What do contractions feel like?

[Mon2468]

Just curious how people would explain what contractions feel like? FTM at 38 weeks, think it's finally sinking in I need to give birth 🙈

Mine were nothing like period cramps either, more burning stabbing sensation. Really what I wasn't expecting. Plus not a huge build up, woke up with an intense contraction and that was it then. They were very painful from the off, I didn't notice a huge difference in the intensity as labour progressed. I'm about to do it all again though!!

Like your whole body is being squeezed. Quite overwhelming - don't forget to breathe!

Moving and being upright helps. Pacing yourself for the peak helps.

If you get into panic, the pain takes over and feels as though it is everywhere in your body at once, so reminding yourself it isn't can help. In my last labour I did a lot of stamping and saying "It doesn't hurt in my feet. Concentrate on the feet."

With ds it was all in my back and I was shocked how I didn't get any pain in the front.

2ds was induced and it came thick and fast. All at the front, pressure then cramp like pain.

Like others have said when you are pushing, it needs to be into your bum like having a poo. I also advise lots of deep breathing, it does really help with focus and pain!

Good luck, just remember it's temporary pain for long term gain ❤️

I recommend doing the digital hypnobirthing pack by the positive birth company. It explains how the process of birth works and how to breathe effectively.

Aww thank you all for replies, I'm laughing at how some of you have described them 😂 I'm excited and nervous but think once I feel the strength of them that'll soon change 🙈 glad you are being honest though so I'm not just expecting little niggly period pains🥴

Do come back and update this thread once you've experienced it yourself (you might find that trying to articulate how the pain is for you is a good distraction technique!)

@Legodout I will do 😊 I have slight polyhydramnios and have consultant appt on tue to discuss induction which I'm not too fond of. Hoping I can go naturally

I had my first last year and couldn’t feel anything at all (also induced) knew they were happening because of the monitors but couldn’t feel them. Was chatting and walking around until the pushing stage, 10-15mins later he arrived. I’m aware I was very lucky but just wanted to say it can happen because I was dreading it!

I didn't realise till after having DC that period pains happen because your uterus is contracting.

So, of course labour pains feel like period pain, but a lot more intense, because it literally is the same pain - only your womb is contracting to expel a whole baby instead of a small bit of womb lining so makes total sense that it hurts more.

I'm surprised I didn't know what seems like such a basic piece of information about my body!

FWIW my labour pains were very much in my back, at first at least.

I think what this thread shows really well is that contractions feel slightly different for every woman, and even differ between pregnancies! OP you can and will cope, and I bet you will surprise yourself with what you can endure and withstand. Women are much stronger than we realise, in my opinion.

Personally, my first was the classic Worst Positioned Baby (right occiput posterior) and the pain was like a drill being cranked into my spine. I withstood it for 60 hours before they augmented my labour with The Drip; 12 hours later after being turned 180’ with rotational forceps he was out. The pushing part was near-total relief for me because it was a different kind of pain. 20 months later and I can still feel the back drilling! But I’m 27 weeks with #2 and prepared to do it all again :)

Yeah I think it's the unknown that's making me nervous, like will I go naturally, need induced, end up needing section etc baby showing big at the moment but they did say the growth scans for weight aren't always accurate. It's nice to see everyone has such a different experience 😊

God i wonder the same haha xx
With first i felt them while i was in hospital already, at just one side on the back and was horrific like someone was breaking my bone there

I've had 4 c sections but have been in labour twice. Second was a planned c section but went into labour before the date so ended up partial emergency. First was intense period pains that got worse and worse all focused in my back.
Second, the baby was small and breech, I just felt a stitch from my belly button right down the centre to my vagina that was more uncomfortable than painful that peaked and eased in intensity.

@Justbecause88

Mine were nothing like period cramps either, more burning stabbing sensation. Really what I wasn't expecting. Plus not a huge build up, woke up with an intense contraction and that was it then. They were very painful from the off, I didn't notice a huge difference in the intensity as labour progressed. I'm about to do it all again though!!

Mine were the same. Nothing. Then waters broke and BAM! The worst pain ever. Every 2/3min lasting 1 min. I eas shocked. It was about 1am as well. Epidural was the only way, I would have passed out otherwise. I did do hypnobirthing and was hping for water birth but nope. It was truly unbearable. Great experience tho after the epidural! Easy pushing no pain!

Like my public bone was in a vice and just as it’s about to explode into dust, it starts easing off again.

Pubic *

4 c sections? Wow that’s something. Have your abdominal muscles record?

*recovered

@Mon2468 everyone I know who has had. a growth scan, has been wrong. I was told small for dates but Dd was 6lb 7 at 4 days early.

First time I was induced and baby was back to back so for me it felt like continuous pressure and pain on my back....until pain meds kicked in 😀. Second time felt very much like period pains which come in waves and gradually get closer together and more intense. The transition stage is a definite thing and both times I was saying I was off home! With the second just before I was about to push there was a very weird sensation of almost like baby moving down very very fast. I only pushed twice and she was out!

It felt like period pain for me, but with a very tight squeeze at the same time that build up in pressure and then go down, sort of if you blew up a balloon to the point of it nearly popping and then letting all the air out again that's what I felt like 😂
I'm 39 weeks tomorrow with no3 and I've been having these pains most of the afternoon so I'm very familiar with the feeling today

Like my back was breaking over and over again. I had no pain in the front at all. It wasn't what I was expecting.

@feb2022 good luck for your labour 🙂

@Benjispruce5 2 weeks ago he was measuring at 7lb 5, they did say it's not 100% accurate though but they want to lower the risk of shoulder dystocia if he is big but obviously won't know how big he is til he is here 😬

Mine felt like my pelvis might crack but you'll know what I mean once you've given birth when I tell you, that in a weird way, you actually don't care because you know it's all for a positive reason. I think your mind can cope better with pain when you know it's not because something is wrong. You can't speak through them once they get bad but they're over quickly and then you're chatting again until the next one. You'll be fine, try not to worry x

@chiiipsandsalad

At the pushing stage it's like you need a massive poo With my first I genuinely thought I did, I couldn't get my head around the fact it was actually the baby 😂

This. Clench your bum, then imagine that sensation sort of inside you, and make it a lot stronger so it hurts. Hard to explain.