Okay, so the last couple of days, I've been feeling crazy BH contractions. They're not real contractions because it's only the top half of my uterus and they aren't regular at all. Sometimes they'll last a solid minute and come 15 minutes later and then 20 minutes, and then 10. And then I won't feel it again for 2 hours. But I've done what I could: am drinking a ton of water (bought a huge Nalgene bottle just to up my intake). What else can I do? It's actually getting to a point where my abdominal muscles feel tight, like I've done 20 too many sit-ups or something. It's disrupting my sleep now. Please, mommas. I need a bit of guidance.
it's normal. At least that is exactly what I experienced towards the end of both of my viable pregnancies. Think of the lack of sleep as practice for when the baby is here. Not much you can do about it. I did notice that it was much worse if I fought it or dreaded it. Embrace it, love the fact that your body knows exactly what to do. Give in to what your body is doing, it's getting ready to give birth, which is a good thing!! Drinking herbal tea also seemed to help me somewhat.
This actually sounds like what the beggining of my labour was like. I'd get this one nasty one, and then about 25 minutes later, another bad one, and then 10 minutes later, another one, 5 minutes later, another one, and they continued about 5 minutes apart for about an hour until they didn't hurt that much, and then would stop! Then I would get a big ass nasty one again a half hour later. When I called the hospital, they said that my body was trying to get into active labour, but wasn't quite able to....once they were 11 minutes apart, I went to the hospital. I just couldn't stay at home anymore for some reason... I agree, too, when it comes to embracing the constractions. If you fight them, they just hurt more. Oddly enough (the nurses at the hospital thought that I was weird for this helping me), I put my bed in the full sitting up position so that it was like a chair (I know that you're having a home birth, but maybe if this helps you can find some way to improvise it at home), and I would hold onto the bars on the sides. I put my feet together with my knees bent (if that makes any sence)...like this <> and then when a contraction came, I would grip onto the bars, arch my back, and pull my weight up off the bed. Then I'd breathe and breathe and breathe! I went though hours of labour like this and didn't want to move out of this postition to save my life!
Yes, embrace them! BH are such a good thing. They are still working to soften your cervix. I'm having one right now as I type LOL. I've been having them for months now though. I'm just waiting for them to start hurting LOL
I had several "episodes" before I had Jim. One time they were so bad I had to hop in the tub to be able to bear them, then they just faded away. Use them to practice! Pretend you're in labor and use all your little labor tricks. Your baby will be here before you know it!
well, these are HURTING! They go away when I lie down during the day. But that's hard to do when I'm babysitting a rambuncious two year old. As soon as I stand up to do something, though, it starts hurting again. I'm drinking tons of water (just went through 64 oz in the past 2 hours), and have decided that it might be best for me to just start relaxing during the day. I've been using the daytime hours to get all of these inane little errands done. Driving around, and I don't feel comfortable driving so much anymore.
Yeah, they can hurt pretty bad! I called the midwife a couple of times to see if I was in labor. The last time (after w got frisky!) she told us no sex or nip stim until the week before baby was due. We kept doing the Seinfeld Soup Nazi impersonation. "No sex for you!!!" Rest is a good idea! Pamper yourself, you deserve it!
Okay, so I'm confused now... I know that taking a bit of castor oil can make you go into labour, because it makes you have diarrhea, which stimulates contractions. And that if you're having contractions, it can cause diarrhea... Well, I've been having diarrhea and I don't know if it's the diarrhea causing the contractions or the contractions causing the diarrhea... And while I want to know what's going on, I don't want to call the midwife or go to the hospital because I just know I'm probably making a big deal of nothing...I think...
Sweetie, call your midwife. Believe me, they'll think nothing of you calling, it's their job to help you.
don't worry about feeling like you're making a big deal! if you think something is up, DEFINATELY call the midwife!!!! It wouldn't be the first time she's had a pregnant woman call if she thought she may be in labour!
diarhoea can be a sign of early labour, it often happens in the pre-labour period (usually 2-3 before 'real' labour starts and happens to give the baby the most room to get out, but don panic, as long as you dont have a fever or feel ill its just your bodies way of getting ready. get as much rest as possible and let things happen, you're midwife will reassure you if you are worried. Goodluck.xxx
when i got mine preterm and they wanted me to stop them, i was told to get into a warm bath and work on calming down. i hear you say you're drinking a ton of water, and i believe you. except...even after all the water i was drinking i still got my contractions to stop by drinking even more. i swear, i felt like i was about to float away. and even then, when my bh contractions decided to get regular, they stopped when i got an iv of even MORE fluid. i guess it had to do with my body weight. i was heavier than your average pregnant woman, therefore required even more water. sheesh. it was a nightmare.
Freek, please call your midwife. I am hoping they are BH, but even 37 days early is a bit early. This may be labor, and she'd be better off wating, if possible. Love and hugs, Maggie
They did go away, Maggie. I had a day of resting and relaxation on Saturday. Had a pedicure and went out to lunch with a friend. I spent a good hour sitting in a massager chair at the salon. It relaxed me so much that the BH went away. And I think I caught a case of really strong tummy flu from my friend's little boy. He's 2 and his brother is 7. You know what those kids bring home from school, besides their homework. I'm feeling tons better now....except, I'm spending all of this week and next week, and maybe the week after that MOVING! We finally got a new place! YAY!
