Contractions - what to expect?

Envy1328

I am a first time mom and am wondering what contractions feel like. I am 38 weeks, with only 11 days left till my due date... I have not felt braxton hicks contractions at this time so I am not sure what to expect...I have a high pain tolerance so am hoping I can determine when I am in labor. Thank you in advance!

keshupe29

Honestly it was not what I expected either. Everyone said "you will know, worst feeling ever". Not the case. For me it was like mild cramps that came and went. Not consistent. Until I was at about 5 cm. I learned I also have a high pain tolerance.

lesliegolem

With my first contractions just felt like bad menstraul cramps. Braxton hicks for me was just mild cramps. I got to 5 cm without much of a problem, I have a high tolerance for pain too. The issue was when they put me on pitocin to help labor progress. Those contractions were horrible! I knew I wasn't dying but felt like I was. I remember gripping the hospital bed shaking and yelling a lot lol.

I'm almost 30 weeks with this one. So far braxton hicks way more intense and feels like waves of pain/menstraul cramps. So I think every pregnancy and woman is different. I'm hoping to avoid pitocin this time so maybe it won't be so painful? Hopefully yours won't be too bad. It may take a while but will be over before you know it.

GeminiJordan

Extremely bad period like cramps that come and go in phases and get worse. You will know once you're in labor.

kindacrunchy

Your uterus will tighten and your belly will get hard. Even if your contractors aren't super painful at the onset of labor you can tell you're having contractions when your stomach gets rock hard. For me I have intense period cramps due to endometriosis so the majority of my labor is no worse than a period, especially since I get breaks in between contractions. Until transition and then there is no way to not know because you will be in pain. Just remember it's pain with a purpose and when you think you can't handle it anymore you are most likely almost done.

MrsLaLaBug

For me they are like period cramps on steroids. Def noticeable.

mb314

Mine felt like period cramps. Really really bad period cramps (or diarrhea cramps - I felt like I had to go to the bathroom when they first started, but couldn't).  For me, the cramps didn't necessarily come and go.  I had a constant level of cramping pain (like a 7 on a scale to 1 to 10) and then I would have waves of pain that were the contractions that were like a 9 or 10 out of 10.  Most people have a break between contractions where they are relatively pain-free, but unfortunately, I had a constant level of pain.  I also had a fairly quick labor at like 9 hours from very start to end. 

Pitterpatter44

Felt like period cramps. I was super worried with my first that I wouldn't know what contractions felt like since it seemed every day I had a new type of pain or cramp for the entire pregnancy, and I never knew if that one was what a contraction would feel like.  My OB kept reassuring me, I'd know, and it would feel like period cramps (which, after 9 months, I couldn't remember what that even felt like!).  However, I woke up from a dead sleep at 3AM with, wouldn't you know it, period-like cramps.  And I knew.  They weren't terrible, just different than anything I'd felt in the last 9 months. And confirmed by losing my mucus plug at the same time.   If I wasn't so excited that I was in labor, I would have been able to go back to sleep.  Instead I cleaned the house.

Sounds like everyone feels them differently, and they progress differently.  So hard to know what to expect!

Envy1328

Thanks ladies!!!

jenn43

I agree with the cramping feeling.  I couldn't really tell I was in labor except that they were regular, but the pain was manageable.  Transition was a whole different thing all together- I could tell the minute I hit transition: I got really shaky, and the pain was very intense with each contraction.

Beevol

I never have had period cramps so for me, it was more like pain of a gas cramp coupled with a feeling of everything getting really tight - like my entire belly was a drawstring bag and someone was pulling the strings. Before my water broke and without pitocin, I wouldn't have called them "painful" more like very uncomfortable (I had pitocin prior to my water breaking and it was the same as without, then my water broke and it was PAIN then after they turned off the pitocin it was back to discomfort - if that makes sense). 

soulcupcake

For me, moderate to strong (when accompanied with pushing pressure) menstrual-like cramps or moderate wave of tightening or pressure similar to getting your blood pressure checked.

They weren't "Oh my gods!!!" painful for me at any point in labor, and I don't begin labor until 6-8 cm.

mrsH1112

I think it differs for everyone, and if they are Braxton Hicks or not. For me Ive been having BH for a few weeks.  I honestly wouldnt have even known it if I wasnt having non stress tests 2 times a week and they were being picked up on the monitor.

For me my braxton hicks felt more like a combo of gas pains and what I thought was my baby sort of rolling up into a ball and pressing against my abdomen.  Instead that hardening was contractions haha.

Mnerani

Mine just felt like a serious tightening of all my core muscles- front and back. And they will be steady and grow more intense over time if you are really in labor.

Envy1328

Thanks again all!