Any advice for easing painful Braxton Hicks contractions that have been lasting now for over 36 hours?

Question

I am 8 days overdue with my first child and I have been having Braxton Hicks contractions for over 36 hours. The first stint lasted about 10 hours with the contractions occurring between 5 to 10 minutes apart. They subsided (I called them twinges yesterday) but came back with a vengeance this morning at 2:00am and were to the point they were 3 minutes apart. We actually went to the hospital at that point and they informed me that I was 1.5-cm dilated and these were Braxton-Hicks and irregular and sent me home. They gave me percocet but the contractions are still coming every 8 minutes or so and I haven't slept since a 3-hour nap yesterday. Any advice so I can get some sleep would be appreciated!

Answer 1

Take a walk, eat something, use the bathroom.  They may have told you that these are Braxton Hicks but maybe they're prodromal contractions - your uterus contracting but you're not at 4 cm yet, it doesn't mean that you won't be going back to the hospital soon.  You should be able to take Benedryl since you're in your 3rd trimester, and it has a sedative effect that might lull you to sleep.

Answer 2

Personally I would go back to the hospital. They have a drug they can inject that is basically a mild muscle relaxer to stop contractions when they happen too early. I don't see any reason why they wouldn't be able to give you that, and being 8 days over due they should be considering inducing your labor soon anyways.  

Answer 3

hi there it may not be Braxton hicks you could be in very early stages of labour, aas its your 1st, you may be going through whats called the latent stage, i had this with mine.

Basically you won,t be dialating but everything is softening, i really hope this is it for you.

To ease them try a warm bath, my be a hot water bottle and some paracetamol.

Good luck, will be thinking of you

Answer 4

yes get some Dilaudid for the pain its so much better & HUGS