Can you please describe what a contraction feels like?

[marthamay]

Hi there,

There must be some other first time mums out there like me who have no idea what a real contraction feels like! I am close to my due date and really curious now.

I would be really interested if those with more childbirth experience could describe what they feel like...

?????

Thanks!

thedollshouse - do you really still get bad period pain after having ds1?
I thought decrease of period pain was one of the benefits of having babies. I used to have bad period pain before, but since having my first baby my periods are mildly uncomfortable at worst.

I think your body is unlikely to make you pass out during labour?

Early on, just tightening of the bump. In established labour, it felt exactly like stomach cramps, except where you's usually be straining out a poo (sorry), its a small person I actually found the whole experience like being seriously constipated.

smilehomebirth - Not every month is as painful as I describe whereas before I had ds it was every month.

I am hoping that mentally the reward of having a baby at the end will help me through the pain, unlike periods where there is no reward at the end.

I would say its like intense period/diarrhoea-type pain in your lower abdomen, or rather mine was. I found the g&a helped me stay relaxed and focussed by breathing. However, the best pain management for me was getting into a position which suited me. I laboured quite comfortably when standing up but when I had to lie down to be monitored as dd was in distress the pain-level increased one hundred fold and there was no breaks in between. Out of interest, does this sound like transition, I've never really been sure?

However, the key for me was breathing, positioning and mentally getting up the peak of the contraction and enjoying the ride back down .

Good luck, wish I was as relaxed about it as I sound but terrified for the next one due in nine weeks.

Different to others but for me was just like a strong bh contraction but lasted longer. Not painful in itself as I felt everything in my back.

In my experience...

First a tightening feeling lets you know the next contraction is starting.
The tightening gets more intense, it becomes uncomfortable and (as the contractions increase in length) painful.

As labour progressed and the contractions were lasting longer, I would begin to feel like as if the contraction lasted much longer I wouldn't be able to cope with the pain. This made me a feel slightly panicky. Then just at the moment when it felt as if it was becoming completely unbearable, the pain would fade and disappear... until the next one.

smilehomebirth I slightly love you for that post. Thanks. [terrified first-timer]

I thought I had irritable bowel! So was taking tablets, rung the doc and he said u'r in labour get to the hospital!!! So couldn't have been that bad!

Like period pains but it goes round your back as well, just to add to the fun...

Yep - when you are constipated or have runny tummy, just before you rush to the loo, it cramps and hurts like mad. Contractions were rather like that, save that they started off less painful, peaked and then faded.

Key thing is not to be afraid of the pain, or to torment yourself about how much worse it might get. Just live in the moment.

For me, I can't remember what the pains were like, but I do remember that my body reacted to them in the same way as it does to bad period pains - namely vomiting. Repeatedly.

I also was surprised that my contractions started at 3mins apart, and stayed there until I had an epidural. I didn't realise that they wouldn't necessarily gradually build up in frequency, so was a bit thrown by this. Coupled with the vomiting, it meant that I really didn't get any break once they started.

Sorry to be negative, but if I were going through it again I would try to think about what might help me cope better if I did react the same again (e.g. in my case accepting the offer of a drug to stop the vomiting, which might have helped me feel a lot better). Is there anything that you could prepare in advance that might make it easier if you do react like you do to bad period pains?

Sorry for the hijack but as a first timer and reading this thread I've been getting strong BH and period pain for at least three weeks now. I'm 36wks on Thursday and everytime I mention it to MW it gets summarily dismissed. They are not regular but have been getting stronger.

It sounds like they are contractions but will the MW do anything unless they get regular or I get addition symptoms (waters breaking etc)?

I'm quite happy to use them to practise my breathing but I do wish the MW would take them seriously.

to all the first timers... please try not to worry about not being able to cope. its a really positive pain, focus on the reasons its happening and that you'll get your baby in your arms soon. Seriously, positive thinking that you can do it, will really help

Jayfer - very normal to get BH in 3rd trimester, getting stronger towards end. I am 36+3 and I have BH on daily basis. With DS had runs of BH at 10 minute intervals for days before labour started. Of course she dimissed it.

