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Original poster

To ask for your help describing a contraction?

150 replies

Itsnotmessitsashithole · 10/12/2019 20:42

Lovely friend is heavily pregnant with her first and has asked me to describe a contraction to her...

Apparently ‘arrrrrghhhh’ was not descriptive enough. But even though it was only 6 months ago, I just found it impossible to describe Confused

So how would you describe a contraction? Will send her a link to thread so do your worst!

OP posts:
Butterfly02 · 10/12/2019 21:43

Worst period pain imaginable but in my back.
Tightening around bump.
It's not fun but it's got a great outcome so it's bearable - I never new the gender of my dc so I had a reason to push!

RosieposiePuddingandPi · 10/12/2019 21:43

I very clearly remember thinking it felt like I was being slowly run over by a heavy car which would then slowly roll off me. It's the description I used to people who asked!

Euromillsplz · 10/12/2019 21:44

@Fauxgina you made me laugh out loud!

user1471530109 · 10/12/2019 21:47

I've just taught this to my year 7s. I got them all to hold hands and squeeze. We then discussed that happening in the uterus/bump. Low ability group. They seemed to get it!

I couldn't tell them the reality! I was once asked by a 16 year old what it was like shortly after returning maternity. Before I could think I told her it was the most horrific thing I've ever gone through. Her poor face Shock

rumandbiscuits · 10/12/2019 21:49

It's just like a very painful period pain and tightening which only lasts seconds as apposed to hours like my painful periods used to go on for (thankfully touch wood my periods are a lot less painful since having my LG). Tell her to focus on breathing through the contractions rather than focus on the pain (I know it's hard to do at the time but it helped me!)

Bluebutterfly90 · 10/12/2019 21:50
Confused I dunno what your friend would think OP but I'm nearly 38 weeks here and reading this with some degree of mounting horror! I know it's going to hurt, I had hoped to read some 'it's not that bad' type posts. Perhaps a bit naive of me.Grin Nothing to be done now, I suppose.

My mum described it as like having a fist in your lower back just squeezing you from the inside.

Original poster
Itsnotmessitsashithole · 10/12/2019 21:51

Blimey, some of you are very good with descriptions.

I’m surprised at how fascinated I am at the stories too, I don’t really remember mine other than god awful pain, drugs, EMCS.

OP posts:
irregularegular · 10/12/2019 21:52

Yes similar to bad period cramps I guess. But it doesn't always have to be as terrible as some people suggesting? I don't remember finding labour really painful until crowning, which was owwwwww. I had gas and air. I wasn't against epidurals. It didn't occur to me to ask.

Had worse toothache, definitely.

Solitaryradiator · 10/12/2019 21:55

I can’t bear people who try and frighten those about to have a baby. It’s horrid to show her this thread.

For instance, I didn’t find it that bad. But if I’d read this stuff and was anxious and panicked about how awful it was going to get then that may well have gone a different way. You’re not being a good friend here.

irregularegular · 10/12/2019 21:56

I was induced. With a pessary. So even that doesn't have to lead to hideously painful labour.

StopMakingATitOfUrselfNPissOff · 10/12/2019 21:57

I didn't think it was too bad, got to 9cm with a back to back baby on gas and air.
In the early days it was uncomfortable but manageable tightening round my bump.
I'm a wimp btw!Grin

Solitaryradiator · 10/12/2019 21:57

@Bluebutterfly90 my point exactly. You need to work with your body to give birth (and no I have no earth mother tendencies) and being anxious and panicked clamps everything up and makes it far worse. You need to breath and release oxytocin. Ignore this thread

Solitaryradiator · 10/12/2019 21:58

I was induced too by the way

ActualHornist · 10/12/2019 21:58

Like the worst period pain ever.

Or, like renal colic but not as bad.

BUT - I remember going to a class and the midwife asked us what we wanted to know. She bet we all wanted to know about the birth. The birth is but a day (or possibly longer) in your life. Painful and exhausting sure - but don’t forget after that you have to keep a baby alive! Much more scary.

partysong · 10/12/2019 21:59

Alsol like a vice squashing my entire body hard every few seconds - but on gas and air I didn't care. I was like "oh fuck this is going to hurt, oh yeah it did hurt, nevermind Grin"

irregularegular · 10/12/2019 22:00

no. changed my mind. with drip not pessary! sorry it was a while a go...

Original poster
Itsnotmessitsashithole · 10/12/2019 22:01

Sorry Blue Sad but if it helps, it really is true that you forget (in my case) and the baby is worth it in the end, proper cliche for you there!

OP posts:
FoxFriend · 10/12/2019 22:01

For me, it was like my belly and lower back were being squeezed from the inside, and loads of pressure. My little girl was back to back though, which I’m told is especially painful. If it helps, though, it was less than 3 months ago and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

Bluebutterfly90 · 10/12/2019 22:01

@Solitaryradiator
I did bring it on myself coming in here to read!
I just keep thinking no matter how bad it is, it's a short time compared to how long you have a baby for. And I'll bear the breathing in mind, the last thing I want is to clamp up!

Silenttype · 10/12/2019 22:07

A chinese burn!

0hT00dles · 10/12/2019 22:07

Really bad period pain. And in waves! @Bluebutterfly90 my mother described it the same and proudly declared how she never had an epidural.

She also never had oxytocin and can barely remember any 3 births so I take her with a pinch of salt.

I listened to my mum for the first birth (no epidural!) and after 20 hours I was screaming😂

We all forget. And each labour is different.

justagrumblebum · 10/12/2019 22:10

I was induced and literally went from nothing to a whole body wave of continuous contraction in about fifteen mins (I DO NOT recommend the cooks balloon). When they took it (they overinflated it by mistake) out I had contractions every one and a half minutes for the next 27 hours.

It felt like a horrible belt of fire tightening around my waist and then burning right up my back then spreading over my bump. I shat myself and was sick simultaneously. For 27 hours in total. Every minute and a half. Then the midwife broke my waters, and there was meconium in them and i literally high fived him, as I knew they would have to do something about it... finally got my epidural. And I've never ever ever ever been so thankful for drugs in my life. Couldn't feel a thing, even when they sliced me open and stitched me back up!

I will never be brave enough to do it again.

Milquetoaster · 10/12/2019 22:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Solitaryradiator · 10/12/2019 22:15

My plan was

  1. Don’t read gleeful ‘this is how bad it will be’ things like this and refuse to listen to anyone that tried to tell me
  2. Do some natal hypnotherapy breathing training
  3. Learn about the body mechanics. If you’re stressed everything tenses (we all know this) and we don’t release our natural oxytocin painkiller

I was induced, baby was back to back and I was ok on gas and air. Sure, it hurt but it was manageable with breathing

Newcatmum · 10/12/2019 22:17

Definitely agree with feeling as though you're trapped in a vice. I just remember lying there inbetween each contraction and dreading the next one. Then it hitting and getting worse and worse until it eased off and then the dread of the next one and repeat......

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