Anyone awake?? Difference between braxton hicks and early labour contractions?

[Icloud54]

I'm having tightenings every 10 minutes and they feel quite different to the usual braxton hicks I get, what did early labour feel/start like for you?

Does the contractions take your breath away, do you have to concentrate on them? Then I would say you're in labour and its not BH. BH for me was more like a tightening of the bump and then relaxing and while a little uncomfortable didnt take my breath away

No different. I only knew they were contractions and not BH because my water breaking happened first every time. I had BH that I had to stop and breathe through for about two weeks prior to labour, since losing plug.

Thank you, I'm definitely concentrating on them and it's more painful than usual, I've rung MAC and been told to see how I get on in the next hour.
I'm on high alert due to previous elective c section

I had BH pretty much continuously for a couple of weeks before going into labour. The difference was very obvious TBH. BH were tight, sometimes a bit uncomfortable, but not at all painful, & I could carry on as normal. I knew immediately when labour started as the contraction was extremely uncomfortable, & I didn’t feel like I wanted to walk at all during it.

Obviously everyone is different, but I suspect it will be obvious.

@Icloud54 I’m awake, and contracting - I think! I’ve had so many false starts so trying not to get my hopes up, but they are coming every 5 minutes for the last hour. They are sore, but not overly painful yet, not taking my breath away. How are too doing?

I'm still having them.. got checked in the night and I'm 1cm.
Let's see how today goes!

Me too. Been in labour 7 hours.