Midwife will not suggest you come to hospital unless you are in labour - ie powerful contractions on a regular basis. By powerful mean need to breathe/concentrate through them. By regular at least one every 10 mins over several hour period, or one every 5 mins.

Imagine stubbing your toe very badly, and you want to hop about and pant, and probably yell, and every 2 minutes it happens again.

All mine were back labours, I didn't feel anything in my stomach or groin, same place as my period pains but all four were pain relief free.

I was told to relax and did and it does help, I also got very good at breathing (midwives told me so) in through nose, out through mouth. If you can manage to not fear labour and accept that each pain is one less to have, I think it can help

If it's too painful, then accept the drugs without a doubt, there are no prizes for enduring pain so no one should have to

I feel contractions as a "lifting" sensation. Starts low down just above my pubic bone and ripples up to just below my ribs.

Had another successful hypnobirth this time around even with a drip to increase the strength of the contractions.

at Delsparadisewife, very good description.

Strangely Morloth, I would have described mine as 'grounding'. A need to sink into myself, lean down and forward (with bent knees if standing), with my pelvis feeling heavier while all my energies and concentration were focused on it.
Just goes to show just how differently two different women can describe labour - which doesn't help the first-timers at all.

For me both times I had pains around the bum-making me clench & stand on tiptoe.

Nothing like period pains or any feeling that it was around my stomach at all.

Mine were very painful, like others have described, very envious of those who hardly felt any pain

If I called my DP 'hubby' and gave him parsnip soup and venison slices for dinner he would laugh in my face and swan off to Nandos.

Hope the OP stays - if she is a troll she's a good un. Or she is Jools Oliver and we can mock mercilessly.

Oh lolol at myself - I am so on the wrong thread, sorry everyone

FWIW - felt like I had a stomach bug. Didn't hurt that much. But it was 15 years ago so have probably forgotten the truth so ignore me.

I agree with miamia - try not to worry. Everyone's experiences are very different and I wouldn't even call a contraction pain to be perfectly honest.

I too can remember exactly what they feel like - its honestly like a stomach crunch when you think you can't do any more (if that makes sense) coupled with the 'having a poo' feeling. Its like a muscle tightening/spasm, but nothing like pain. There just isn't a word in our language for what it feels like so pain is the nearest option.

And once its over (each contraction) you're completely normal again - no 'pain' in the middle.

Don't get me wrong - as you get nearer the end they get more intense, but the real pain part is the pushing/head crowning and G&A is brilliant for that stage. Having said that one of my friends had her son recently (her 1st) and didn't use it the whole way through.

Please don't let some of the scarier versions on this thread upset you. You will get through it and happily do it again afterwards. I'm going to have a 16 month gap between mine!

Best of luck.

newmomma "Don't get me wrong - as you get nearer the end they get more intense, but the real pain part is the pushing/head crowning and G&A is brilliant for that stage."

Once again, the differences are amazing. I don't have any pain at all at the pushing stage, I do find transition a tricky time because I tend to lose focus.

But once it has switched over and I want to push, there is no discomfort at all. Just the feeling of a need to do a big poo. And when the head actually comes out bliss.

The real trick for me is to not push while waiting for the shoulders to turn.

I'm worried I will not notice/realise until it's too late

it all depends on what people call a bad period pain, I got a verbal warning at work for taking time off when it's my time of the month but I have to, I have to lay down, unable to stand for more then a few minutes otherwise I'd faint, sometimes I'm so bad I'm bent double on the bathroom floor constantly sticking my head under the cold shower to try and keep myself awake.

I've seen different doctors about it with no joy, been told I'm allergic to my own hormones and all kinds of things, I know I have a cyst on one of my ovaries but have been told that can't be the cause of such an adverse reaction.

Anyway point is I know I'm not normal I think what others call bad period pains I wouldn't even bat an eyelid over so I'm worried about realising too late to get to the hospital or for my other half to get home from work because he wants to be there with me.

Do your waters always break a good time before it comes out? is the show obvious or could it come out in the toilet without me even noticing?.