STMs: What do contractions feel like?

jkoulton

Mobile: STMs: What do contractions feel like?

I'm just curious to know what a contraction feels like.

With all the posts about BH and getting closer to delivery, I'm just wondering if I'll know that I'm having a contraction and what it feels like.

 

mrsjami

You can't miss it! It's like the worst period cramp and will be intense and then stop. My labor was fast and furious, they were 35 min apart immediately.

Lhyacinth888

My BH contractions were sometimes just tightening of my stomach and didn't really hurt but were uncomfortable. When my real contractions came there was no guessing as to whether or not it was real labor. They really get so intense they take your breath away and you have to stop to even walk. I don't think the pain compares to anything I've ever felt before.

OhSewCrafty

They feel like period cramps and come in waves. Its a very odd feeling, but you can't miss it.

Trish&Pete07

With DD1 I was induced and therefore never really "knew". I went from feeling nothing to incredible pain. But with DD2 I was talking to my SIL on the phone when they started. At first I was fine and could breath through them. Once I had to stop speaking in order to breath through I knew I had to call DH. My labour was very quick the 2nd time. Only 7 hours from start to finish. you'll know! Trust me, you"ll know!

BoatsNHoes

BH to me was just the tightening feeling and a little discomfort. The real contractions I was bawling my eyes out through and begging for someone to please help me. I can't even compare them to the worst period cramps I've ever had because they were so intense. It's like you can feel the next one coming on and there's a while before they get god awful and you just want to cry in anticipation. I should add I had pitocin.

jkoulton

Thanks for the responses. The "feels like intense period cramps" is what I was looking for. I know the pain will be unreal but I just wanted that something to prepare me (as much as possible). 

SewSewBlessed

Yup, very intense period cramps.

JSS1002

No idea about REAL contractions, but the BH I've been having have not been painful, ,just... awkward?  You can feel the physical sensation of tightening in your uterus area, but also can feel it to the touch, the area gets really hard and contracts... then after a period of time, releases. 

 

agytay

Imagine the worst period cramps possible, but only a million times more intense and ripping through your entire body. Contractions are the devil.

OhSewCrafty

BoatsNHoes:

BH to me was just the tightening feeling and a little discomfort. The real contractions I was bawling my eyes out through and begging for someone to please help me. I can't even compare them to the worst period cramps I've ever had because they were so intense. It's like you can feel the next one coming on and there's a while before they get god awful and you just want to cry in anticipation. I should add I had pitocin.

Pitocin is the debbil. 

BoatsNHoes

OhSewCrafty:

BoatsNHoes:

BH to me was just the tightening feeling and a little discomfort. The real contractions I was bawling my eyes out through and begging for someone to please help me. I can't even compare them to the worst period cramps I've ever had because they were so intense. It's like you can feel the next one coming on and there's a while before they get god awful and you just want to cry in anticipation. I should add I had pitocin.

Pitocin is the debbil. 

truer words were never spoken! 

agytay

BoatsNHoes:

OhSewCrafty:

BoatsNHoes:

BH to me was just the tightening feeling and a little discomfort. The real contractions I was bawling my eyes out through and begging for someone to please help me. I can't even compare them to the worst period cramps I've ever had because they were so intense. It's like you can feel the next one coming on and there's a while before they get god awful and you just want to cry in anticipation. I should add I had pitocin.

Pitocin is the debbil. 

truer words were never spoken! 

Why yes it is.

Signed,

Another pitocin victim 

BrittKav

With my first I was induced with pitocin, so it was excruciating pain and not really a good indicator of what normal labor will start out like.

With my 2nd, I started getting what I thought were typical BH. They felt exactly the same. After I got a few of them each about 15 minutes apart, I started to time them. After 3 hours of getting them 10-15 minutes apart, I decided to go ahead and go to the hospital. At this point they still felt exactly like BH, no pain at all. The car ride took about 45 minutes. Only in the last 10 minutes of the car ride did my contractions started coming 3-5 minutes apart and suddenly were more painful. When I got to the hospital I was 6 cm dilated, so obviously those non-painful, BH-like contractions were doing something. 

krissymac

I never had BH, and I never felt contractions Until my OB broke my water. I am not sure if agree with them feeling like intense period cramps. I just remember feeling like I was pushing myself super hard in a workout, where I had to breathe heavily to get thru it, but I was sitting there motionless. It's just really hard to explain how it feels! I had no idea what to expect. I managed on my own for 3 hours before asking for an epi. Then couldn't feel them anymore and got some rest before it was time to push. 

harribro

I just have a question about the pitocin?  Why are people referring to it as the devil? Just wondering....I have alot to learn still!

kmt104

harribro:

I just have a question about the pitocin?  Why are people referring to it as the devil? Just wondering....I have alot to learn still!

FTM so I don't know from experience but from what I've heard and read... pitocin, which is a form of induction via IV, can cause very intense contractions. Unlike natural labor where you progress in strength of contractions, pit causes you to go from 0 to 100 in no time. Even when labor happens naturally, you may even begin to stall half way through, and they will give u pit to kick the contractions back into gear.

mrsjami

Here's the trick with pitocin....ask if you can get the epi before they administer it. I went into natural labor, water broke first then contractions. I was dying and when we arrived at the hospital I was still at 0cm.  But b/c my water broke I was admitted. After another hour of trying to hang on, the nurse said I'm not going to make it given how much pain I was in and she would start the epi.  In my birthing class they said I had to be 3 to 4cm before they would give epi, so I was shocked. It did the trick, once epi kicked it they gave me pitocin. 4 hours later I was ready to push and had no discomfort. DS was out in 22 minutes! I wish you all the delivery I had and pray this one is similar (although I know slim chance since I'm having twins). 

old_time_girl

I never felt the intense period cramps. Mine just felt like my hips, back and legs were on fire. I was in L and D at 10 pm on the monitors just feeling BH and they said they looked intense on the monitors, but i didn't feel any pain. They sent me home and at midnight was when i felt the fire in my legs exactly 3 minutes apart. DS was born 13 hours later.