Contractions without feeling them?

[emilie]

So last night I was rear-ended in an accident and had to go to L&D for monitoring.  All is good, but one thing that surprised me is that they told me I was having frequent (but not regular patterned) small contractions.  They kept asking me if I felt anything and I definitely could not.  They also said this is normal, though they kept an eye on it for a while and made me drink a ton of water.  I am 32 weeks.  Anyone else experience this during monitoring or an NST?

[Evelyn3]

I had to be monitored when I went in for a bad cough last week (turned out to be pneumonia)
I was having frequent contractions as well. I do not feel the majority of them, but if I poke my stomach I can feel my stomach is harder.

When I did feel them it was very subtle. Just like a small muscle tightening sensation, but no pain.

[silvermelody]

Yep. The day I wound up being induced with my son I had a contraction during my NST and I did not feel it at all. That was at 38 and 4.

I did feel a little strange, like my heart was racing. And I had felt similar in the previous few days, but nothing that actually felt like contractions.

[hpnegirl]

Yes, it happened when I had a NST with DS due to no movement for more than 4 hours. They said it was because I was dehydrated and did a cervix check to see if they were doing anything (they weren't).

They told us when I was pregnant with DS to drink a lot of fluids if I got crampy or had contractions to see if they were real or false. Not sure if that's still the advice they give but it's what I got 2 years ago

[littlelion]

Did they label them braxton hicks emilie? I've starting having these type. So my stomach feels tighter, hard. Not painful sometimes uncomfortable. They happen if dehydrated, doing strenuous activity, after orgasm or I've heard them called practice contractions. I'm attributing mine to too much lifting ds.

[lola]

Nov 2, 2016 18:17:24 GMT -5 littlelion said:

Did they label them braxton hicks emilie? I've starting having these type. So my stomach feels tighter, hard. Not painful sometimes uncomfortable. They happen if dehydrated, doing strenuous activity, after orgasm or I've heard them called practice contractions. I'm attributing mine to too much lifting ds.

Same. I get them when I climb the stairs as work.

[amandamh2]

When I was pregnant with DS at a couple of my MW appointments during position checks my MW would mention that I was having a contraction although I couldn't feel anything. It's not uncommon to have contractions off and on during third tri especially which you may or may not be able to feel.

Like PPs have said if they don't go away with rest and drinking water or they're frequent and patterned it's worth a call to your doctor but otherwise they're likely just Braxton Hicks.

[agm04]

When I had an (unsuccessful) ECV with DD, they kept me in the hospital all day bc I was having some pretty strong contractions (I think I was exactly 37 weeks). I felt nothing (which is cute, because with real contractions during labor, I felt them RIGHT AWAY). They weren't productive, so I was able to go home.

[ThankfulSnail]

I'm glad you were ok.

When I went in for an NST while pregnant with DD, somewhere between 38-39 weeks, I had frequent, non-timetable contractions that I couldn't feel. They didn't offer me an explanation but did say it was normal.

[joy]

::wandering in where I don't belong::

When I went into L&D the day my water "trickled" (not broke), they put me on a monitor. I was having regular contractions. News to me! They asked me and I said "All I feel is the baby stretching out." The nurse laughed and said "Nope, that's a uterine contraction." Wut? For all these months when I thought I just felt the baby stretching herself out for more room, what I was feeling was my uterus actually tightening around her? She said yup.

So, they don't always feel like you think.

BUT LET ME TELL YOU - in active labor, they feel way different.

[lola]

joy Yes! I started getting Braxton Hicks around 20 weeks, but didn't realize what it was until a STM in D16 clued me in. I just kept saying the baby was stretching.

[cnf2013]

I had regular contraction from about 30 weeks on. Sometimes I felt them, sometimes not. I started weekly monitoring at 32 weeks and my nst always showed regular and consistent contractions. When my water broke at 36+3 I was barely a fingertip dilated. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[thelittleredm]

Nov 8, 2016 9:10:54 GMT -5 cnf2013 said:

I had regular contraction from about 30 weeks on. Sometimes I felt them, sometimes not. I started weekly monitoring at 32 weeks and my nst always showed regular and consistent contractions. When my water broke at 36+3 I was barely a fingertip dilated. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

+1 Regular contractions don't mean a whole lot to me anymore. I'm grateful that this time around, I know what to look for with my contractions because I was all over the place with them the first time!

[cookswithwine9]

I agree with a couple others that said early Braxton hicks (early contractions) feel like the baby is moving/stretching out.