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Questions about Stretch Mark, Leg Cramps, Lower Back Pain and Braxton Hicks
I am not a frequent poster here, but I am on here everyday, just to read. So I am now 28 weeks carrying a boy– I started off with 108lbs and now gained 19lbs which I believe in normal range. So far, I do no have any stretch mark yet (I know it will happen soon rather than not), I never experience leg cramps (never experience it all my life for the matter of fact), never had any Braxton hicks contraction just yet (probably still too early for that) and never had any lower back pain just yet and never had any painful cramps/ligamen stretching. All in all, my pregnancy has been blissful so far, but being as skeptical as I am, I wanna be mentally and physically prepared if any of them is meant to happen very very soon. My questions;
1) Stretch mark – how does it started to appear? Does it look like red patches that you will tend to scratch that will develop to a stretch mark? Or does it look like broken blood vessels under the skin? If one day it starts to appear on my skin, I wanna know how it looks like. Also, if you never scratch your skin, I mean never ever, will stretch mark appears anyway?
2) Leg cramps – how bad is the pain? ( I wanna be mentally prepared for this) I have seen my friends have them occasionally at work, and looks like she is in a lot of agony. I have been doing research, here is what I need to do once they strike, straighten my legs, pull my toes towards my shin and the pain will gradually disappear? – is this correct? Any other things I should do?
3) Lower back pain – any things that can help deal with this once I started experiencing it?
4) Braxton hicks – when it usually starts? Will I know once I have one? Does Braxton Hicks pain imitate the real labor pain? ( I am aiming for natural birth – no epidural , so I know I need to relax when during labor , that means I need to be mentally prepared for the pain that I will endure. )
Sorry for too many questions posted. I have been accumulating this questions in my head, and I think its time for me to blurt it out before it is too late. :)
1) Stretch mark – how does it started to appear? Does it look like red patches that you will tend to scratch that will develop to a stretch mark? Or does it look like broken blood vessels under the skin? If one day it starts to appear on my skin, I wanna know how it looks like. Also, if you never scratch your skin, I mean never ever, will stretch mark appears anyway?
2) Leg cramps – how bad is the pain? ( I wanna be mentally prepared for this) I have seen my friends have them occasionally at work, and looks like she is in a lot of agony. I have been doing research, here is what I need to do once they strike, straighten my legs, pull my toes towards my shin and the pain will gradually disappear? – is this correct? Any other things I should do?
3) Lower back pain – any things that can help deal with this once I started experiencing it?
4) Braxton hicks – when it usually starts? Will I know once I have one? Does Braxton Hicks pain imitate the real labor pain? ( I am aiming for natural birth – no epidural , so I know I need to relax when during labor , that means I need to be mentally prepared for the pain that I will endure. )
Sorry for too many questions posted. I have been accumulating this questions in my head, and I think its time for me to blurt it out before it is too late. :)
I really wouldn't waste your time haha. There are so many more worthwhile things to do whilst pregnant than looking for stretchmarks that may or may not appear (and there really is NOTHING you can do about it). I only got one one my stomach where my piercing was. The rest were on my boobs. My cousin has them from her knees up to her boobs apparently. My other cousin didn't get any.
The same as the rest of those lovely pregnancy side effects you are highly unlikely to get them all - there is a list of them longer than your arm!
Oh, I forgot to say... My braxtons felt like she was pushing her head against me, i'd get a hard round ball on one side of my tum normally. Then someone said "sounds like a braxton to me" and it was obvious that's what it was.
The same as the rest of those lovely pregnancy side effects you are highly unlikely to get them all - there is a list of them longer than your arm!
Oh, I forgot to say... My braxtons felt like she was pushing her head against me, i'd get a hard round ball on one side of my tum normally. Then someone said "sounds like a braxton to me" and it was obvious that's what it was.
niki,spade22 thanks for your insight. I guess what I need to do is just checking in the mirror everyday to find the stretchmark that will miracuously appear!! lol. I will definitely try to eat a lot more bananas, well, i have been eating them regularly because I love them, maybe now I just need to eat more. Cant imagine having those cramps! there are so many mysteries for 1st time mommy..the stretchmark, the cramps, the braxton hicks, the labor pain... even though they all documented in the book or over the internet, i guess nothing prepare u better than your own experience. :)
I have had the same experience w/ Niki when it comes to stretchmarks (I have them from BEFORE pregnancy when I had gained a lot of weight about 15 years ago). Basically one day they are just there! I never noticed them beginning to form but I suppose, like everything, everyone is different.
i just noticed my stretch marks one day - kinda just thought, "hmm when did they come" always looked the same although they have faded now so they can hardly be seen.
spade22 answered your questions really well. I just wanted to add, for cramp, I had LOTS, mostly at night.
