Braxton Hicks contractions

"confused - is that some sort of result of listening to a Tony Braxton and Taylor Hicks mix tape?"
-Jennifer Miller responding to my facebook status update about me possibly having Braxton Hicks contractions 

I do have to admit, I was one of the many people who did not know what a Braxton Hicks contraction was.  I am now one of the few people who do (at least I think I know what it is).

Braxton Hicks contractions are sometimes referred to as "fake contractions" or "practice contractions."  Not all women have them.  They're very irregular contractions and they don't cause your body to go into labor or your cervix to dilate.  A real contraction does both of those things.  When you have a "contraction," your largest muscle (the uterus), begins squeezing, which helps to push the baby out through the limited opening of your cervix and vaginal canal.  I'm REALLY looking forward to it...:(

Braxton Hicks contractions are mainly characterized by your abdominal area getting really hard, like pop a coin off of it hard.  They're typically not that painful and the contraction can last for a few seconds up to half a minute.  They may repeat over the course of a day, or you may go through a whole week without having another one. 

I THINK I may have had a bunch of them yesterday and today.  My stomach would get really hard, but they wouldn't hurt.  It was actually kind of cool.  Made me feel like I actually had some rock-hard abs (ha!).  My stomach didn't look any different, but I could feel how tight it had become.  I think this "contraction" has also helped to "turn" Nacho.  Nacho has been face down with his bum up near my ribs, his back towards my left side and his elbows and knees poking me on my right side.  It's been so for about the last month and a half.  However, today, I've felt numerous pokes on my left side meaning that the baby probably rolled over and it's back is towards my right side.  My uterus is pretty cool.

This post is especially for my best friend Jennifer, who has no clue about Braxton Hicks and is probably super grossed out about my blog in general.