What exactly do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like? (long)

I was at the hospital on Thursday because I was having menstrual like cramps which turned out to be every 5 minutes. On the fetal monitor, I was having contractions. They gave me IV fluids and it stopped. Since then, I get this tightening feeling very low down sporadically. It doesnt hurt...it just feels like a cramp and then it goes away. I also have it when I have to pee (which is alot!) and sometimes when the baby moves low down. At the hospital, they tested to see if I was going into preterm labor and thankfully I wasnt. The nurse also said that a tightening feeling isnt necessarily bad..only if it has a pattern and is painful. I have been drinking at least 12 oz of water every hour so I think that I am hydrated.

So, are these Braxton Hicks contractions? I vaguely remember this with DS but with him, the tightening was higher up.

ETA: I am 33 weeks

TIA!

Message edited 9/20/2009 6:14:01 PM.

Re: What exactly do Braxton Hicks contractions feel like? (long)

I'm not going to be of much help but the only experience I have with BH are that my entire belly gets as hard as a rock and feels like it's going to pop - there's just tons of pressure. I don't have any pain with it.

Did I also hear that with BH if you rest and drink a lot of fluids it normally helps them go away? Maybe that's why the IV fluids helped you.

If you've been checked out by your doc and s/he says all is well, the it's prob just the BH you're feeling, especially at 33 weeks.