Is this a contraction?

Beedeck

Two nights ago I was sleeping and rolled onto my right side, mid roll I got an excruciating pain in my left side/belly area. It instantly woke me up and took my breath away. It lingered for a minute or so then went away. In the morning I explained it to DH as the worst cramp of my life.

Well, last night it happened again. I was asleep, rolled onto my right side and BAM worst pain of my life on my left side, again it lingered for a minute then went away. I can best describe it as the horrific charlie horses some get in their calves in the middle of the night only on the left side of my stomach. It literally took my breath away.

I haven't had any problems up until now, and it has only happened the two times. This morning I thought maybe these were early contractions. I am a FTM, I have no idea what contractions feel like, if they are anything like this pain then I am definitly sticking to my birth plan which includes the epidural!

Second time mom's : Does this sound like contractions?

megd06

could be...contrax usually "build up", getting tighter and tigher and then easing up. Was it like that?

While I know they "take your breath away", the best thing you can do for them is just BREATHE normally, and steady through them. If you hold your breath, it's just going to make it worse, and you're working against your body. Now is the time to practice that, when you're only getting them a few times a day, as opposed to once every few minutes for hours on end.

desmerelda317

No, it doesn't sound like a contraction to me.  It sounds like a charlie horse in your side muscle.  The pain of a contraction is not relegated to just one side of your body usually.  Plus, like the pp said, there is usually a build up to the peak of the contraction and then the gradual release of the tension - they normally don't get to their peak out of the blue like that.  And since it was brought on by turning over both times, that makes me think that it was more general muscle pain/cramping than actual contraction pain.

Roseallen112

Sounds more like you pulled some ligament while moving. I get that if i get up to fast or turn in bed without bracing myself.

Beedeck

megd06:

could be...contrax usually "build up", getting tighter and tigher and then easing up. Was it like that?

While I know they "take your breath away", the best thing you can do for them is just BREATHE normally, and steady through them. If you hold your breath, it's just going to make it worse, and you're working against your body. Now is the time to practice that, when you're only getting them a few times a day, as opposed to once every few minutes for hours on end.

I'm not sure on the build up because I was sleeping, but it definitly eased up slowly and gradually. I get what your saying about the breathing, it felt natural to breath harder and slowly to get through the pain.

megd06

Decker1023:

megd06:

could be...contrax usually "build up", getting tighter and tigher and then easing up. Was it like that?

While I know they "take your breath away", the best thing you can do for them is just BREATHE normally, and steady through them. If you hold your breath, it's just going to make it worse, and you're working against your body. Now is the time to practice that, when you're only getting them a few times a day, as opposed to once every few minutes for hours on end.

I'm not sure on the build up because I was sleeping, but it definitly eased up slowly and gradually. I get what your saying about the breathing, it felt natural to breath harder and slowly to get through the pain.

It was probably a pulled muscle then, like PP said. That's pretty common at the point in pregnancy, unfortunately =/ I always have to put one hand under my belly when I roll from one side to another in bed, just to support my belly and make sure I don't strain my stomach

Beedeck

desmerelda317:

No, it doesn't sound like a contraction to me.  It sounds like a charlie horse in your side muscle.  The pain of a contraction is not relegated to just one side of your body usually.  Plus, like the pp said, there is usually a build up to the peak of the contraction and then the gradual release of the tension - they normally don't get to their peak out of the blue like that.  And since it was brought on by turning over both times, that makes me think that it was more general muscle pain/cramping than actual contraction pain.

 This was my thought as well, I just never had pain that bad before so I wasn't sure. Thanks for your comment.