didn’t feel Braxton Hicks as a cramp so much as just a tightening of my stomach muscles - I could feel it more on the outside of my stomach than on the inside, but maybe I just had relatively low key Braxton Hicks… I hope your doctor’s appointment went well and that the baby is happy and healthy!
I keep looking for sites on Braxton Hicks and all the sites tell me they feel like contractions, only less painful. Or another site will tell me it feels like my uterus is contracting. Well, I don’t even know what THOSE feel like, so how am I to know? And congratulations to you all on your pregnancies! I’m 34 weeks and I’m having a boy. I’m still going to attend school though because I go to Florida State…my mother is going to help with my baby so that the father and I can continue school. His mom will help too. Once again congrats!
Hi Tia, congratulations on your pregnancy! I had the same problem trying to figure out what Braxton Hicks contractions felt like. There are some excellent descriptions in the comments here. They never felt like real contractions to me, and ultimately, I had an easier time feeling the outside of my stomach to determine when I was having one, because I could feel my belly get all hard, like a basketball - it was pretty weird! Good luck to you and your family - it’ll be quite a challenge to get through school with the little guy, but I’m sure you can do it!
hi, congratulate to you all. sounds thrilling to have a baby. i am 40 weeks and supposed to be due on March 13th. everyone is guessing the baby wont be born on that day. on march 13th, i had usual pain, like i never felt before and my mom thought it was time. i kept having those contractions and i went to the hospital, they kept me for 24 hours and i was only dilated one so they sent me back home. i am having a baby girl and im so dying to have her! i hopefully she born TOMMMMORRRRRROOOOOW
Well it all sound like things are going well for all of you. i on the other hand get some pretty tight “Hicks” and they don’t hurt but are uncomfortable. I can feel my small uterus go tight like a rock.I am 20 weeks and a little bit. I though it was the baby moving at first but it is not:) My mom is a nurse (as am I) and she has to constantly remind me that I am further along then I think I am - that’s because it feels like forever!. I have been pregnant since Sept of 2006, miscarried in Dec, and got pregnant 3 weeks later. By the time this baby comes out I will have been pregnant for 14 months!!! I hope these Braxton Hicks dont get worse as my belly and uterus get larger.
Sarah
hi my name is whitney i am 14 (i am NOT the one having the baby my sister is…) she is 18 and smokes and drinks i am worried about my niece kadence she is not born and here daddy is not home from AIT he is in the milatary and i am worried that he may not come home before his daughter is born what do u think i should do????
Hi Whitney - it sounds like you are excited about becoming an Aunt - that’s great! How far along is your sister? If your niece already has a name, it sounds like your sister is excited about having a baby, and already loves her little one. Perhaps you could try talking to your sister about taking care of her baby, and that you know she loves Kadence, and that it’s not good for Kadence to have alcohol especially. Smoking is also not good, but the effects are generally much less severe. Ask your sister if there is anything you can do to help her stop drinking and at the very least, slow down on the smoking. Having a newborn is tough - especially if you’re by yourself, which it sounds like you sister might be. Perhaps she’s scared about that - offer your help whenever you can. Also, talk to your sister about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome - if she thinks taking care of a newborn is tough, adding to the baby’s problems isn’t going to help… Finally, if you still aren’t able to get through to your sister, consider getting in touch with Kadence’s father, perhaps he can also encourage your sister to take better care of herself and their unborn child. Good luck, and please let us know how things turn out!!
I am 31 weeks pregnant with the second. I have been getting the braxton hicks and definitely know that it’s not true labor. How you can tell is that they should not be painful or regular, that is the key. If the become painful or regular then you are probably in labor and need to notify your OB. Hope this helps.
I am 3 months pregnant and a stay at home mom. Yesterday, I did overboard cleaning, mopping, sweeping etc. All evening my abdomen was tightening consistently and my lower back was hurting. I am 39 years old, this is my fourth child, I have also had two miscarriages, both at 6 wks. With my other babies I had a lot of Braxton Hicks and birth 3-4 weeks early. Has anyone ever had them start happening in their 3rd. month?
Hi I am 21 weeks pregnant and in the last week I have been getting the Braxton Hicks. But especially today. They seem like they just wont go away. I told my doctor that I have been getting them and she thinks I should drink more water. Ok so I have been. (Along with living on the toilet!) But they just seem like they are coming more and more. I dont know if this is normal.
Hi i am 35weeks pregnant. Firstly congradulations on all you pregnant mothers. I would like to comment on braxton hicks. I have had them for the last few months and they come really painful for me. To me they feel like labour pains then they go away. Ive been hearing alot of people saying it shouldnt be painful but it is.I dont know if there is anyone out there experiencing the same thing. This is my third child after 16yrs. I have never experienced it but ive learned to tell now that it is braxton hicks no labour but sometimes i feel scared i could be wrong cause my stomach hardens.