is there another way to describe contractions?

little seed on the way · August 2011

I always hear that they feel like menstrual cramps.. well i had my period the most 5 times a year since i was 13 [im 19 now].. and my periods were never really painful at all. I can honestly say ive complained like 4 times over my period and it wasnt because of the pain.. anyone know another way of describing the feeling of contractions? T.I.A.

little seed on the way · August 2011

by the way, i mean every year since 13 ive had it like 5 times every year.. so not very often. and not very painful.. anyway thanks again

Corbin30 · August 2011

I never get cramps, so with my first baby I didn't really know what to be looking for either. To complicate things, everyone tends to describe them just a little differently. For me it starts out as an all-over-the-belly tight feeling. As they progress there is a little "zing" of pain that travels from hip bone to hip bone. With my first my contractions were about three minutes apart before I even realized I was having them, but I gather that is very unusual.

When it's labor, and it's moving along, you will know. It's very common for women to NOT be in labor, and think they are, but you rarely find anyone who IS in labor, and thinks they aren't. It's just a matter of waiting till that point.

babyAutumn · August 2011

It also feels like the cramping you get with diarrhea. Don't know if this helps.

natkay02 · August 2011

Hrmmm... I've never heard them described as menstrual cramps. The contractions I've felt thus far are just a tightening that kind of works it's way down my belly. Like it's being squeezed from all directions. So far, they haven't been painful, just... uncomfortable. I'm by no means a contraction expert, that is just what I've experienced.

soon2Bkranz · August 2011

Yea I never got unmedicated periods so I hear ya. I would say early ones are like gas pains...later ones are like a belt getting tighter...

AmyLaurel89 · August 2011

My midwife uses two analogies for contrax sensation.

1. Like a 4-year old with a tube of toothpaste-- just squeezing all over and no real pin-point of pain. You are the tube of toothpaste. Fun. Her point here is that if you can isolate a pain, it either isn't a contrax orrrrr its a sign of something wrong.

2. a corset being tightened that goes from your nipples to your knees. (This I can relate to because I had a back brace for scoliosis for 2 years as a teen.)

Being a FTM, I don't know at all but this is what she said so I'm just passing it on...

nhermie · August 2011

Very glad I read this post!! I've been waiting for menstral like cramps and haven't gotten any....but apparently I have been having some contractions like how many of you described them.