I am 8 months pregnant and I have been having pain in my stomach. Could it possibly be Beaxton Hix?

Question

My stomach feels really tight on the left side and the bottom part, it hurts to breath, or even walk. It only lasts for about 2-5 minutes. It has happened 3 or 4 times in the last month. Today it happened twice while I was at work. After each time it would happen I could feel my baby move.This is my second pregnancy, but I never felt anything like this. I have a doctors appt. in a week an a half, but is this something I should be concerned about?

Answer 1

You must already be concerned if you are on the internet seeking answers. Any pains that you are not comfortable with should be addressed by your doctor. Noone on the internet can tell you if your pain is normal. I have had more then one child and each pregnancy felt different and had different circumstances. Call your doctor and go in to have them listen to the baby's heartbeat.

Answer 2

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I think what you are experiencing are Braxton Hicks contractions, that are getting you ready for the upcoming birth. I'll include some information from a book of mine that I think you might find handy in diagnosing your problem.

"Braxton Hicks Contractions

Every once in a while my uterus seems to bunch up and harden. What's going on?

Practice, practice, practice. You are probably experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions, which usually begin to rehearse the pregnant uterus for labour sometime after the 20th week of pregnancy. These contractions are typically (though not always) felt earlier and are more intense in women who have had a previous pregnancy. If effect, your uterus is flexing it's muscles, warming up in preperation for the real contractions, which will normally push your baby out at term. At first, you'll feel these practice contractions as a painless (but possibly uncomfortable) tightening of your uterus, beginning at the top and gradually spreading downward before relaxing. They usually last about fifteen to thirty seconds, but may last as long as two minutes or more.

As pregnancy draws to a close in the ninth month, Braxton Hicks contractions may become more frequent, intense, and sometimes even painful. Though they're not efficient enough to delivery your baby, Braxton Hicks contractions may get the prebirth processes of effacement and early dilation of the cervix started, thereby giving you a leg up on labour before it even begins.

To relieve any discomfort you may feel during these contractions, try changing your position - lying down and relaxing if you've been on your feet, or getting up and walking around if you're been sitting. You can also use this labour rehearsal to practice your breathing exercises and the various other childbirth techniques you've learned, which can make it easier to deal with the real contractions when they do arrive.

Though Braxton Hicks contractions are not true labour, they may be difficult for you to distinguish from the real thing. They may also be difficult to differenitate between the kind of preterm uterine activity that precedes premature labour. So be sure to describe your contractions to your practitioner at your next visit. Report them immediately if they are very frequent (more than four per hour) and/or are accompanied by pain (back, abdominal or pelvis) or by any kind of unusual vaginal discharge or if you are at high risk for premature labour. "

I hope I could be of some help to you. Good luck with the remainder of your pregnancy.

Answer 3

Braxton Hix shouldn't be painful and should only last seconds, They also are very irregular and stop or start with different possitions. Also, being dehydrated can bring them on so drink 2 or 3 glasses of water and move around if you are still and stay still if you are moving around. See if that stops them.

Usually when you are in active labor you can't feel the baby move very much, but if you are too early 34 or less weeks, the idea is to stop it before it gets to active labor. I went into latent labor at 23 weeks with my fourth and luckily with my feeling of "somethings not right" I was able to have the labor stopped with a terbutiline pump and 2 1/2 months of bed rest. If you feel something's not right or if you notice a loss of your mucus plug and you are still too early get checked at least it will set your mind at ease.

Answer 4

Being the fact that you're 8 months along the baby would take up a lot of room which would explain the shortness of breath. The Braxton Hicks contractions shouldn't be painful, you would normally just feel the tightening of your belly. This doesn't sound like a common thing to me, I would speak with your doctor as soon as you can.

Answer 5

I don't believe it is something to be afraid of. When I was pregnant and around that same month, I also felt the same kind of contractions and pains. Because is was my first baby I called my doctor and he told me (after asking me a lot of questions regarding what I felt) it was completely normal and it was called Beaxton Hix contractions. This contractions prepare you and your body for what is coming. If you keep feeling this way, called your doctor so you can be calm because nervousness can cause you real contractions. I wish you the best and to your baby too!!!

Answer 6

They could be Braxton-Hix contractions... but if you have already had a pregnancy, you should recognize the signs of your body. If they become more intense, obviously, go to the hospital honey!!! it doesn't hurt to be checked out rather than have baby come early right?!

Answer 7

yes to be safe...go see a doctor asap. don't wait for that appointment. if something is seriously wrong and u don't take care of it right away, then the body usually responds by aborting the baby...if ur life is in danger, ur body will sacrifice the fetus. make sure a MD sees u, not some nurse or physician assistant.

Answer 8

Sounds like Braxton Hicks to me, mine started at 6 months with my first baby. If it is something that concerns you just call your doctor!

Answer 9

It might be Braxton Hicks, but it may also be your muscles and ligaments stretching especially if you are larger for this pregnancy. I'd definitely call your doctor if I were you as you can never be too safe when it comes to a pregnancy.

Answer 10

At about 20 weeks or so women exp. braxton hicks.And that is what it sounds like is happening to you.I wouldn't worry unless they were 2-5 min apart non stop.