My physical therapist told me that contractions are like...

funmaker · February 2009

really bad menstrual cramps. She says if my periods have always been crampy (they have), then I should be able to get through labor without pain medication. Seems like a HUGE oversimplification, but I haven't experienced it yet and you have....so what's your opinion?

Lucky_Dragonfly · February 2009

they felt like a combo of AF cramps and diarrhea cramps times 10. I had an epi because I knew that I would be a better person with it and I would be able to enjoy seeing DS for the first time if I wasn't in such pain.

mbyoung · February 2009

My contractions were far worse than any menstrual cramps I have ever experienced!! I also had an epi! That made everything sooooo much better!

Raffes484 · February 2009

I wouldn't have cramps and not take something for it, so I definitely wasn't going through labor without meds either.

Gina418 · February 2009

Not my experience! I don't need an epidural for menstrual cramps! That being said, everyone's pain threshold is different, but I certainly can't imagine anyone comparing menstrual cramps to contractions.

Geekchick921 · February 2009

I never felt natural contractions, just pitocin ones, which are much worse. I had no trouble handling them until after they broke my water, and then they were AWFUL! They definitely felt like menstrual cramps to me, but I used to get them really badly and they were MUCH worse than those. Sometimes I felt them more in my groin, too.

mrs_kelly1014 · February 2009

LOL, ummm, no. Granted, the majority of my contractions were being amplified with Pitocin (before I ended up with a c-section), but they were nothing like anything I have ever felt before. I can't even describe the pain, but it hurt so much. Thank God for the epi!

(I'm sure others will have completely different views of this though!)

abbbeyc · February 2009

Not like menstrual cramps to me! But, I was on pitocin, so I don't know what a natural contraction feels like. For me, the pain was more sharp than menstrual cramps, and it affected my ability to think clearly

betsey11 · February 2009

I was induced so maybe my contractions were more intense but they were FAR worse than menstrual cramps IMO. I personally could not have gotten through it without an epidural but everyone has a different tolerance for pain.

iris427 · February 2009

Definitely an oversimplification. If you have back labor or Pit or a long labore, etc.--those are all factors affecting your pain tolerance.

dereks_wife · February 2009

I have had bad menstrual cramps...and my contractions were like them times 100.

Coleslawcat · February 2009

They did sort of feel like menstrual cramps before my water broke. Once my water broke it was entirely different story and they were insane.

StephanieBride1 · February 2009

AF cramps x 1,000,000,000

But I did have pitocin... but still they were pretty damn bad. If I ever have AF cramps like that, I will be back at the hospital for another epidural.

Gina418 · February 2009

And, for what it's worth, don't let anyone talk you into a med-free birth or any other type of birth that you don't want. Go with the flow and see where the experience takes you. Maybe you can get through it med-free but there's no shame in the epidural!

Good luck!

betsnup · February 2009

Lucky_Dragonfly:
they felt like a combo of AF cramps and diarrhea cramps times 10. I had an epi because I knew that I would be a better person with it and I would be able to enjoy seeing DS for the first time if I wasn't in such pain.

Agree with everything in this post.

JessMil10 · February 2009

When my labor had just started I kept telling the nurse I had menstrual cramps and she kept correcting me with "contractions". So I agree!

ErinNConnorsMom · February 2009

I take it your pt has never had back labor. It feels like a freight train slamming through your body. That said, I've had back labor twice, and a total of 1/2 hr of medicated labor (Nubain), so it can be done. I just wouldn't blame anyone for taking whatever meds they can get!

susie1079 · February 2009

My contractions were very similar to my SEVERE menstrual cramps when I was a teenager. The BIG difference is with menstrual cramps you can take a Motrin and 20 mn later they are gone. With contractions they happen every 2 minutes for 26 hours (in my case). BIG BIG difference. So yes, highly simplified. The pain from the contraction was not so much the issue for me as I was used to bad menstrual cramps, the problem in the constant every 2 minutes, it complete exhausts every inch of your body in a way that you can't explain. That is why people (like me) get epidurals.

