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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

What Do Contractions Actually Feel Like?

16 replies

LouisaJF · 26/04/2012 08:34

I'm 40 + 2 and had a bit of action last night that turned into nothing again. It has only just dawned on me that I have no idea what a contraction feels like, so I wouldn't know the difference between a real one and trapped wind!

Would some of you more experienced mums let me know what I should be expecting so I have some idea what's going on when he finally gets going.

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MissPenteuth · 26/04/2012 08:39

Mine felt like period pains accompanied by back pain (DD was back-to-back). They got stronger and more painful as they progressed. Started off as a mild cramping, then to "ow", then "ooh, OW" and then "bloody hell that hurts like a motherfucker" and eventually "I need pain relief!".

I think they feel different for different people though. The key thing to watch out for is the pains getting stronger and more frequent (although for a few people they don't ever fall into that pattern).

Good luck, sounds like it won't be much longer now :)

oreocrumbs · 26/04/2012 08:43

Well it starts off feeling like trapped wind!! .

Don't worry it gets worse easier to identify!

For me it started with a bit of lower back ache and mild period pains, and there wasn't a trackable time for these it was just there. Then it got a bit worse and started to come at intervals.

Then they became more regular and the pains got stronger.

It really was like bad period pains, and that awful pain you get when you have diahorrea.

I was very worried about knowing when it was time, but you know. I actually knew (as in - in my head) that it was it on the first twinge.

Oh and I was 40+2 Good luck.

ShoeJunkie · 26/04/2012 08:45

Mine felt like period pains too. To begin with they were painful but bearable and once being in the bath/tens wasn't taking the edge off it was time to go to the hospital!

Good luck OP - hope all goes well.

Murtette · 26/04/2012 09:19

One of my friends told me that "you just know" which I thought was the most useless piece of advice ever. However, it turned out she was spot on. After weeks of thinking "oooh, was that a contraction", I woke up one morning thinking "that was a contraction" followed a few minutes later by "and so was that". So, I'd say go with your instincts.

Murtette now goes off and worries about whether, in a couple of days time, she's going to read about your unexpected home birth all because you followed some other MN's advice about going with your instinct!

rudbekia · 26/04/2012 10:04

I had really bad braxton hicks for about two weeks before going into labour which made things a little confusing for a first-timer! haha! Anyway, like others have said when it came to it, it defo started like bad period pain mostly focused in my lower back...then got progressively more painful from being able to cope with just breathing to really needing something stronger. I found, initially, I HAD to move around then it just crippled me! You'll know :)

Sproglet · 26/04/2012 10:05

At the beginning it feels like period pain but unlike period pain it comes in waves. At the beginning when I put my tens machine on it was up at full blast which I didn't know when I switched it on and OMG I felt like I was being electrocuted !!! By the end of labour I had it back onto full blast and it did F**k all ! When contractions really take hold the pain can be felt from the tummy to as far as your thighs and your whole body shakes with them as they do hurt and they are very powerful. But saying that I would rather go through labour for a couple of hours then endure the first trimester again with the constant nausea and tiredness! But I must stress that labour pain is different for all women. Some find it hard and some like me....and it sounds weird actually enjoyed it ! I found what helped me to get through was that everytime I had a contraction I would say to myself 'that is one down until the baby is born' and it really helped to keep going. And when that baby is born OMG it is sooo worth it and you will have forgotten all about it. I love that time when they place the baby on your tummy for the first time utter bliss xxxGood Luck !

luckysocks · 26/04/2012 15:00

I wasn't sure I was in labour at first as it started like period pain and a bit of backache. Not dissimilar to what I get on and off through most of my pregnancy, really.

Then it was happening roughly every 6 minutes but it just wasn't as painful as I expected so I still wasn't sure!

By the time they were 3-4 minutes apart though there was no doubt. For me, it started in my back as if I was going to fart and then sort of radiated around to my front, then was really painful for a bit , then disappeared!

My waters didn't break until transition but then it really started to hurt.... totally agree that it's all worth it in the end, though!

Flisspaps · 26/04/2012 15:04

Oh I knew when I got them. There was no way THAT was trapped wind!

I fell into the didn't-build-up-but-started-off-pretty-intense-and-stayed-that-way camp though.

NeedToSleepZZZ · 26/04/2012 15:26

I am starting this post with a reminder that ctx are different for every woman so what I am about to say may not apply to you!

I kept asking my mw what they felt like and she kept saying "you'll know" (planned home birth and wanted to know when to call her).

The day after delivering ds she did her visit and asked me how I would describe them, I replied "it was like someone had set fire to my insides whilst wild dogs were ripping me apart". She just laughed!

Thing is, I loved labour as, same as Sproglet, I would rather do that than be pregnant ever again.

Good luck and keep telling yourself, it's normal and with every one you're closer to meeting your baby

misslinnet · 26/04/2012 17:15

I didn't find the "you'll know" advice helpful at all.

DS was back to back, so initially all the pain from the contractions felt like bad backache. I didn't feel any pain in the front until I was almost fully dilated.

I wasn't convinced I was actually in labour intil my mum talked me into going to the hospital to get checked out. And when it turned out I was 2 cm dilated I felt very silly for not figuring it out myself

In hindsight, the regularity of the back pain should have been a bit of a clue...

YankNCock · 26/04/2012 17:32

I honestly can't remember, that's the weird part. I know it hurt, and felt like nothing else I've ever felt before, but I couldn't tell you. This time around I suppose I'll just say 'oh yes, that was it!'.

RetroMum1 · 26/04/2012 19:52

Mine weren't at all like I thought they'd be, I had terrible back ache and quite high up but what felt like period cramps. I also really felt like I was going to poo! I sat on the loo telling my MW she was wrong and it wasn't the babies head but I was really going to poo, an hour later I believed her! It also didn't hurt down there like I thought I would.

HappyAsEyeAm · 26/04/2012 21:01

It was like someone had put their hand into my tummy and was wringing my tummy out like a very wet dishcloth that they wanted to get bone dry. That was at its most intense. Before that, it started as a general hardening in my tummy, and then sort of spread to my thighs and bottom, and just got stronger and stronger.

BoysBoysBoysAndMe · 27/04/2012 09:40

Well for me it started off as feeling like period pain cramps.

Then as it progresses, when u feel one coming, I got goose bumps, my skin got a little sensitive and I didn't want to be touched or spoken to.

A wave of pain swept from my sides to the lower, middle if the bump and it felt like the most terrible period pain cramp.

I just wanted to bend over, like when you have a poorly tum. And I felt cold with each wave of contraction.

You might think bad period pain isn't bad-it is it is like someone is scraping the inside of your womb with a spoon. You will hurt in places you never knew could hurt.

But at least you get a baby in the end. You prob shouldn't read negative threads like this. Get some positive stories read.
IMO, it depends on your pain threshold.

All the best!

RedMolly · 27/04/2012 12:18

I'd agree that it starts off like severe period cramps,, but these can go on for quite a while - or not - it is so different for everyone. The best advice I can give is to look for a pattern. I had days of contractions (quite mild as it turned out, but I didn't think so at the time) and was constantly on the phone to mw as I had a planned homebirth. Mw wouldn't come out until I was in a clearly established pattern. In my case that never happened and ended up being induced. The pain once in established labour is something else but i'm not going to scare you by telling you how it felt to me because again we all have very different experiences. The wave analogy is a good one though.

BlackOutTheSun · 27/04/2012 12:23

Ohh I hated the 'you'll know' advice. Mine started off as period pains. My contractions were all over the place time wise aswell.

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