Advice on baby moving/Braxton Hicks

[Laur_250]

I've kind of talked about this in third tri but wanted some extra re-assurance as I'm really worrying about it so sorry to keep on...............

I didn't think I'd had any braxton hicks at all, none that I've noticed. I feel baby move all through the day now definately more tan the 10 times a day the MW told me I need to. He kicks, which I can see and feel when I put my hand to tummy, he gets hiccups which feel like a heartbeat and he has strted rolling over which feels like a wave and one side goes up and then rolls to the other side. I was really happy about all this and loved feeling him.

I read a post about BH's and people said they were like your baby was pushing out of your tummy and it goes hard. Now I've convinced myself that the baby moving isnt after all and its just BHs which makes me feel really scared and upset as I loved having these movements. My tummy is really hard occasionally and most the time its a bit hard anyway but this doesnt relate to when I feel him move. So can someone who's experienced both BHs and real contractions please re-assure me that BHs are not the same as feeling baby moving/kicking/rolling around so I can be happy again?! Thanks everyone. xx

 

[hennaly]

BH and baby moving r completey different things believe me.

 

[daftscotslass]

You'll know if it's BH because your bump will be tight all over, side to side and top to bottom. If it's a bum sticking out, for example, it will be a noticable bump in one place that might be hard but the rest of your bump will still be soft.

All you describe in your first paragraph sounds just like unborn baby gymnastics, not BH. I found sometimes that really rough movements from the baby triggered BH. But they're two very different things. I didn't notice BH until the last couple of weeks as they got stronger.

Don't worry, sounds like you have one healthy happy bump in there!

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks thats good to hear! I know when the baby moves as its in the same place usually (left side of stomach by belly button) and it kicks out all of a sudden usually a few times in a minute or so. It just made me worry when people described BHs as baby pushing out and Ive now convinced myself I no longer know the difference I just dont want the special feeling of feeling him to be taken away!xx

 

[charlie84]

Sounds like you are feeling bubs move around rather than BHs.
I never got BHs till about a week before i gave birth and oh yes you know that they are BHs. Your whole belly goes tight and tense then relaxes. Not painful but uncomfortable.

 

[Laur_250]

I havent had any feelings of just tightening and then relaxing, more just feeling baby poking out and moving about in there so I hope this is what it is. I dont want it to be BHs- I want it to be baby so I hope I havent had any yet! Do you feel any baby movements with BHs or just the tightening sensation and relaxing? My tummy seems to always feel hard!xx

 

[Laur_250]

Ok to make it simple, can you actually see baby moving as in a lump that comes up and back down like a kick or a lump that moves across from one side to another with a BH or is it just the tightening? This is what I just had so wanna make sure this doesnt happen with a BH?! Sorry for keep asking questions on this Im so paranoid xx

 

[LisaJ1986]

I never really had braxton hicks but i don't think you can feel the 'contractions' on the outside, just the hardened belly. Movement like a kick you can feel by putting your hand on your belly, a quick boot then it's gone. My baby was always moving. You could feel it move from 1 side of the belly to the other. You could see the little lump of the foot sticking up.

 

[scaredbuthappy]

Not that this will be much help but im having the same at the moment i think. My tummy will suddenly go really tight but to be honest i dont think its BH as when i press it feels hard, like baby has just moved position like im feeling her spine or something. But yesterday i got up and my tummy went really tight and just felt stiff but i dunno that could just be her moving around in me again like into a different position?
I really think what you have felt is baby moving and just pushing in different directions i mean think how big he/she is, they are taking up so much room so any little shift you will probably feel as being quite tight.
Also when you feel tightenings prod your tummy and if you feel lumps or hard bits then baby is shifting and moving. I dont think BH is lumps or movements or waves across your belly. I have sudden waves that feel tight and stiff but the waves under the skin are the movements of baby i dont see them being anything else.

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks Im finding this so confusing as Ive never experienced any of this before so dont know what to expect!!

Yeah the baby movements.... I can see and feel them when I put my hand there and it just comes up and goes straight away. And the rolling I can feel under the skin just from one side to another like you described too scaredbuthappy. I just really want to know that when i see and feel the baby move with my hand on tummy it is this and not the bloody BHs or I'll feel like its not special anymore!!!xx

 

[LisaJ1986]

Does sound like movement to me. And as baby gets bigger to movements feel stronger. Drink ice cold drinks and lie back straight after. Babies don't like it and makes them move. I loved her moving so did it quite alot.

 

[charlie84]

Ok to make it simple, can you actually see baby moving as in a lump that comes up and back down like a kick or a lump that moves across from one side to another with a BH or is it just the tightening? This is what I just had so wanna make sure this doesnt happen with a BH?! Sorry for keep asking questions on this Im so paranoid xx

Your not paranoid hun, i was always wondering what every little twinge was and discussing at great lengths with OH, i think i bored him Blokes just dont get it do they

Sometimes when my baby did a roll it would make my stomach kinda hard where her back was pushing outwards. I had a terribley wriggly baby aswell if it wasnt her back pushing out it was her bum just under my ribs

A BH is just a tightening, just like you are being squeezed, i dont think my baby moved during this, as the uterus would have been squishing her slightly.
I swear to you hun a BH you will defo know when having them. Definatley doesnt feel as if baby is rolling or kicking.

I reckon you are definately feeling little one doing some gymnastics hun

 

[daftscotslass]

I don't think my belly looked any different when I was having these BH to how it looked normally, I could just feel it. I certainly couldn't see my belly go tighter. Everything you've described sounds like baby movement.

 

[Laur_250]

Thanks everyone I can go back to enjoying my baby movements now without thinking Im getting excited about nothing! Hopefully I wont get BHs til the end like some of you then as then it avoids the confusment!

Ps Charlie84 I know what you mean I get excited about EVERY movement and have to tell OH but think he's bored already as he only puts his hand there for a second now and then moves it straight away! I thought he'd be as excited as me!xx

 

[charlie84]

Ps Charlie84 I know what you mean I get excited about EVERY movement and have to tell OH but think he's bored already as he only puts his hand there for a second now and then moves it straight away! I thought he'd be as excited as me!xx

I think its harder for our OH to feel as excited as us. As we live with this baby inside us, feeling movement and having all the pregnancy things such as hearing the heartbeat at every midwife appointment etc, they dont get this.