Braxton Hicks during exercise?

[jloukiss]

Hi Group--
I'm 24 weeks pregnant with my first baby and I've noticed that when I exercise (walking at a moderate pace, and sometimes an incline, on the treadmill) my belly gets really hard and heavy. I basically stopped exercising for the first 18 weeks of my pregnancy but started back up when my energy returned. I had one incident of spotting after using the eliptical, but that might have been from a number of other things too (sex, standing for a long time that day, etc).

So my question is, does anyone else have the sense that their uterus is hard/heavy while they exercise? I'll ask my midwife at my next appointment, too.

Thanks,
Jennifer

[Anonymous]

Here is my story.
I stopped exersicing from day 1 to week 23. I returned back to gym and started just walking on treadmill (i used to go to gym 5-6 times a week and was pretty hard on excersicing). after 15-20 minutes of walking (3-4 miles per hour and slight incline) i would have heavy and hard belly. Within 2 weeks I noticed that i started having that belly evry ones in a while without exersicing. I ended up going to hospital and sure thy saw 2 small conractions. Now I am on bedrest with mediction. Not strict bedrest, but still....

Maybe t was just a coincidence, maybe not, but for my next pregnancy i will make sure not to exercise. Do not want to scare you, but try to take it slower, there are a lot of women who excersice and do fine. My experience was different. again, maybe my contarctions would have come on their own, and have nothing to do with gym

[jloukiss]

I hope all is well with you on the bed-rest-light. How many more weeks to go?

I'm glad you shared your story. I was a little concerned about it and I wasn't sure how common it was. I do get the hard belly periodically and at my 20 week appointment my midwife wasn't concerned about it. Still, better safe than sorry. I'll be sure to ask at my next appt in two weeks.

good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

I am hitign 32 weeks this weekend. Try to estimate time between the hard bellies. Note how often they are at the period when they come close together. I get them more often between 2-5 pm. So chekc yourself on this to give a good estomate for how often you have them when you see your doc. I had 3-4 in 1 hour and they took me to the hospital for monitoring. They were not sure whethe rit was BH or pre term so they suggested to reduce activity (i put myslef on bedrest) and started monitoring my cervix evry 2 weeks. I also get to see the doc every 2 weeks. well anyway now i am in the 3rd trimester and would see the doc anyway every 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

The same thing happened to me starting at about the same time - anytime I walked for more than 30 minutes, I'd get a hard belly and what felt like menstrual cramps. The doctor said they were B-H contractions but not to worry about it unless they didn't stop when I sat down and drank water. It freaked me out, though, and I finally asked for an internal exam to make sure the contractions were B-H and not real contractions. Everything was fine. Can't hurt to ask your midwife and maybe have her check you, though.

[Anonymous]

Can someone please explain what they mean by a "hard belly"? I am 29 weeks, and have been exercising almost everyday, just at a lower intensity and I think my belly has always been hard (does that even make sense?).

About a month ago I experienced some cramps in my side, like you would get from swimming too soon after eating or from running (like the "stitches in your side"). I called my OB and she told me they didn't sound like B-H. I still get them from time to time, but I was told it was just muscle stretching. But now I am freaked that they may be B-H. What do those feel like?

[jloukiss]

For me, the 'hard belly' feels heavier than normal. It's a distinctly different feeling from how my belly normally feels. And, if I press on it, it feels hard like my forehead instead of more malleable. B-H are totally normal. Not everyone feels them, but everyone gets them (I'm pretty sure). If you feel fine exercising great! I don't think I should stop exercising necessarily, though I did skip the gym today. The thing about my 'hard belly' that bothers me is that it feels really strange and heavy.

[Anonymous]

If I were you I would call your doctor/midwife in the morning. Let them know what is going on. They should be able to advise you on if you should excersize or not.

[Anonymous]

i am 24 weeks along-this is my third preg. and I always get it when working out-always have. check with your dr. but doubt it is an issue.

[Anonymous]

The side pain type cramps are round ligament pains and have nothing to do with B-H. They are related to muscles and stretching. I get a lot of them. Totally normal.

[Anonymous]

just wanted to add i'm 29 wks prego with #2 and my BH are kicking in big time these days after i exercise or i'm on my feet for an extended period of time, i'm also getting them when sitting on an uncomfortable chair for a long stretch (dinner last night) but once i lie down on my side they go away, and then dont return for like 24 hrs so i know they arent the real deal yet=definitely more intense than with baby #1 though...stay hydrated and just slow down when you feel them, but also check with MD to ensure they are BH vs pre-term labor which is continuous and can increase with time..

[Anonymous]

I am in week 22, and in the last month or so have had an uncomforable belly when I jog gently on the treadmill, I never realised that they might be BH contractions, but thinking about it my bellly does go harder and I have had this at other times. I doesnt actually hurt tho.

It did scare me, so I stop jogging when this happens and just do fast walking instead, but I am sure there is nothing to worry about, the midwife says running is fine, so does the GP, especially if youve always done it.

[Anonymous]

Girls
as long as it does not affect your cervix, BH should be fine. My OB was on a more conserv ative side when i told her about hardening belly at 25 weeks, and she sent me to the hospital for mnitoring. Since then I was checked on cervix via u/s every 2 weeks. I am turning 36 weeks tomorrw. but since 25 weeks I was at home, mostly in bed (about 80%) of the time, thanks God I could work from home, God bless my boss )) My cervix did not change a bit until today, which tells me those were just BHs, but the OB did want me to be safe and home.

[Anonymous]

i get the same bh and some cramps (that feel like stitches) whenever I work out. I am 35 weeks and get them walking. I was jogging until 6 months but was getting more braxton hicks so switched to walking. My doc said not to worry unless they continue after exercising or increase in frequency or intensity.

[Anonymous]

I also got them while on the treadmill (even while walking)- so i switched to the eliptical, and that feels much better. I just make sure to keep my heart rate below 140-150