im 35 wks plus 4 days pregnant - a question about braxton hicks!?

[fairycake52]

its my first pregnancy and im pretty sure ive been having braxton hicks. last night my tummy became really hard across my belly button and it didnt hurt as such but was very uncomfortable.! i kinda tensed up and noticed this so i tried to take deep breaths and relax...it was hard to take a deep breath cos i could feel the tightness in my stomach....is this normal? when i did relax it became easier to deal with the pain and i started to move around which also helped. are these what contractions feel like?? with labour and birth approaching, how can i avoid having a panic attack?? i think im scared of this more than the labour and birth itself! any advice would be great! thanks!x

[rose1111]

My first pregnancy I didn't have Baxton Hicks, but I had him 5 1/2 weeks early. However with all 3 of my pregnancies the real contractions started mild and grew more intense over time. With my third child this process was quicker. The first pains with all three were very similar to light period cramping. When that happens to you, start timing them and when you notice the time in between getting smaller or the intensity increasing, call you OB. Relax, having babies are painful, but the joy is so incredible that it far outweights the pain.

[kirsty b]

Braxton hicks are very normal in pregnancy but they dont mean labour will be here soon some women get braxton hicks from 20 weeks