I think I might be having contractions, but they are mild. I tried to time them with the online timer thingy but I can't tell when they stop or start. I've been obsessing about this for about an hour now.
BUT, if they are that mild now then I just shouldn't worry about it, right? I should just wait til I can really tell if they are BH or real, and surely I'll know when its time to know. Right? RIGHT?
Re: ok, tell me to just quit thinking about it
I can't speak from experience, but I've always heard you'll know when you need to know. So I'd quit timing them for now. Do some online shopping instead. I wear a 7 shoe, Vivi's in 12 mo, Bug takes a 2T. TIA!
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
Stop thinking about it. You'll know when its time, I promise.
For two weeks I had BH contractions so intense I would be doing my lamaze breathing at my desk at work. And I still wasn't in labor.
If you can't tell when they start/stop, then I wouldn't worry about timing them yet. Are you at home or at work today? Can you go for a walk? Can you feel them more if you are laying/sitting down?
There was no mistaking my hard labor contractions but plenty of "could this be? is this it?" contractions leading up to them (for a couple days).
The O'Baby Blog
You are totally having a baby!
My lacking of first hand knowledge first thoughts/opinions are:
They're probably real. However, don't you want to be in the comfort of your own home as long as possible anyways? What if they're mild for 2 days? I'd say just relax, keep getting ready to go the hospital, and enjoy being at home for as long as you can. As they get more painful, you'll be home to go take a bath, or roll around on your sofa in positions you aren't necesarrily ready for the world to see ....
And you know when to go to the hospital. When they are timable & close together, or your water breaks, right??
I thought this, too. Buuuut, in my case, it wasn't true.
You know how the drs. say that you should stay home until you can't talk through your contractions (or something like that)? I called the dr. on call at RWG when I *thought* I was having contractions 2 minutes apart. I couldn't time them b/c they were so mild, but something just didn't feel right. I was talking just fine.
She told me to stay home until I mentioned I was having a VBAC and then she told me to come in...just to check. Had I not been a VBAC or had I not mentioned the VBAC thing, I'm pretty sure Tommy would have ended up being a "in the car" birth.
As I mentioned before, I was 5cm at arrival (the contrax REALLY picked up in the 20 min. car ride) and at the second check, 15 minutes later, I was 8cm.
So, yeah, it's different for everyone.
Got it. I'll stop now.
I'm at work but I've been walking around as much as I can. I'm just excited, is all.
  I'll know when its time to go.
And that's why you don't take birthing advice from the c/s-happy one.
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
Well... Sh!t, MC. Thanks for nuttin.
I am still gonna chill. Get some water. FInd something to complain about, etc.
She's got a weight problem. I'm starting her on The Shred when she gets up from her nap.
(read it. you know you want to.)
anderson . september 2008
vivian . february 2010
mabel . august 2012
I had mild, non-timable contractions all weekend. Ali was born on a Tuesday.
I'd stop thinking about it.
Just have your baby already. Sheesh.
Okay, I was totally trying not to tell her the story of my friend who was in active labor for 24 hours and didn't know it. She shows up for her birthing class and says, "You know, that's kinda how I feel." Goes downstairs to get checked and had a baby less than 2 hours later.
However, that's totally not the norm. Keep walking laps at work!
Just to add some cred to the story, I definitely called carlinlp (waking her up, as it was around 3am) and was all..."Umm, i *think* I'm in labor. So, yeah, they're wanting me to come to the hospital and get checked." And she was all..."Ooookkkaaaaay. Good night. Call me and tell me what they say at the hospital."
Then I got to the hospital and had to call her and be all, "Hi! Can you come now b/c I'm having a baby like RIGHT NOW! Oh, and can you pick up Jon on the way? Alright? Great!"
this is something like mine. I woke up friday morning with them 10 minutes apart (definitely timable, and you could see when they stopped and started by just looking at my belly) and I was still not in active labor yet when I was induced on Monday morning. Though, my contrx were "moderate" when I got there.
Quit trying to get out of coming to HH. ; )
**FINGERS IN EARS** LA LA LA I'M NOT LISTENING!!!!
I should be so lucky to not know I am in real labor until the very end. I'm gonna go think about what I am going to wear to the HH tomorrow.
atta girl!
Oooh, we could make a drinking game of it! Every contraction, someone takes a shot.
Perfect plan!
OH! Let's make it interesting! If my water breaks while someone is away from the table in the bathroom, we are taking their car to the hospital!
HAhahahaha! Please, please, please take a video of that HH!
I'm in!
I've got leather seats and can hold my pee for-evah.
HAhahahaha! Please, please, please take a video of that HH!
I had really mild period like cramps and really didn't think I was in labor, but went into the doctor just to check and I was 6 almost 7 cm. The nurses were amazed.
PS - This HH keeps getting more and more interesting and after the week I've had...
I'd been having contractions for 5 weeks that they stopped with meds, but when I was finally allowed to have DS and started having contractions, I could tell they were coming every 10 min, then every 5 and then every 3 minutes, but they were not painful. Just "huh...that's a contraction..."
I called the nurse, and she said that I obviously wasn't in labor because I was talking to her through the contractions. The only reason she went ahead and sent me to the hospital was because they had been watching me so closely in the hospital. When I got there, I was 5cm.
Stop thinking about it
Like mc said, everyone is different, but for most people you will *know* when it's the real deal. Not only that, but for most, even after it's the real deal you have plenty of time. I'm guessing that they are real contractions and you are in early labor. For me the early labor thing went on for a couple of days, BUT after I lost my fairy wedge or queen cork or whatever it is the kids are calling it these days (sparkle spackle?) I went from "is it or isn't it" contractions to "REAL no mistaking it" contractions within less than 12 hours. I'd just try to distract yourself for now. And take that nap. TAKE IT!!
:::dead:::
This thread is awesomeness. For me, I KNEW when they were real "the baby is coming today" contractions. Prior to that it was little twinges here and there but nothing timeable or painful. Don't sit in front of the computer wating to press that space bar, but definitely stay in tune with your body and if you begin to notice them coming more frequently, take a few minutes to time them.
Oh, and I am totally in on the shots game. I have a weak bladder, especially when I drink. Good thing my car is already dirty.
I totally LOLed at this.