Confused on menstrual cramps!?!

mmbaby32

So I'm 1.5cm dilated and 50% effaced.  I've had no feelings of contractions, like a hardening of the tummy or anything.  I have been getting more menstrual like cramps.  Sometimes feels like I have to poo and sometimes a bit of nausea and then the cramps.  What's that mean?  A contraction...round ligament pain..symptoms of dilation???  Any insight?

kjg5445

when i was in PTL it felt like menstrual cramps for a while.

Ashbridefl

I was in L&D all day yesterday for this. I started feeling menstrual cramps/bathroom cramps around 12:30 in the morning. They didn't come and go like a contraction, but they would subside and then pick back up in intensity. I was having no hardening or tightening at all.

They hooked me up and said I was having "irritability" every 2-3 minutes. When my OB came in he said it was BH contractions and I was perfectly fine! Don't know if that is the case with you, but it's a possibility. Call your OB if you're concerned.

britanyd

I don't belong here, so my apologies for creeping over here...

That was how both of my labors started.  I always had painful cramping with my periods, and labor was not any worse than that for me (easier, actually).  MIL, who was with me the day I went into labor with #1, kept telling me it wasn't labor because it didn't hurt bad enough and that "you'll know when it's labor."  Long story short--sometimes you really DON'T know, sometimes it really DOESN'T hurt that bad.  Keep an eye on those cramps.  Could be labor, but could go away just as easily.

FWIW I had menstrual-like cramps from 5AM-11PM with #1, and with #2 it was from noon-8PM.

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tuluwen

I've been having the menstrual cramps since last Monday. Worse at night. A couple times I thought it might progress into labor (10 min apart with back pain and obvious contractions), but they always go away. I'm hoping the real thing comes soon!

vbelanger

I get lots of cramping as well that isnt timetable.. And my belly isnt always hard.. My OB said it Braxton hicks and its good cause it means your body is getting itself ready.

Hollygirl7

Ashbridefl:

I was in L&D all day yesterday for this. I started feeling menstrual cramps/bathroom cramps around 12:30 in the morning. They didn't come and go like a contraction, but they would subside and then pick back up in intensity. I was having no hardening or tightening at all.

They hooked me up and said I was having "irritability" every 2-3 minutes. When my OB came in he said it was BH contractions and I was perfectly fine! Don't know if that is the case with you, but it's a possibility. Call your OB if you're concerned.

I'm so glad you posted this! I've been having these cramps for 7 weeks now, at least once a day. Obviously they haven't put me into labour yet, my uterus doesn't harden, and I can still feel the baby kicking through them, but I've still been unsure as to what they are. When I'm feeling it, it really IS every 2-3 minutes, but sometimes I can define the beginning, peak and end. My MW suggested that my uterus is colicky or irritated, and your post has made me feel better about it all.

bellabean1719

This is how my preterm labor contractions started....i didn't go to L&D until they spread to my back and then they came on quick and i could time them.   Luckily they were able to stop them since i was 33 weeks, 4 days...so now just waiting for them to start again! 

ImAnRN

britanyd:

I don't belong here, so my apologies for creeping over here...

That was how both of my labors started.  I always had painful cramping with my periods, and labor was not any worse than that for me (easier, actually).  MIL, who was with me the day I went into labor with #1, kept telling me it wasn't labor because it didn't hurt bad enough and that "you'll know when it's labor."  Long story short--sometimes you really DON'T know, sometimes it really DOESN'T hurt that bad.  Keep an eye on those cramps.  Could be labor, but could go away just as easily.

FWIW I had menstrual-like cramps from 5AM-11PM with #1, and with #2 it was from noon-8PM.

This happened to me too... I brushed it off and went to the Doc. the next day for my routine. I was 6 cm dilated and admitted:-)

laurahastings

Yup- I've been having cramps since about 32 weeks.  Then cramps and hardening of the belly starting around 36 weeks.  Now I have more severe cramps, hardening of my belly and back ache......but still nothing happening regularly. It happens a lot, but in no specific time intervals.  Just good practice!

MrsClark8109

I've started thinning but swear that I haven't had a single BH. I get crampy but they last for like 3-10 minutes not like a normal contraction you hear described and like you mention it almost feels like I have bad gas sometimes.I think that different people just experience it different ways....

bre86ann

I called the doctor's office this morning for this exact thing and the OB nurse said to drink lots of water today and throughout the night and if I was still feeling super crampy tomorrow then to call back. So far it's gone away.

miss+priss

those are the exact cramps i'm having! feels like my period is getting ready to start.i've only had them the past two days and they go away after i have a bm.

missjilly1025

My MW has told me that this is my cervix softening and dilating.