Braxton Hicks

[LucieT87]

I'm 37+2 weeks pregnant and for the last 3 nights I have woken up in pain as my tummy has been extremely tight. I've read that Braxton Hicks are 'practise contractions' but shouldn't be painful. Can someone tell me their experience of them to put my mind at rest?

[Tractorgirl11]

Mine were painful, like your whole bump squeezing round the baby, took my breath away, especially as you get closer to labour and your body is getting in lots of practice. But it will get you ready for the discomfort of labour so embrace them and try and find a way to breath the pain away be a useful you can carry this onto when it's the real thing.

[ChrisWest1983]

Hi Lucie! I am nearly 29 weeks and I think I started getting them 3 days ago. Sometimes I have this feeling of very tight squeeze around my tummy and uterus, and that baby is like in a little hard ball rolled up (looks like I swallowed a melon) It's uncomfortable (I feel sorry for the baby as it can't be comfortable for him either- to be squashed like that). Sensation is that if I had a little hole in my lower abdomen then baby would be squeezed out involuntary by my body. Well - probably body is just practicing now so we are ready for the big day!x

PS: I hope you managed to get some sleep for past few nights!