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 🙈

You can decide on pain relief when you're in hospital. I am generally quite go with the flow and tend to want the midwives to suggest things that I can say yes or no to! Unfortunately I didn't figure that out until my third birth, the first one they were very good and did offer me things and the second they left me alone and wouldn't really talk to me which was a bit of a disaster. Third I had quite a wishy washy one first who kept asking me what I wanted and then when I told her what I wanted apparently half the time I couldn't have that but she was OK I suppose and did get me what I wanted the other 50% of the time. Then she went off on a shift change and I got this marvellous brilliant woman who took charge and said "Shall we try this? Shall we try that?" and I said YES, that sounds helpful and NO, can we wait a bit longer? And she said that was fine. I loved her.

I will say I don't think pain threshold in "normal life" bears any resemblance, it's just such a totally different experience. I tend to panic when I'm in pain so the short time of the contractions is key for me because I know I can cope with anything for a minute. Then when it starts to get really bad and I can't cope with it even for a minute that's when I'm going no, I need something to help with this, I can't do this any more. Best combo for me has been to have somebody remind me of my coping techniques when I get to the first stage of "I can't do it", second wave of that I get into the birth pool, third wave of that gas and air. I have long long long marathon labours, so exhaustion starts to set in at some point which really doesn't help either. But you get a kick of adrenaline during the end and sort of "wake up". I remember DH opening the blinds because the sun was rising :)

I would have been interested to see what an epidural was like and there were certainly moments that I absolutely didn't care what they did as long as they took the pain away, but it takes so long to get an epidural set up I just couldn't be bothered with all of that

Like a massive truck/road roller is slowly crushing you?

They vary so much! Mine were tightenings for first 3-4 hours and developed into like moderate period pains - I was lucky for sure, didn't need pain relief

1st stage labour is like very severe period pain that builds and then gradually eases. 2nd stage is an overwhelming urge to push that you have no control of, your body will just take over.

@SidSparrow sounds fab 😟🤣🤣 .. I see most people say your body starts pushing itself and there's no control over it, sounds scary to me lol and I also see sometimes when u get that urge the midwife will tell u to stop pushing, how do u manage that if your body is doing it voluntarily?

Massive squeezes

Usually you pant instead or do little puff blows or make a "brrrrr" sound with your lips like a horse. They'll tell you what to do if you can't.

I get stuck at 4-6cm and then I get the urge to push from about 6.

This was incredibly reassuring actually. I am so glad I listened to it before I had my last baby.

uk-podcasts.co.uk/podcast/the-midwives-cauldron/pushing-and-cervixes