Echowysp · February 2009

Well, I had back labor, so that felt more like a hot knife being thrust into my spine, over and over and over..........

bluestar0527 · February 2009

NOTHING like period cramps. Not even close... much more intense!

rissa_n · February 2009

Coleslawcat:
They did sort of feel like menstrual cramps before my water broke. Once my water broke it was entirely different story and they were insane.

Me too.

brooke929 · February 2009

I have an insanely high tolerance for pain (for example, I had major foot surgery and my doctor prescribed massive amounts of pain killers but I only took pain meds for the first 24 hours and then just dealt with the pain afterwards).

However, my contractions were so insanely painful. I don't know how I made it through 18 hours without any medication. And I've also had super wicked period cramps.

KaitlynDC6 · February 2009

I have always gotten very intense mentrual cramps (the type that is only better with the fetal position ).

Labor started out feeling like moderate cramps. Once actice labor started, it was a whole different ball game. The worst pain I have ever felt. I would say that yes, they do have the same type of feeling as men. cramps, but amplified to an unbelievable level.

That being said, if you want to go for natural, by all means, go for it. It can be done!! I would just suggest (as I'm sure that many others have, so sorry if this is repetative/annoying) that you go in knowing what you would want in an ideal world, but being open to whatever needs to happen. And, above all, do not listen to what others tell you about going natural or going with meds. I got really sick of hearing the "advice" and negativity from both sides. Just because someone else couldn't go through with natural doesn't mean you will have the same experience.

102503Natalie · February 2009

Has she ever had a child or is she hearing this from a man who assumes this is what it feels like? I can assure you that the labor pains I felt were 1,000 times worse than the worst period cramps I've ever had - and I've had some bad cramps in my day.

I am somewhat of a wimp, but I went into it with the desire to be med free until 5 cm. I went from fingertip dilation to 5 cm in about 3 hours, non-stop contrax with only seconds of rest, and by 5 cm I was on the verge of vomiting from the pain. Thankfully the anesthesiologist was nearby and gave me an epi at that point. I don't know if I could've handled it past that.

So, I'm going to say that labor pains are like your worst menstral cramps X 1,000 coupled with the worst diarrhea cramps you've ever felt.

CameraPerson · February 2009

They felt like hell. very simple.

102503Natalie · February 2009

I also had pit and my water broke on its own, so those factors also contributed to the intense pain I felt. I agree with the others on pain threshold and how it's different for everyone given the circumstances, but I've yet to talk to anyone who experienced hard contrax who didn't say it was the worst pain they've ever felt.

KevinsBride04 · February 2009

Ummm...maybe when they first start. Unless your menstrual cramps happen every 2 minutes and make you squeeze the bed rails until your hands are purple and you can't breathe it hurts so bad, then that person is dead wrong!

Shan_te_xas · February 2009

they're worse than cramps. Mine went in waves and they would be tolerable for a few in a row, then one would hit that felt debilitating. I planned to work with my labor and I wanted to be med free until 7 cm. I was dilated to a 3 when we got there, progressed to a 5 within a couple of hours, thean a resident told me that I could get my epi without it affecting my contrax. (we were told in class that getting it earlier can make your labor slow down). I had them send in the anesthesiologist for my epi at that point. I promptly STOPPED progressing! the one saving grace was that I couldn't feel the pain anymore.

cobaltblue · February 2009

I agree 100%. ?That's what it was like for me, and I did it without pain medication.

InLovewSB · February 2009

I had back labor. It hurt badly which is also an oversimplification. I got through it without pain medication, though. If I can do it, you totally can do it if you set your mind to it.

The thing is... if you leave the door open for an epi saying 'I'll just wait and see what it's like', you'll get one. If you set your mind to having a med-free birth (because it's important to you), you'll make it med-free.

I left the door open on an epi, and after enduring about 4 hours of hard back labor, I said I wanted one. Well, my bloodwork came back with high white blood cell count and they said I couldn't have an epi... so I was left having a med-free birth. It's so totally do-able, though.

Kentuckychick_8201 · February 2009

She is accurate about them being like menstrual cramps only mine were like menstrual cramps with 100 times the intensity, needless to say I had an epi.

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