What does a contraction feel like

Colleen0516

Being a FTM and a cautious preggo lady (thank you IF for my world of worries lol) I don't know what a contractions feels like. People ask me all the time, have you had any yet? I feel like 27+4 weeks is early for that (even for twins) but yet they ask. My response is always, I don't know, never felt one before.

I ask this question bc I have been having a lot of what I think is gas pains lately. Pains in my lower abdomen area, that last around 30 seconds to 1 minute. Nothing crazy intense, some stronger than others. I keep thinking I may have to go to the Bathroom but nope- nothing. No gas either. (Sorry for TMI lol) 
I'm very winded lately too. Walking target for 20'minutes felt like a marathon. 
The babies have been SO active the past 2 days, so I'm just equating it all to that. 
But My cervix was shortening a little bit a few weeks ago when I went to the OB but not enough to be overly concerned. It's in the back of my head though since they told me about it.

So for those who have had early contractions, what did they feel like? I'm curious. 

babylonghorn16

Hi @Colleen0516! I had early Braxton Hicks contractions (and still am having them!). They feel like a tightening in your abdomen. You'll notice that during one, your belly will get really hard and it can be a little uncomfortable. It's kind of like the sensation of working out an isolated group of muscles (bc that is involuntarily what is happening!)... warm, uncomfortable, tightening. What you are feeling could be BH or just round ligament pain. Either way, completely normal! Your body is just preparing for the big day. That being said, if they get more intense and/or come in consistent intervals, call your ob or MFM! 

Polythene Pam

I only ever had contractions and it was intense tightening in my belly that lasted awhile. Everyone says "you know" and I thought that was BS till I had them that being said I never had Braxton hicks but friends said they were just less intense contractions.

kelrauh

@Colleen0516 - what you are having sound like braxton hicks or false labor. With my twins it was hard to tell. Once you are in true labor you will know. I had contractions from 27 weeks on. Only twice was it actual labor and i knew both times. The false labor contractions would hurt and I would be winded from them, but they were never hurting bad and consitent, those would always go away in 3 hours. When labor started they were very consistent and hurt. My doctor told me after 28 weeks she expected me to have some contractions due to the size of my uterus with twins. 

Colleen0516

Thabk you all! 
I have had some Braxton hicks. I get them mainly at night (which is weird) but I know why those feel like. 
I don't think it's labor at all! I honestly think it's just gas pain or mild cramping. But I was just curious bc I've been feeling odd lately. Figured I would ask bc I know a lot of you went through it! 

@kelrauh how are you and the babies doing?
@babylonghorn16  you're due any day now!!! You must be so excited!!

tvh1982

Funny you said that @polythenepam.
I had BH from 27 weeks and didn't know, I was just uncomfortable.
Had some at my check up and then I got told I had them, which explains.
They told me to contact if they got worse and if I was having real ones.
I asked how'll I know. They replied you'll know! 
But what if I didn't? 
Boy did I know!

At the other hospital they explained that if what one thinks are contractions go away when walking around, relaxing or taking a hot shower (not steaming hot of course) you are having BH @colleen0516. 
Even when they are coming regular and you can stop them, they don't do harm. They might however prep your body for the real deal. So definitely keep an eye on them and mention them at check ups.

ZoeFer

They might be BH but if they are very frequent you could ask your dr and they could do a NST.
Everyone says that you know when they are real contractions but I didnot:)) My water started to leak and when we went to the hospital , they told me that i am having regular labor contractions at 5 minutes but they didnot feel anything different what i had been experiencing for few weeks. But when it got to every 2 min, it was definitely something I cannot forget.
Best of luck! I am looking forward to reading your birth story (when the time is right:) )

ale9687

My labour was induced due to my water breaking at 36w but all of my contractions were in my rib, I didn't feel much in my stomach. The monitor actually didn't pick the intensity of my contractions and the nurse was shocked at how much pain I was in. 

nellin-2

I went to see friends today who had twins over the weekend and my friend didn't realise she was having contractions! She felt tightening but thought it was Braxton hicks and didn't realise she was in labour till her waters broke and she was 3cm diliated.

Colleen0516

@nellin-2 that's scary but also good I guess. No pain is a good thing! Atleast her water broke to let her know. My sister in laws water never broke (3 kids), with her third son she wasn't having contractions but just didn't feel right when she woke up. Ended up that She was 3 cm dilated when she got to the hospital. So strange lol 

BornReady

I delivered my son pre-term in 2014 at just about 35 weeks. I didn't notice any big contractions other than the tightening of braxton hicks I'd been feeling in my upper abdomen since about 20 weeks (same with this pregnancy). My water broke and I arrived at the hospital 30 minutes later at 4 centimeters, which was shocking to me. The real contractions I had as I got closer to 10 centimeters felt like a tightening in my lower pelvic area that wrapped around to my lower back and down the back of my legs. Those were not comfortable. 

I've currently been walking around at 2 cm for about 2 weeks now. I'm still not having big contractions, but more like cramping in my lower abdomen, similar to gas or period pains and the usual braxton hicks. I'm 38 weeks.

Is your doctor planning to monitor your cervix consistently? I only say that because just because you aren't having "real contractions" doesn't mean that your cervix isn't changing, especially if you are having lower pelvic cramping. Hope you are doing well and those babies you worked so hard for cook as long as possible for you!

BlueEyedDreamer

I'd had lots of pretty strong BH contractions for about a month leading up to DS2's birth. On the night I went into labor, I was having them again (they were always worse later in the day). I turned to DH and said, "I'm having a lot of contractions tonight, like every 10 minutes or so." And at that exact moment, my water broke! I was 4cm when we got to the hospital an hour later. The contractions really just felt like slightly stronger BH at first, but as my labor progressed they got a lot more painful, like the worst AF cramps of your life.

Colleen0516

@BornReady I have a sono on Tuesday where they will look again. I guess it wasn't shortening enough to be overly concerned bc they told me to come back in 4weeks for a normal growth scan. I wish I had asked the measurement but I didn't.  So Tuesdays sono will be 4 weeks from that day, im going to ask what it was 4 weeks ago and what it is now so that I don't have the fear of the unknown hanging over my head. We shall see what the sono reveals. Hoping it elongated again! 

nellin-2

If possible I'd ask for an internal ultrasound as it's far more accurate at measuring the cervix. Especially if you have someone butting up against your cervix.  At my scan yesterday it was measuring almost 3cm on the normal ultrasound but only 2.1-2.2cm on the internal scan. 
The doctors told me this was fine just go about life as normal and they wouldn't continue to monitor me unless I have painful contractions or odd discharge. But then last night I had a million Braxton hicks so I'm going to take it easy today. 
It's so hard when people seem to have such different advice but I guess the decision is much more complicated than just a length measurement!

Good luck for your scan!

Colleen0516

 @nellin-2 at my last appointment I guess she didn't like how my cervix looked on the external sono so she did an internal and saw it was shortening.  I'm going to ask for a repeat internal to be accurate and compare, if she doesn't automatically do it anyways. 

nellin-2

@Colleen0516 They sometimes seem to be hesitant to offer internal scans because it obviously freaks some people out - but the one good thing to come out of having to go through IVF/Infertility treatments is I'm not shy about internal procedures/scans or nervous about needles anymore!