Braxton hicks and labour

[oldermum]

I have only had BH with this pregnancy and none with my other two.

Really silly question, if you've had a lot of BH are the pains the same when you go into early labour or do they change?

I had what i think are BH from 5 til 9 this morning with low down pain but now they've stopped again.

 

[EllieG]

Hi Debs, It's not silly! I think you forget what labour pains feel like. My BH are very tight and feel uncomfortable, sometimes I have to concentrate my breathing to help them ease off, from what I remember about contractions, they felt more crampy, felt them more in my back and lower tummy and they are regular and last longer.
Hope that helps
xxx

 

[*saulino*]

Hi

Its wierd how we forget . I didnt have BH with Kiara but its only been 16 months since ive had her and i cannot remember exactly what it feels like, guess it is true that you forget right away
Katrina

 

[libs]

My BH were so similar to early labour pains that I didn't notice the transition. I was in hospital anyway and it was only due to the chance that they decided to examine me that they realised. They looked at me in amazement saying why didn't you say you were in labour? I thought they would be a lot more painful when they became "real" My younger sister did the same - maybe we have really strong BH or maybe our Mum just prepared us for labour really well

 

[oldermum]

Thanks Libs,

I did wonder if they could just flow from BH to normal early labour pains.

 

[littlebump]

Hiya

I had a lot of BH last pregnancy and I asked my Midwife how I would know the real thing. She told me that with BH you notice the tightening and discomfort whereas with labour pain, you notice the pain more than the tightening.

It was definitely true in my case - not that the labour pains were agonising to start with, but I definitely knew a real contraction instantly!

Hope that helps

LBxx