What do contractions feel like

[Sunnyxo]

May be a silly question but what do contractions feel like? I'm 40+3, and the last couple nights I've been having period like cramping but not really tightening as such. Tonight I've bad ongoing cramps and back pain for about 4 hours though and a lot more frequent/stronger. I'm not sure if it's the start of labour, waters haven't broken and haven't lost my plug.

Back pain for me. For some women, like me, period pain is worse than early labour pain so watch out for that. I didn’t have any pain I couldn’t handle until I was fully dilated.

At 40+3 I reckon you're having contractions!

Mine felt totally not like period pains (but I was looking out for that feeling!) and more like a vice-like grip around my bump. Id have to stand up through them, too.

I was contracting every minute before my waters broke and was 10cm dilated by the time I got to hospital (I rang the midwives at 9pm when I was contracting but no waters and they told me I was in the early stages on labour. Baby was born at 11.25pm!). So just be aware you might not do things the "right" way round!

Make a fist and squeeze it as tight as you possibly can. It felt to me like that was what my stomach was doing. I was hot and clammy. Also felt like I really really really needed the toilet... I was 10cm dialated!

My waters didn't go either time until just before I gave birth. Sounds like you're in early labour op.

Download a contraction timer. The contraction will last 40-60 sec and then stop. They're not always so painful that you can't manage. I was fine with some paracetamol. When they're 4 mins apart call the hospital.

Keep yourself as calm and rested as you can. Good luck! X

Hi @Sunnyxo my contractions felt like really bad trapped wind. I felt it in waves really bad then it would go, i timed them.
All the best with your labour x

Period pain that ramped up constantly.

Mine with both babies were a period-pain-like ache in lower abdomen and back, which came and went and got closer together and more intense. I never felt a sensation of tightening at all, and was 3cm dilated without feeling a single thing yet the monitor thing they put me on said I was having tightenings (I had gone in to be induced due to baby growth). This might be it!

Weirdly mine felt different with different babies! First time it was this overwhelming wave from the top of my head all the way down my back to my legs and feet of very strong cramps. The second time was just in my lower back and felt like cramp that needed to be stretched out. The first time was more intense but the second time was very very calm - nothing I couldn't deal with using breathing and sound and I was 9cm when I got to the hospital 😂
It didn't feel like period pains ime, but with my second I had diarrhoea and also vomited in early labour

Thanks so much everyone, that's really helpful, I definitely think it may be the start then as sounds quite similar in description. I've started timing them now and fingers crossed he'll be here soon! X

Mine started off like mild period pains. They gradually got more intense after my waters broke, but never got consistent. They kept stopping and starting. They took my breath away and it was all I could focus on until it passed.

How are things, OP?

Mine felt like a watermelon was trying to come out of my bum!

Period pains (but more of a clenching and more widespread) that come and go and start off fairly irregular and just uncomfortable as opposed to painful… First labour can stop and start over days and can be quite frustrating. Good luck!

It felt like period pain for me.

Like really bad wind pain ripping through the bottom of your stomach