Why can't I feel contractions

[harleysmammy]

As the title says really..I can feel my belly tighten but that's it. I had a routine dilating check at my 38 week appointment Monday and the midwife said I was 1 cm and it was unusual for a first time mam to be dilated this early so she asked if I was having contractions. I said no, a few more noticeable Brixton hicks but because they wasn't hurting I didn't pay much attention and I only really noticed when I was sitting down and my stomach would go solid. She said to sit down for an hour each day and time them, if they were less than ten minutes apart to phone her back..so I did and was beyond shocked that they were coming about every 5-7 minutes, I phoned her and she said it sounded like labour was starting especially as I lost my plug on Wednesday. Yesterday, I timed them like I had been all week and they were 3-5 minutes apart, roughly 4 minutes ish. I phoned l&d because my midwife wouldn't answer her phone and they said to go up. When I was on the monitor, I could feel my back feeling odd whenever I got a tightening but it wasn't hurting it was just the uncomfortableness of the tightening, not period like as I'd read on google. They were 3 ish minutes apart and they examined me to say I was 2 1/2 cm so the contractions are changing my cervix well. The midwife & doctor couldn't believe I was having that strong tightenings and regular too, but I couldn't feel it but anyway they said I could go home but they expected me to go into labour within 72 hours and to time the contractions still, they said the only reason they wasn't admitting me for labour was because one, I was clearly not in pain so I didn't need pain relief and two, hospital policy is to not admit before 4cm. Anyway, I'm home and sitting on my bed and can definitely feel the tightenings every few minutes but only because it's like a vacuum around my stomach and instead of being flabby, it is rock hard solid. I'm about to start timing the again and I'm not worried or anything, but why can't I feel them?? I've seen my sister in labour 3 times and she's been screaming bloody murder by the time her contractions are every 3-5 minutes. Has anyone else been having tightenings every 3 minutes ish and not been in pain?? Or am I just weird??

(I don't have a high pain threshold AT ALL, it's actually non existent. I feel the slightest pain, which is why I'm so confused!)

My early contractions definitely felt like pulling rather than pain. If you are lucky they will ramp up gradually and your body will provide enough endorphins to compensate. I've had four monsters babies and only really felt pain towards the end of labour or if I was stuck somewhere I didn't want to be (couch/toilet etc).

Good luck!!

I labour like that right through. I do eventually feel them and they are sore but a tight sore rather than a screaming in agony sore. I also in 3 births have never had what they would describe as good strong contractions and my last was a home birth and had talked to the midwife beforehand because I was worried they wouldn't believe I was in labour when I called because I'm well along before I can't hold a conversation anymore by then I'm already pushing.

My labours were not painful at all, just very uncomfortable. Towards the end, the contractions were deeply uncomfortable as the pressure increased, but still not painful.

They were pretty fast though which was lucky as I'm pretty squeamish, and as I wasn't in pain I had rather more time than I was comfortable with to think about the whole 'new person emerging' thing!

My mother's labours were the same, so I didn't go into it expecing screaming and agony as the norm.

If I hadn't had my mother's experience to go by, I'd have panicked that something was wrong.

I had gas and air for the stiches though

I remember in the early stages of my induced labour, being on the monitors and being told I was having a contraction based on the readout from the machine, despite being blissfully unaware aside from a little backache!

It did ramp up once they started me on the drip though.

Good luck! :)

Your cervix can change without actual contractions, it changes with natural prostaglandins and braxton hicks. I'm sure you will be aware when you are having contractions. Good luck

Enjoy it! I had something similar with my second although I didn't realise it till afterwards. I had loads of braxton hicks for a day or so then my water broke one morning and they slowly got stronger and more painful. From water breaking to baby on my chest was 4hrs. Fairly text book delivery. I hope you have the same👍

Maybe you're just lucky?! My friend found labour very easy and with minimal pain. Good luck!

I am past my due date and am now 40 weeks and 3 days. I haven't been able to feel any contractions or braxton hicks either. At first I just thought something was wrong with me but reading your experience and knowing I'm not the only one this has happened to makes me feel much more relaxed. Still waiting for my baby boy to arrive though and I'm hoping i'll be able to tell when he is coming.