You may not get them, again it's a hormonal thing. If you get it, rub the muscle, try to stretch it (not too much). You will probably do whatever feels the best by instinct. Eating bananas may help to prevent. Also, I kept some pickled gherkins by my bed for if I got them (how stereotypical can you be when pregnant haha) because my Hubby told me of a marathon where they hand them out on the course to runners because they help get rid of cramp. I have to say they worked really well.
spade22 answered your questions really well. I just wanted to add, for cramp, I had LOTS, mostly at night.
You may not get them, again it's a hormonal thing. If you get it, rub the muscle, try to stretch it (not too much). You will probably do whatever feels the best by instinct. Eating bananas may help to prevent. Also, I kept some pickled gherkins by my bed for if I got them (how stereotypical can you be when pregnant haha) because my Hubby told me of a marathon where they hand them out on the course to runners because they help get rid of cramp. I have to say they worked really well.
thank you for answering me.
before i posted the question, I have googled the internet on the strechmark, i know how they look like, but I thought, when the stretch mark first appeared, they wont look like that.. they probably look a little different like they probably started out a small red patch and then the skin stretched out and the mark become bigger and more reddish? One of my friend said that her stretch mark started out looking like a bunch of pimples..???!
before i posted the question, I have googled the internet on the strechmark, i know how they look like, but I thought, when the stretch mark first appeared, they wont look like that.. they probably look a little different like they probably started out a small red patch and then the skin stretched out and the mark become bigger and more reddish? One of my friend said that her stretch mark started out looking like a bunch of pimples..???!
1) You will just notice the stretch marks one day. They look like scar tissue and can range in color from white to red to purple. I would suggest you do a google search of stretch marks under "imagines" to get a better idea of what they look like. Scratching your skin has nothing to do with whether or not you will get stretch marks - they are formed because of rapid skin expansion. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to prevent them, or get rid of them if they appear. Many pregnant women do not get stretchmarks.
2) I am 38 weeks pregnant and have only experienced leg cramping once. It was very painful (like someone was tearing the muscle away from the bone) but went away when my leg was massaged. This was the first time in my life I had experience a leg cramp so didnt know what to do and after about 1 min I yelled to my husband who massaged the leg and it went away after a few seconds! I dont know if this is typically of a leg cramp or not but I felt like I had pulled a muscle in my leg for a few days (maybe because it went on for so long).
3) A maternity support belt helps and it is important to maintain good posture. Heat or ice packs can be used as can tylenol if the pain is bad enough. Sleeping with several pillows under your back so you are almost sitting up or on your side w/ a pillow between your legs can also help w/ back pain during the night.
4) Braxton Hicks start early on in the 2nd trimester but most people are not aware of them - it is likely you have had these already and have not been aware of them.
A BH contraction is the tightening of the uterus and they often start out painless and can become painful toward the end of your pregnancy. I have experienced lots of BH contractions but I haven't had any pain associated with them other women get a lot of pain so it really depends on the person. During a BH contraction you will NOT be able to make a dent on certain parts (if not all) of your uterus - it will be rock hard. BH is different from a real contraction in that is often does not effect the whole uterus (i..e it may only effect half of it), may or may not be painful, the pain (if any) is often felt in front (with a contraction the pain may start from the back and move to the front), they will be irregular, and will be effected by changing position/movement etc.
2) I am 38 weeks pregnant and have only experienced leg cramping once. It was very painful (like someone was tearing the muscle away from the bone) but went away when my leg was massaged. This was the first time in my life I had experience a leg cramp so didnt know what to do and after about 1 min I yelled to my husband who massaged the leg and it went away after a few seconds! I dont know if this is typically of a leg cramp or not but I felt like I had pulled a muscle in my leg for a few days (maybe because it went on for so long).
3) A maternity support belt helps and it is important to maintain good posture. Heat or ice packs can be used as can tylenol if the pain is bad enough. Sleeping with several pillows under your back so you are almost sitting up or on your side w/ a pillow between your legs can also help w/ back pain during the night.
4) Braxton Hicks start early on in the 2nd trimester but most people are not aware of them - it is likely you have had these already and have not been aware of them.
A BH contraction is the tightening of the uterus and they often start out painless and can become painful toward the end of your pregnancy. I have experienced lots of BH contractions but I haven't had any pain associated with them other women get a lot of pain so it really depends on the person. During a BH contraction you will NOT be able to make a dent on certain parts (if not all) of your uterus - it will be rock hard. BH is different from a real contraction in that is often does not effect the whole uterus (i..e it may only effect half of it), may or may not be painful, the pain (if any) is often felt in front (with a contraction the pain may start from the back and move to the front), they will be irregular, and will be effected by changing position/movement etc.
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