I have read the usual things about Braxton-Hicks contractions but here is what I really want to know: I am in my 6th month and having several per hour.  My last pregnancy was 16 years ago and I never had any till the last two weeks. I never had LABOR either, and ultimately needed a C-section.  I am hoping to avoid C-section this time and sort of fantasizing that my uterine muscles are reacting to stimuli and maybe they will do something this time . I don't know if Braxton-Hicks contractions are correlated to anything, really ... this is just intense wishful thinking, huh ... I would like to hear some experience stories either way.  The doctors are completely noncommital on the subject. Chris Sundaresan O'Connor

I don't know if Braxton-Hicks contractions are correlated to anything, really ... this is just intense wishful thinking, huh ... I would like to hear some experience stories either way.  The doctors are completely noncommital on the subject. Chris, Here's my data point: I was feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions as early as 5 months, and quite a few in the last few weeks (sometimes frequent and painful) and I ended up being induced and needing pitocin to help my uterus with the contractions.  Of course, my baby was big (9lbs 10 ozs) so that was part of my uterus' problem. Good Luck, Kim

I have read the usual things about Braxton-Hicks contractions but here is what I really want to know: I am in my 6th month and having several per hour.  My last pregnancy was 16 years ago and I never had any till the last two weeks. I never had LABOR either, and ultimately needed a C-section.  I am hoping to avoid C-section this time and sort of fantasizing that my uterine muscles are reacting to stimuli and maybe they will do something this time . In my case I started getting a lot of B-H contractions in about month four. The doctors weren't too concerned about it until about month six or seven when I was having them about every twenty minutes, every time I sttod up, every time I went into the heat outside, every time I coughed...you get the picture. They told me to take it easy...I played couch potato for a week and they also said to drink lots of water. It worked a bit but then it got worse and they started to get uncomfortable one night and I lost my plug. Next morning at an appointment the doc said I was totally effaced and put me on bed rest and terbutamine as a precaution. It bugged me to think of spending the next six weeks (from week 30-36) in bed when I didn't FEEL sick but better safe than sorry! Well.....week 36 and I went of the drug, got out of bed, and had Haven the next day. I guess it was worth it to keep one IMPATIENT baby inside till her lungs were developed. So they could mean something.....could mean nothing. Just keep an eye on them!  OH! I remember that when I went on medication was the first time I really felt Haven moving around! I had been so tight for so long that I guess she was squished too much for me to feel her. That was fun to all of the sudden be able to tell where a foot or elbow was....that was until she decided her favorite spot for her foot was as close to my armpit as she could push it! -Lyric

| | I don't know if Braxton-Hicks contractions are correlated to anything, | really ... this is just intense wishful thinking, huh ... I would like | to hear some experience stories either way.  The doctors are completely | noncommital on the subject. | | | Chris, | | Here's my data point: I was feeling Braxton-Hicks contractions as early | as 5 months, and quite a few in the last few weeks (sometimes frequent | and painful) and I ended up being induced and needing pitocin to help | my uterus with the contractions.  Of course, my baby was big (9lbs 10 | ozs) so that was part of my uterus' problem. | | Good Luck, | | Kim |

: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (C. Sundaresan) writes: : I was totally effaced and put me on bed rest and terbutamine as a                 ^^^^^^^ What does it mean when someone says that they are totally effaced??   I have heard this _expression_ so many times on this group, and still can't work it out! (I guess it has nothing to do with alcoholic consumption... * thanks- Carey Schnell This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it