Braxton Hicks and Stretchmarks

This morning I woke up to some very uncomfortable pulling at the top of my uterus. It felt like tightening and clenching. Right now, the top of the uterus is almost 2 inches above my belly button. My last check up on Friday of last week shows that it is measuring at 24 weeks. That is good, cuz our son is supposedly 23 weeks this weekend. I felt very icky with those feelings this morning and considered staying home in bed. But the feeling passed and luckily nothing further followed those feelings. I thought maybe it was "practice contractions" called Braxton Hicks, but maybe I am wrong. According to some sites, I should feel that lower in my abdomen. The feeling I had was a clenching tightness at the top of the uterus. So maybe that was just the baby respositioning itself or my body making more room for this 11 inch one pounder. I have been noticing that my belly has been feeling tight and sometimes painful to the touch above my belly button. Probably more growing pains.

"Braxton Hicks contractions are sporadic uterine contractions that start about 6 weeks into your pregnancy, although you won't be able to feel them that early. You probably won't start to notice them until sometime after mid-pregnancy, if you notice them at all. (Some women don't.) They get their name from John Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872."--www.babycenter.com

I am pleased to announce I haven't seen a stretch mark yet. I am really hopeful that this stays consistent because I know that I am capable of receiving them. I have them all around the backs of my thighs from a growth spurt at puberty. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can stay at a steady weight gain to prevent the stretchmarks. But, if I do have to have them, it will be worth it. I won't complain.. too much.