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  |  Pregnancy  |  2nd Trimester  |  Tummy tight at 20 weeks
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Tummy tight at 20 weeks

by Christine Hill

question
I am 20 weeks pregnant with my second child. I have been experiencing some tightening in my stomach for the past few weeks and don't remember having these this early with my first. Is this normal? (I have been feeling the baby move around but this feeling is different.)

answer
From what you are describing, the tightening sounds like mock-contractions, which are called Braxton Hicks contractions. Most women feel these when they are around 28 weeks into their first pregnancy, but it is not uncommon to feel them much earlier with a subsequent pregnancy.

If you have been feeling these for a few weeks, have had no bleeding and also been feeling your baby move, I would assume all is OK. But I think it would be a good idea to tell your midwife at your next appointment.

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