What does it feel like???

[shellmc]

Im 38+4 weeks preggers with my first baby.

I have posted a few times on ere for advice and opinions ect, and sum ov u will know im feeling a wee bit nervous, altho very very excited!!!
I know that every person is different and labour and birth is going to differ from person to person but im just wondering if you cud explain wot contractions actually feel like?? How bad do they get???
And which was worse for u labour (contractions) or actual birth (pushing)??
Shell xxxx

contractions feel like a wide band around your tummy getting tighter and tighter, to a peak, then fading away. In between you are pretty much normal. at the end mine always come on top of each other.

Pushing, now that i hate, though thankfully it has always taken me less than 10 minutes to actually do that part, thank god. You will use strength you never ever knew you had!

Thanku for yiur comment!! :-)
Wow 10 mins i hope i can find that strength to push in that time.
xxxx

Hiya
I was in labour for 14 & a half hours for my son(1st baby) he weighed 7lb 14oz. There is no point anyone saying it doesn't hurt but make sure she have the gas and air provided as this does really help. The midwife put on soft whale soothing music to help keep me calm, it was relaxing listening to that, maybe ask if they have soothing music or if you could take your own. It is well worth it in the end, you forget everything you have been through once you see your beautiful bundle of joy. It is a truely amazing feeling once you hold your baby for the first time, i was in tears, very emotional feeling, wonderful feeling. I wish i was at the end ready to give birth now,lol. Good luck to all that are at the time near enough xx

Ohh thats a lovley reasurring comment tiaxx31 i know its all gonna be worth it soo many people i have asked have described that obv it does hurt but its a pain that is soon forgotton, once baby is born.
Is contractions always in your bump??

My DS was in a posterior position, so back to back. I felt my contractions on my bump and also in my back.

I had mild period pain like conratctions for 17 hours at home before my waters broke then they changed straight away to full on fast and furious, we went to the hospital at that point.

They gained intensity for the next 4 hours. I got to the point wehre all I could think of was the tens machine button, the gas and air and telling myself that each contraction was one closer to meeting my baby. I was definitley in 'the zone'. After 4 hours at the hospital (and 21 hours labours so far) I had an epidural.

DS was born, by forceps delivery, after 32 hours of labour. I didn't feel the pain of pushing because of the epidural, but was in pain for along time after because of tearing and episiotomy. You do forget the pain of labour though, as soon as the baby is born.

I know everyone says it, but your really do know it when it's the real thing and once the baby is in your arms the pain is forgotten.

So worth it .

I'm 38+1 BTW so will be doing all again soon too .

I had a posteriour baby. My waters broke I started having contractions straight away I didn't feel the tummy ones at all. Only the back contractions they hurt but they come and go and you have time to get used to the pain as they build up. My labor was 24 hrs, after 22 hours and not yet 3 cm I had a quarter of the dose of pethadine (more like dynamite) and was pushing in an hour and half. I thought the pushing was easier even though my baby was still back to back and was born that way he never turned and had his arm and elbow by the side of his face. I didn't tear and walked to the shower 20 mins after placenta was out. The next day I felt great a little sore but nothing major. The day my son was born was the best day of my life I felt so proud and happy. I am looking forward to this labor

I found the pain was like period pain but multiplied by a million. As others have said the pain disappears in between contractions but they get closer and closer together so can feel like they are on top of each other near the end.
For me I found the pushing bit the best, in that I was able to actually do something rather than try and relax through each contraction. Also, for that stage I didn't really notice the pain because I was pushing down on it. It was tiring but more satisfying.

DD was 9lb 12 and breech, born at home with IMs. I'd listened to the natal hypnotherapy CD's since about 36 weeks (she finally appeared at 41+3).

My labour started with a niggly back ache / periody pain that turned to regular contractions within an hour. I started out very restless, but by about 3 hours in I was very calm and relaxed and just letting my body get on with it. I found I was managing fine with breathing and TENS - I don't remember being in pain as such for that stage although it wasn't always comfortable. I didn't scream in labour - in fact I didn't make much noice at all.

I found transition to be the hardest part of labour - I had a couple of really big contractions that DID start to hurt and started to wibble and think I couldn't do it. I ditched the TENS and got in the pool, had one more big contraction and then it all went quite.

When the 2nd stage contractions arrived they were very different and I remember being relieved - I got out of the pool (my MWs had a lot of dry land breech experience, but I'd have been the water breech guinea pig!) and wound up on my knees, cuddling DH's legs. I was aware that my body was working hard but I had no particular urge to join in the pushing with concious effort, and I wouldn't describe the experience as painful - although I would call it intense. We hadn't bothered to put the TENS back on and it didn't occur to me to ask the MWs to fetch G&A. I still didn't make much noise - to the point that the MWs had to ask me to tell them when I was having a contraction (I squeezed DH).

I did tear and wound up needing to transfer into hospital for stitching (it was all internal) and just in case my blood pressure dropped any further (the tear had caught a little vein) - the trip in the ambulance and hospital were probably my least favourite parts of the affair.

In the end, I was in active labour for about 6 hours, of which the 2nd stage took 1 hour. Holding DD for the first time was a wonderful experience. Looking back I quite enjoyed giving birth! Possibly because I knew and trusted by MWs and they'd given me a lot of confidence.

With my first te pain was in my back and down my legs - nothing in my bump at all....

A good thing to do is every time you have a contraction think to yourself that it is one closer to seeing your baby.

Thanku ladies for your experiences i like reading how others labours started and also seeing how people can feel the contractions in different place too, i know im getting closer now and every twinge/niggle/pain i get i think IS THIS IT?? But i guess il know wen its the real thing!! :-)
xxxxx