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1194973 tn?1385503904

Contractions question

So I know I've asked something similar to this once, but I don't know anymore if this is what I've been feeling. I'm wondering when you feel contractions, if they're going to be all over your stomach, or in certain places. Like my stomach will get really tight to where I can't stand straight, but it's only near the top and middle. Not the bottom. At the bottom I'll have what feels like period cramping pain. I don't know if this is just her balling up, or pushing out or what. I've asked a few people and get tons of mixed answers, so I don't know what to think anymore. My doctor said I'll just know... which doesn't help at all, lol.
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202436 tn?1326474333
Braxton Hicks contractions CAN be painful, even in a first pregnancy and the fact that they can stop you from the pain or discomfort does not indicate they are or are not real contractions.  The best way to determine the difference is to
-time them, real contractions are going to increase in frequency and intensity over time (maybe hours, maybe days)
-braxton hicks willbe sporadic...you may have 6 one hour, none the next and 3 the next one.  
-real contractions (generally speaking) will start out further towards the back and feel more like they are wrapping around you...sort of like someone wrapping their arms around your mid section and slowly squeezing.
-braxton hicks tend to just feel like the uterus itself tightening all at once.  

Keep in mind that feeling the hardness at the top of the uterus can also be the baby pushing his/her butt out. It can feel almost the same, especially to someone who isn't familiar with what contractions feel like.  

If at ANY time you aren't certain if they are real or BH, call your doc and explain what you are feeling.  They can determine whether or not you need to be checked.  Most doctors can even tell just by the way your voice sounds during a contraction.  
Helpful - 0
1424416 tn?1330949459
Hey there, the problem with answering the question is many people have many different kinds of contractions, however im gonna give it a bash from what I know and have been told by midwives, here goes, the feeling in the top of the uterus could very well be contractions because this is where the tightest feeling will occur, thats why the midwives put the sensor pad up there during labour to monitor the contractions, however, depending on how far along you are they might also be braxton hixxs contraction ( practice ones) BUT, you should rely most on timing them and paying attention to whether or not they are gettin worse as time goes on. Also contractions very often cause pain and discomfort in the lower back too. The fact that you can't stand straight for some of them makes me think that they most likely are proper contractions, but beware, they can trick you, mine did, started and stopped all over the place for about 4 days! I hope this was a little helpful and I also hope that all goes well for your labour and delivery, have fun and good luck :)
Helpful - 0
202436 tn?1326474333
Contractions, whether BH or real, will be felt over the ENTIRE uterus.  When the uterus contractions the entire thing gets really hard.  If you are feeling something hard down the middle and not all over it is more than likely the baby pushing out in those spots.  Occasionally this little girl likes to push on my cervix with her head or hands and poke her butt out just below my rib cage while pressing her back out along the front of my belly making it really hard.  But the sides aren't hard when she does that so I know it's not a contraction.  The contractions I have been having lately I have been feeling in my lower back as well but they aren't the take your breath away kind....they are painful enough to be annoying, but not enough to do anything.
Helpful - 0
676912 tn?1332812551
With Braxton Hicks contractions I can feel them all over my tummy, the entire thing gets rock hard, it was the same with my son. I've never had actual labor contractions, but was told by the dr that BH are just like real labor contractions, and can even be painful (first hand experience on that one) but they don't do anything. I'm not sure if you're having contractions or not because I'm not you and can't feel it, but I do feel more down the center of my stomach sometimes, it may just be that you're feeling it more down the middle because of how she's laying.
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