Forum 3rd trimester

Help, advice! I get so many hard contractions, is that not good??

8 replies

katieGuest ·
Ladies, a question. I'm 31 weeks and I know that hardening of the belly is normal. Some don't have it, others have it more often, and others have it a lot. But surely it can't be that you can't vacuum anymore or take a 10-minute walk? I just have to sit. That can't be good, right???

Replies

  1. Johanna Guest #2

    Dear Katie,
    That’s your body telling you to slow down. I had it during my previous pregnancy too. In the end, I spent about 8 weeks mostly lying in bed or on the couch.

    Johanna

  2. esther Guest #3

    Hi Katie,
    I know the feeling. I'm now 33 weeks pregnant and constantly experiencing hard contractions. With my previous two pregnancies, I didn't have any issues like this. According to my OB-GYN, everything is fine and it's just part of the process. (Unfortunately.)

    Esther

  3. Lexie #4

    Definitely take it easy. But just to be safe, I'd also get tested for a UTI. You can easily get one during pregnancy, and it has very different symptoms than when you're not pregnant. For example, no pain when peeing but a lot of hard belly. If you don't treat the UTI, in the worst case it could spread to your kidneys or your hard belly could turn into contractions. Get well soon!

  4. kimjoy #5

    Hi, here too, hard contractions happen constantly when spreading butter on a slice of bread—it's already going wrong! This is really a sign that you should take it easier!
    Love,

  5. katie started this #6

    Thanks, ladies. Yesterday I went to the hospital for a check-up after all. I lay on the monitor for two hours and the doctor did an internal exam. Nothing, no dilation, and the monitor results were good. He also did a test (that's something new) where they take a swab from your cervix, put it in a culture for 20 minutes, and then see (using a substance in your mucus) if there's a chance you'll deliver in the next two weeks or not. (this test can only look ahead a maximum of 2 weeks) The test was negative, so the doctor could basically guarantee with 99% certainty that I won't deliver in the next two weeks. Of course, that doesn't mean you should go for a marathon despite the hard contractions.

    Now, premature birth runs in the family (my mom and my sister), so I was very anxious. This test was very reassuring for me, and I went home feeling much better.

    As for work, I'm taking a big step back (working from home) and lying on the couch more often for half an hour. I also don't exercise anymore. The doctor didn't have a real explanation for the hard contractions, which I found a bit scary, but on the other hand, every body is different. As long as my baby is healthy (and he was!) and my blood pressure was fine, they couldn't do much.

    Thanks, ladies, for all the responses and tips! It seems to happen quite often, I read... it's just a bit of a "gray area." Hard contractions are part of it, some women don't get them at all, and some get them a lot, all day long. But it can also be "dangerous" in the sense of pushing through contractions, which isn't what you want if you're just at the beginning of your third trimester. So when are they bad? I was told if they persist constantly, last too long, and if you have them too often. That's what I had!!! And yet, nothing serious. That turned out after being at the hospital for 2 hours. But next to me was a woman who was 33 weeks and already had contractions. (she got medication) Bah, I don't even want to think about lying in the hospital for 5 weeks. Fingers crossed.

  6. N. Coppola #7

    Hi Katie,

    A hard belly is usually a sign that you need to take it easy.

    Since I've been pregnant, I've only vacuumed once and had bleeding afterwards (first trimester).

    I haven't done it since. I don't do any heavy exertion anymore; my husband does everything.

    I'm almost 34 weeks along, and honestly, I can't do much anymore! So take it easy, Katie, and just do the dishes and small chores like me.

    Take care.

    Cheers

  7. Lexie #8

    I don't think they should occur more than 8 times an hour or maintain a regular rhythm that makes them look like contractions. Good luck!!

  8. Olivia-Anna #9

    That's really good news, Katie!!

    I also get some hardening of the belly, in the morning when I wake up, in the evening, and after too much exertion, and indeed, it doesn't have to be a lot. But for me, it lasts a maximum of 15 minutes.

    No, I'm not even thinking about taking tocolytics. My sister's baby ended up with brain damage; she was already having contractions at 5 months because she was painting the ceiling!!

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