Contractions?

38 Weeks

What I'm Wearing:

Ruched Stripes Tank by Ella Moss

Jacket by Cartonnier

Maternity jeans by Joe's

Friday afternoon, I started to feel very weird. I started to have these stomach cramps and I thought, "Could this be it?" But then I wasn't so sure. Everyone keeps telling me that contractions will be obvious. And to me, these weren't obvious. The fact that I was still questioning what I was feeling left me thinking that it wasn't the real deal yet. But a lot of people also tell me it'll start out feeling like menstrual cramps, which is exactly how I felt. But they were so inconsistent and only lasted for about an hour. Since then, I've had them on and off all weekend, but again, very inconsistently. My friend Kelsey tells me these sound more like Braxton Hicks contractions. I have this Hello Baby app on my iPad that I read every week and it further confirms that what I'm feeling could very well just be Braxton Hicks contractions. It says "if the contractions are irregular and go away when you change position or walk around, you are probably experiencing false labor." Darn. I was getting really excited, thinking Lil Bit could make his debut tonight. But then I kept reading and it said "Don't be fooled by the name, though - false labor can turn into real labor in a matter of minutes." Yay! There's still hope. I'm just getting to the point where I'm feeling very nervous and anxious and I just wanna meet him already and hold him in my arms. 

Baby Bump and Braxton Hicks?: Week 35

35 Weeks

What I'm Wearing:

Forest Floor Pullover by Angel of the North

Joe's Chelsea Secret Fit Belly Skinny Leg Maternity Jeans from A Pea in the Pod

Sandals from American Eagle

I absolutely love this sweater. The billowy effect is perfect for my growing belly :)

Lately, the Bit has been kicking like CRAZY. And boy, are they super hard kicks at week 35. Sometimes John will touch my belly and he can't believe how hard it is. They're not painful, but they're not exactly comfortable either. So this got me thinking about Braxton Hicks contractions. Could this be it? I've read so many message boards about it and have gotten feedback from friends, but it seems these contractions feel different to everyone. Some people tell me they feel like cramps, others say their stomach just feels rock hard and then releases, and a few people have told me that they thought it was simply the baby kicking really hard and then they realized they were Braxton Hicks contractions. I'm not sure what to think, but I can tell you that I've never felt my belly feel like this before. It feels like the baby is practically kneeing me in the stomach. Again, not painful per se, but it shocks me every time. 

With only a few weeks to go before my due date, I'm often wondering if I'll even know if I'm in labor. I mean, what do contractions feel like? Will it be obvious when my water breaks? My doctor told me that sometimes it can be a small leak or it could be a gallon (?!) Because this is my first pregnancy, I really don't know what to expect. I keep reading about it and asking friends and family and everyone always tells me the same thing: "Trust me, you'll KNOW!" But what does this mean?! My doctor said that if I start to feel even slightly weird, simply call the office. They'll be able to tell me whether I should go to the hospital. I just have this crazy feeling that I won't even know I'm in labor. I have a tendency to just brush things off, especially when it comes to feeling sick. I always feel like I can rough it out, so I hope I don't mistake actual labor for stomach pains.