Difficulty timing contractions

tarheelgirl8

FTM here, so please forgive me if this is a stupid question. I've been having a lot of contractions today. Nothing too painful so I'm not to the point of needing to call the doctor. However I'm having a hard time timing them because I don't feel a distinct start and stop like I thought I would. Anyone else experience this?

CaliforniaDream87

If you aren't able to time them I would guess they're not *productive*. Once you're able to distinguish start/end times usually means active labor.

Just keep paying attention. Everyone's body is different.

Unknown

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Baby2HG

I had timeable contractions on thur then they stopped. I'm having eratic now. I'm not going to go to the hospital until they are distinguished, timable and for a good two hrs. Then ill go.

brinbri

I would think if you are having a hard time finding a start and a stop and are not in very much pain then you aren't inactive labor, but could definitely be in pre-labor.  They should become more distinct and painful if it is going to develop into full labor.  If you have to pause as they come on then they are getting more serious.  With my second they never got regular but they were painful.  I waited a long time because some were 5-10 min apart and some were 30 seconds apart and I wasn't sure if anything was developing.  We checked in at 9pm and she was born at 11pm.  It was perfect and I was glad I had waited it out at home so long! I took a long bath and bounced on the ball and walked around the house a lot!  Good luck!

missmychard

I'm in the same boat, last night they were actually 5 mins apart for a few hours but never got a lot worse or progressed. Tonight they're worse but erratic. I'm assuming everyone is right when they say we will just know when it's actually time.

SashaDenn25

Im finally having a few contractions tonight at 39wks5d but feeling the same as yours. No distinct end and beginning just a short period of very uncomfortable and they arent coming at distinct time frames apart. Good luck momma! We will have to deal for now!

victoriaaa1

I knew I was contracting a lot but couldn't keep track. I'd time one then miss the next one and defeat the purpose of timing them or I wouldn't be able to tell him my stomach got a soft again because I felt like it never went away and I ended up going to the hospital just to be sure of everything because I had woke up with really bad pains that morning and turns out I'm contracting 4-5 minutes apart so the nurse just said since we know how far apart they are just don't time them since it's difficult for me to tell when they come and go and just ill know when to come in when they are extremely painful and can not longer breathe through them or laugh or smile and all that fun stuff .
And everyone was saying I'm over reacting and if I can't time them then I'm fine and turns out I wasn't ! My instinct o go get checked was right . So I believe just trust yourself and what you feel and your body . If you have doubt or it's a thought it wouldn't hurt to go get checked .

CaliforniaDream87

victoriaaa1 said:

I
And everyone was saying I'm over reacting and if I can't time them then I'm fine and turns out I wasn't ! My instinct o go get checked was right . So I believe just trust yourself and what you feel and your body . If you have doubt or it's a thought it wouldn't hurt to go get checked .

But you weren't in active labor, correct? Just because you're contracting 4-5 mins apart doesn't mean they're productive contractions. The OP is asking about timing her contractions. Doctors generally say that if you cannot distinguish a start/stop time you aren't in active labor. Of course you should call your doctor if your unsure however I would much rather be in active labor than to go into L&D and be sent home.

Also, if I can remember, none of us told you that you were "overreacting" or "if you can't time them then you're fine" on your post. We told you the difference between inactive and active labor. You clearly were in inactive labor.

Bickey11

I remember finding it confusing. Do you time from the beginning of the contraction or the end, some of them last a minute or so? not that i'm anywhere near contractions yet, since i'm probably going to have my baby late like the others, but i suck at timing contractions. Math is hard...

ElleMF728

It may help to get a contraction timer app for your phone.  If you sit down for an hour, watch TV and use the app you should be able to tell if they are regular or not. 

toccoaparker

I have never been able to put a time on my contractions and this is my fourth pregnancy... X_X

jesselayne8

Bickey11 said:

I remember finding it confusing. Do you time from the beginning of the contraction or the end, some of them last a minute or so? not that i'm anywhere near contractions yet, since i'm probably going to have my baby late like the others, but i suck at timing contractions. Math is hard...

I think it's from the beginning of one until the beginning of the next one??? I could be wrong.

victoriaaa1

CaliforniaDream87 said:

victoriaaa1 said:

I
And everyone was saying I'm over reacting and if I can't time them then I'm fine and turns out I wasn't ! My instinct o go get checked was right . So I believe just trust yourself and what you feel and your body . If you have doubt or it's a thought it wouldn't hurt to go get checked .

But you weren't in active labor, correct? Just because you're contracting 4-5 mins apart doesn't mean they're productive contractions. The OP is asking about timing her contractions. Doctors generally say that if you cannot distinguish a start/stop time you aren't in active labor. Of course you should call your doctor if your unsure however I would much rather be in active labor than to go into L&D and be sent home.

Also, if I can remember, none of us told you that you were "overreacting" or "if you can't time them then you're fine" on your post. We told you the difference between inactive and active labor. You clearly were in inactive labor.

No , you are correct . I couldn't tell when they were coming and going but because I have been known my whole pregnancy not to "feel" my contractions for all I know my body could've just been reacting differently ,also like someone's posted in the birth announcements weeks back she was in labor and didn't even know . So who knows that could've been me . The nurse was actually going to keep me because I was in a way making progress but not really and wasn't quite where I needed to be to stay just yet because I'm scheduled induction she said just keep my eye on things hopefully I can keep him in longer since I would be 39 weeks exactly on induction date. She said I might not even make it till Tuesday , I could even have been back a few hours after I left . But going gave me a piece of mind knowing I was right that something was off . So I feel it's worth an hour or two of my day to go down to L&D if it's really bothering me . So now I know to not count my contractions just go in when I can no longer handle it and laugh,smile or breathe .
And people did tell me that I never said anyone on the board said those things to be but they were said to me in person .

tarheelgirl8

Thanks for your input ladies! Last night's contractions were definitely stronger than my previous BH. I think combining that with a little wishful thinking and I was hoping it could mean something! ) I laid down and within about 30 minutes they were gone, so it definitely wasn't full blown labor. Hopefully when the real deal comes I'll be able to feel a defined start and stop so I can time them a little better.

Thanks again for your thoughts! Don't know what I would do without you, ladies!