How often do you get Braxton Hicks?

[Anonymous]

I seem to get them all the time. Never consistently, but they happen throughout the day. I am almost 33 weeks now and this has been happening for several weeks.

[Anonymous]

I got tons of BH all the time. They settled into a pattern once around 27 weeks that actually earned me a short stay in L&D, but otherwise they were just frequent but sporadic visitors. It's been 2 years so I don't remember exactly how often, but probably at least once an hour or more. (The time of my L&D trip I was having 6+ an hour and when they monitored me at the OB, they were in a consistent every 5 minutes pattern.) Walking seemed to elicit more of them (though they'd also strike willy nilly), and I started getting them *early* on in pregnancy - think I felt my first one around 16 weeks.

In the end, this had not negative impact, and I wound up going into labor on my own at 40w1d. And while I don't *know* if this is true, I think the BH helped prep my body for labor, as my labor was quite quick for a first time - 7 hours from waking up to the first contraction until baby arrived. I also heard from an aunt and cousin that they also had lots of BH and quick labors, so hopefully there's a real correlation there, and you'll have a fast labor too!

[Anonymous]

I'm 34 weeks. I've been having them consistently for about a month but I noticed them occasionally happening very early on (somewhere around 20 weeks). I had a late ultrasound for a different reason and found that my cervix is slightly effaced (but not concerningly so) so they must be doing some good work. Mine are not really painful at all but are sometimes pretty uncomfortable. I had one stint a week ago where they were coming every 8 minutes, but they stopped after about an hour and a half. (My doc says if they come in a pattern like that and continue, time it for two hours and if they haven't stopped or I haven't fallen asleep to call him). I say haven't fallen asleep because I almost always get mine in the evening.

Thanks to the PP who says it may mean a short labor. I sure do hope so!

[Anonymous]

In my second preg and I have them all the time. Had them with DS#1, ended up in L&D at 28 weeks for monitoring, was diagnosed with an "irritable uterus" and was on limited activity until I was 34 weeks. No quick labor for me though - I went over my due date, got induced and ended up having a c-section for failure to progress.

This time, I started getting them at 17 weeks. I'm at 22 weeks now and I get one or two a day. They are slightly painful (not a true contraction, more like a hard cramp) and can last for a full minute or two. Sooo not loving it.

[Anonymous]

I started getting them late in the second trimester, and was put on bedrest at 33 weeks b/c they were strong and frequent enough that I was effacing. Now I get them all the damn time (often more than 10 in an hour), particularly at night. I'm at 38 weeks, and every night I'm like, "maybe this time they're real contractions?" No luck so far. SO ready for real labor!!