What does a real contraction feel like?

maddie&stephen

I've had BH so much for weeks; but how does a real contraction feel different? Sometimes with BH I get lightning crotch at the same time, but other than that I'm sure they are just BH. I get checked by my OB tomorrow to see if I'm dilated, being a FTM I have no idea what to expect so I was just wondering if there was some sort of distinction-thanks in advance!

pinkcallalily

I'm assuming they feel different for everyone.  With my son, my contractions were all in my hips.  It took me hours to decide if they were really contractions because I had never heard of feeling them in the hips before.  I never felt anything near my stomach or back, it was just a pain shooting down my sides.  I think the biggest thing to watch for is consistency.

Mine weren't consistent for a good 18 hours after they started, but the pain was the same so I knew they were contractions (I just didn't know if they would turn into real labor or not).  It was weird for me because I went from them being anywhere from 8-20 minutes apart and mildly painful to suddenly being 3 minutes apart and very painful.

I know it's an annoying answer, but honestly, I think you will just "know" when they are real.

DinabethL

I can definitely tell the difference between my BH and contractions. BH did not hurt, and only felt tightening by my pelvis. With real contractions, I feel my entire belly get super tight, and I feel cramping in my pelvis and my back. 

MommaTracey

Can't share my experience yet but my doctor has assured me that I'll know the difference. There will be NO question, according to her. Good luck!

Stefaniepr

Have you ever had diarrhea where you get crazy cramps, and then finally you get relief when you can actaully go to the bathroom?  This is the best way I can describe it.

Severe diarrhea cramps, combined with menstrual type cramps and backache.  It can feel like you've got a belt around you that keeps tightening and gets worse over time.

kdjudd

I've never given birth before, but I have been having some contractions already this pregnancy. Mine feel like really bad period cramps. 

mnbmonroe

Every have a terrible menstrual cramp? Imagine that times 10. Sometime you feel it in your back, sometimes it is like you have to poop but you can't. I promise you will know. It is really hard to comprehend until it happens but BH shouldn't be alarming, you will find a real contraction no matter where you feel it to be alarming  

mjm123

For me, BH just feels like tightening over my belly.

Real contractions felt just like menstrual cramps. I have endometriosis, so my menstrual cramps are pretty bad, but contractions felt pretty much the same.

katieh1017

Mine felt like a horrible menstrual cramp x100 then intensified the closer together they got. I'm a FTM and I didn't know what yo expect but when it happened I knew! Woke me up out of sleep. I also only experienced contractions right below my belly, where I would get menstrual cramps, but everyone is different, not one back pain at all for me. 

KacieLeigh

Stefaniepr:

Have you ever had diarrhea where you get crazy cramps, and then finally you get relief when you can actaully go to the bathroom?  This is the best way I can describe it.

Severe diarrhea cramps, combined with menstrual type cramps and backache.  It can feel like you've got a belt around you that keeps tightening and gets worse over time.

This is a great description.  Seriously.  Tightening + diarrhea/menstrual cramps that come in waves.  

myluckypig

What does it feel like?  Pure misery!!!!!!!! Pure HELL! You will definitely know the difference.

All kidding aside, the first hour or two felt like horrible diahhrea/menstrual cramps like others mentioned.  I actually thought I was just having a bad stomach ache so I took a few baths in the middle of the night hoping it would soothe them.  Then a few hours later it got so intense that I knew it was labor.

Don't worry- your mama instincts will kick in and you will know its time 

kimmyg000

Mine felt like period cramps. The first ones were just like that. They would come and go away fairly quickly. Then they started feeling like those x2. Then x3, and so one while getting longer. You do feel the tightening too and for me it was so hard to relax through them. That's why I love epidurals.

ateal2490

Death. They feel like death.

 

lanaooo

Stefaniepr:

Have you ever had diarrhea where you get crazy cramps, and then finally you get relief when you can actaully go to the bathroom?  This is the best way I can describe it.

Severe diarrhea cramps, combined with menstrual type cramps and backache.  It can feel like you've got a belt around you that keeps tightening and gets worse over time.

This; I woke up about 4 in the morning with that wave of what I thought was diarrhea cramps/period cramps and tried to go to the bathroom but didn't need to go. For me this type of cramp also makes me feel sick. I went back to sleep thinking I just couldn't go yet. Well about 2 hours later I woke back up feeling the same way and then once I was awake I started to realize that they were coming in more of a pattern. I didn't start timing at that time because they were like 30 min apart or something like that. I really just went about my day and then around 6-7 that night they started to become more regular. I finally went to the hospital at like 10.