AbbyMN needs your contractions comments...

Strangely, I can't remember too much of the pain of my contractions with DS1, but DH remembers clearly because I crushed his wedding ring onto his finger, I was squeezing his hand so tight .

With DS2, it seemed to be all in my upper thighs.

Mine were full on from the start - lasted at least a minute and were every 3 minutes. After being in labour for all of 30 minutes I'd launched the cushions, massage oil, relaxing CD and the "20 positions for labour" leaflet that I'd had at the ready for the past 6 weeks at dh yelling "they're no fucking use".

Pain in thighs too, it felt like I'd ran the 8 miles to the hospital.

I've blocked out the memory of contractions, but there are still teeth marks in one of our dining room chairs...

move not me!

back to back is nasty. DD2 was back to back. I'm currently trying to get db3 into a better position, it's got about 3/4 weeks to me.

DD was back-to-back. I thought the contractions were light relief from the pain/pressure/ache inbetween contractions.

That was some labour

me too myjobismum! Also [gulp]

DD1 - a slow build up and by the end I was doubled up, head buried in a pillow.

DD2 - came on hard and fast. Woke up with them and they were violent and really painful

DD3 - wonderful. I actually enjoyed the contractions. I could feel my pelvis expanding and the contractions pushing her down the birth canal. I just breathed through them and then looked up with a grin on my face saying 'wow' and 'ohhh that was a good one'!

The last couple of hours were like being trapped in a vice.

I coped with labour, but what I found really hard to deal with were those evil after pains! They were less painful then the actual labour, my body just refused to cope with any more pain.

I thought mine were wind but they kept stopping and starting. Laughed through the first few with ds1 and then they started to hurt and just got worse and worse. it only took 3.5 hours though. They were every few minutes from the start.

They sort of took over - it felt as though my whole body was involved, everything from above the bump was pushing upwards, (stomach in mouth, vomiting sensation) and everything from below it pushing down.

It was very, very compelling and overpowering. There was nothing I could do to stop it or gain control, I found it very hard being out of control iyswim.

The top of my legs really really hurt with each contraction, in fact as much as the bump, which really surprised me, I thought all pain would be bump located.

First time not a one, my Mum took me to hospital and kept rubbing my back. I just got annoyed with her, she didn't believe that I couldn't feel anything.

Second time had to pee after each one. An emergency came in and I was stuck on the ward, sucking gas and air. It got to the point where I was high and got the munchies. DH says he'll never forget pulling back the cutain to see me on a bed pan trying to fit a finger of Twix and the gas and air nozzle into my mouth. Oh the glamour.

I don't think women forget the pain of labour. I think we just have no frame of reference for that pain - until we go into labour the next time, "Oh yes, it's all coming back to me nooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!"

Oh no mine were sharp. It felt like Edward Scissorhands was sort of rummaging around inside my uterus trying to find something. Showing my age there but you know what I mean.. every time the doctor asked how much pain I was in on a scale of 1-10 I said 9.5 but inside my head I was screaming 'a hundred, a hundred you stupid git! How could it be anything less!!'

My waters broke, and contractions started a couple hours later. They did feel like really bad period pains, but really really really bad ones, and then just really bad ones in between. (DD was back to back which I was told causes pain between contractions).

I bitched and moaned alot, and begged for drugs. Epidural was great. I can thoroughly recommend it.

like the wrost period pains.

painfull but in a blunt?? way

i rather imagined they would be 'sharp'

my first contractions were just like my tummy had gone rock hard (well, it had!'doh') and that was it, no pain.

then they started to make me hold my breath, and the contraction started making my tummy go hard from the bottom up, like a wave if that makes sense??

and then it went into my back...............

in fact, once it went into my back, I had to get DH to massage me......and told him to do it hard!! the following day, after I had had DD1, I had loads of thumb-print bruises all over my lower back, and DH had very very sore thumbs.

they did get stronger slowly tho, and I do think they had built up over a couple of days as I had felt like I had period pain for the entire easter, and DD1 was born on easter tuesday, my labour starting eastere monday.

Ah yes- I remember with DS1 going into hospital, my waters had broke but i had no contractions. The midwife asked if I had thought about any pain relief and I was adament that I would 'brave' it and if really necessary, just have gas and air.

I had one contraction and begged for an epidural.

I was in 2nd stage labour for 4 hours and it was one long contraction in my back. So was unable to walk round, or sit on a ball. I remember it being really bad and mid wife was getting a cup of tea and DH was watching tV and i thought if i keep taking the gas and air i will pass out so then they will need to take the baby out.

I did not pass out, but DH did hold my hand - or should i say held my hand and canuala that they had tried 4 times to get in.

The early ones wouldn't have been as bad if it hadn't been night time. They kept waking me up every ten minutes or so and I was getting quite annoyed! I like my sleep!

I was in labour for 3 days all in all, arrived at the hospital with bag and hamper (foolishly thought I'd need some sandwchiches and mini scotch eggs for substance! Ah!) and was duly turned away as I was only 2cm dialated. (Both nights)

On the 3rd night they broke my waters and after that it was full force ahead and a complete shock. So much so I tore up my waterbirth plan and insisted on an epidural with immediate effect. My contractions decided not to follow a natural pattern, and came in doubles and triples, with hardly any down time inbetween. I've never been as good a dancer, as I was waiting for the lovely Mr Epidural man. Hopping from one foot to another like some kind of withchild McHammer.

Sorry for the ramble... There might be a quote in there somewhere.

Did you know you can have very painful contractions, every 10/15 minutes for 3 days and still only be 3 cm dilated?

They certainly don't tell you that at ante-natel classes....

you don't always know that they are real contractions!