Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Last night I almost went to the ER. Why?

Well since I have been feeling fetal movement for weeks now, I occasionally would feel a hard spot that would be there if I touched my abdomen. Or I would feel a heaviness and a hardness in an area on my stomach, but then it would shift and disappear. Last night, when I finally laid down (which is when my fetal movements usually start) i was feeling this ALOT. It would feel very hard for a while, then it would be gone. One time, it was so intense that I was like, this feels very weird! I was like, DH, when will this stop? OMG, it's so weird, it feels like something is going to pop out of my stomach! I guess best way I could describe it was a tightening and rolling/roller coaster inside feeling and what almost feels like a lump sometimes in some spots.

What is bothering me is I can't figure out if it was a hardening/heaviness due to Braxton Hicks or the fetus moving and rolling and twisting where I could feel a hardness due to the body parts jutting out.... I did call my dr, he really didn't have any answers for me b/c I had a hard time describing it. He told me to go to the ER if I felt it was contractions. But DH and I THINK it was fetal movement b/c sometimes I would feel the lump/hardness then feel the kicking in the same area so we decided not to go.

Can anyone help me out? Does this make sense? What do Braxton hicks feel like and how would you describe fetal movement (such as rolling or twisting) when the fetus is larger? I don't know if I should have gone to the ER...but hated to sit there if I was just feeling my baby's body pushing out and causing my abdomen to feel hard in some areas!

ETA - I am not feeling that now since I am up, but I do still feel baby kicking as I type. But it's the hardness and heaviness I was feeling at the time, which went on and off for about 2 hrs, that is what confuses me.

Message edited 8/24/2008 8:12:52 AM.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

I get that hardness smack in the middle of my abdomen all the time. Since she is head down and face down, I attribute it to being her BUTT sticking out. Im proud of her - nice and firm! Maybe she is doing squats like her Mommy!!!

After a while, they run out of room and don't have many places to go. I keep telling DH that she must want to stretch in the worst way. Try not to worry. It sounds pretty normal.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Message edited 8/24/2008 8:09:13 AM.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

BH contractions were VERY uncomfortable when I was pg with DD. My whole belly would get hard and it felt very tight and almost achey in my lower abdomen.

This pg- it doesn't feel as uncomfortable- probably because everything's already stretched out.

At first I was thinking the hard lump was a fibroid, but you mentioned it would shifted. If the hard lump shifted, then it was likely the baby.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Posted by Porrruss

BH contractions were VERY uncomfortable when I was pg with DD. My whole belly would get hard and it felt very tight and almost achey in my lower abdomen.

This pg- it doesn't feel as uncomfortable- probably because everything's already stretched out.

At first I was thinking the hard lump was a fibroid, but you mentioned it would shifted. If the hard lump shifted, then it was likely the baby.

Message edited 8/24/2008 8:25:28 AM.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

My guess is that it was the baby.
Athan would do that too all the time. All of a sudden a hard "lump" would rise in the middle of my abdomen... like his butt. Then after a minute or two it would go back down. It wasn't uncomfortable or painful at all. Just some tightening in that area where the little lump would pump out. I loved it and I would pat his little butt or head or whatever part it was that popped up to say "hi." If you are not experiencing pain, my guess is it's the baby. I am sorry I can't explain what BH feel like because I never felt them. I would get the tightening of the abdomen once in a while... but that was it.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

With BH, my whole belly would get hard. But when the baby shifts, I'll have a rolling feeling and sometimes a body part juts out.

Now for me, I have 2 large fibroids on one side, so they would always be there. If the lump moves, then it is definitely the baby.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

This is exactly what my braxton hicks felt like. I thought it was just the baby until I ended up in L&D and they told me I was having contractions. As I watched the monitor I realized that hardness was actually BH. My belly will get really tight, usually right across the middle (it will be about 3 inches above and below my belly button) and it usually lasts for 30-60 sec. If you are still feeling this today and they are regular it wouldn't hurt to get checked out. If you are only feeling it a few times an hour then it should be ok. For me, since I have them so often, I have to pay attention to the streght of them- if they get painful that's when I have to go in.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Sounds just like BH

I always thought it was the baby pushing up against one side or one part of him sticking out but it was definitely BH. My belly looked lop-sided too and was very hard. Sounds like you are definitely having BH

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

i get that a lot too....most of the time I can feel its round and hard....I usually assume its either her butt of head (Since I don't know if she is head down or not)

actually i have it right now...

for BH...a whole part or your belly will get hard and tight

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Posted by DanaRenee

Posted by Goobster

Posted by DanaRenee

Sounds just like BH

I always thought it was the baby pushing up against one side or one part of him sticking out but it was definitely BH. My belly looked lop-sided too and was very hard. Sounds like you are definitely having BH

If so, is this something I should get in to see my dr for asap? What is the guideline on BH, aren't they normal but could they also not be normal?

So confusing!

what? no, totally normal!!!!!!!!!!! They make your belly tight but by no means do they feel like a real contraction (which you wouldn't know yet Sometimes they are uncomfortabally tight but thats it. Don't worry!

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Posted by mcl916

Posted by DanaRenee

Posted by Goobster

Posted by DanaRenee

Sounds just like BH

I always thought it was the baby pushing up against one side or one part of him sticking out but it was definitely BH. My belly looked lop-sided too and was very hard. Sounds like you are definitely having BH

If so, is this something I should get in to see my dr for asap? What is the guideline on BH, aren't they normal but could they also not be normal?

So confusing!

what? no, totally normal!!!!!!!!!!! They make your belly tight but by no means do they feel like a real contraction (which you wouldn't know yet Sometimes they are uncomfortabally tight but thats it. Don't worry!

Yeah it's normal, especially if you aren't drinking enough water!! As I have been told many times over the past few weeks, contractions do not equal labor- labor is dialtion. If you are feeling a lot of pressure and the contractions get painful and regular, you may want to get checked out. But I have them all day everyday since 28 weeks with no dilation so it's a normal thing

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

I agree it is probably braxton hicks. They are not all over but more in one spot, you can talk through them and they aren't consistent. You might just be dehydrated, try drinking some water.

Re: Almost went to the ER- Hardness on abdomen - fetal movement or Braxton hicks contraction?

Sounds like BH to me too. Your abdomen gets hard like a basketball & then goes away.

If you're still worried, call your ob. one thing he/she is sure to tell you is to drink a lot of water to stay hyrdated.