What did contractions feel like for you?

MrsMGR · November 2008

For the benefit of Quartzcpw and other moms-to-be....I thought it would be fun to "try" to describe what your contractions felt like.

Beginning: Very dull period cramps...couldn't even time them they were so dull. Each one lasted about 15-30 seconds. This stage went on for about 10 hours. Then, they got stronger. I was definitely able to time them from start to finish. Strong period cramps and felt the need to curl up into a ball. I had no pain at all in between contractions. Lasted about 45 seconds to a minute each and got as close as 2-3 minutes apart (about 30 seconds of no pain in between contractions).

charlotteL · November 2008

It started like a dull back ache but then go worse like I was being stabbed in the back. I had back labor with both kids. Good times.

ETA: I did not know the back ache was labor until the pain was constant. It was long after my water broke. I thought it was just the normal end of pregnancy pain.

savannah11 · November 2008

Um, I didn't feel 95% of mine at all. ?I had two NSTs the week before I was induced and was amazed when the machine was picking up contractions every 2-5 minutes. ?The really strong ones that I could see on the machine just felt like the BH I'd had all pregnancy, a tightening sensation across my stomach/uterus. ?I dilated to 6cm on my own completely pain, discomfort, and sensation free. ?I only got the epidural at that point because they were hooking up the pitocin and I was afraid of those contractions. ?Had I not been scheduled for an induction that day I seriously think I might have delivered on my own couch for lack of knowing I was in labor.

KelleyA · November 2008

I had back labor and the pain was like nothing I had experienced before. They started and it felt like a nerve was being pinched, they radiated from my back around my belly. Then when I was really dilating they got intense and the pain never stopped. It kinda did (for 20 seconds or so) just long enough for me to breathe. Breathing was the only thing that helped and towards the end even that was hard to do.

Pushing was the sweetest relief from the pain. I loved the pushing part of labor, loved it.

KKMMex · November 2008

KelleyA:

I had back labor and the pain was like nothing I had experienced before.

Pushing was the sweetest relief from the pain. I loved the pushing part of labor, loved it.

Ditto these two things.

From what I can gather after reading a zillion birth stories on the Nest boards, the degree of pain experienced in labor varies hugely from woman to woman. If you ask me, labor feels like getting hit by a car. Seriously, I couldn't imagine it would feel any worse. Definitely the worst pain I've ever felt in my life and neither time did I feel mentally prepared enough for it.

kjr · November 2008

KKMMex:
KelleyA:

I had back labor and the pain was like nothing I had experienced before.

Pushing was the sweetest relief from the pain. I loved the pushing part of labor, loved it.

Ditto these two things.

From what I can gather after reading a zillion birth stories on the Nest boards, the degree of pain experienced in labor varies hugely from woman to woman. If you ask me, labor feels like getting hit by a car. Seriously, I couldn't imagine it would feel any worse. Definitely the worst pain I've ever felt in my life and neither time did I feel mentally prepared enough for it.

I hate to say it when there are people so close to going through it, but I agree. Not to scare anyone, because I know it is different for everyone - but the pain, for me, was unreal. My labor was so fast and furious it was ridiculous! But as soon as I got my epi it was awesome.

retsub · November 2008

I didn't feel them until they were super strong.

I had cramping on the right side that eventually went across my stomach. I only felt them when they were 3-5 minutes apart.

jenna1008 · November 2008

Intense period cramps

kat.in.the.hat · November 2008

After the pitocin but before my water broke (so for five hours) they were nothing - period cramps. I was able to talk and laugh through them and they were coming every three to five minutes.

After the water breaking, they were gawdawful intense, just, well, just pain. It felt like my entire midsection was a big rubber band trying to bend me in half and the only way I could cope was to stand as upright as possible, trying to stretch my midsection back upright. If I got caught leaning over when one hit, it felt like I'd never be able to stand upright again.

Without the monitor, I wouldn't have even really noticed those first contractions though.

Quartzcpw · November 2008

It's so good to hear so many perspectives. I have to admit every night at this point (due this coming Friday), I am like--does THAT feel like a period cramp, ooh back ache--is that back labor, wait--my thigh feels strange, could that be it??? It is just such a wild ride not to know when it is coming or how it will be!! I am trying my best not to get impatient, cause lord knows it could still be more than a week!! Thanks for all the honesty though!

Nanner · November 2008

I know this will sound like a strange thing to some of you, but I often feel that I was cheated out of the full pregnancy/birthing experience because of my planned c-sections. I have 2 children, but I have no idea what contractions feel like. I have no idea what labor is like. No water breaking, no bloody show (ha!), nothing like that.

Don't get me wrong--part of me feels like, "Ha, I didn't have to go through any of that to get my beautiful kids!" But there is a huge part of me that feels like those are things that I should have gotten to experience as a woman giving birth. They're things that I wondered about all my life--you know, when you're growing up and you think about having kids someday in the future, and you learn about all of the details on what usually happens in the process of labor and delivery...now here I am with 2 kids, and I still wonder about those things.

But believe me, even though my body wasn't able to go through labor safely, I am so very thankful that it could carry my babies safely into the operating room. That's the important thing.

MrsMGR · November 2008

Nanner:

I know this will sound like a strange thing to some of you, but I often feel that I was cheated out of the full pregnancy/birthing experience because of my planned c-sections. I have 2 children, but I have no idea what contractions feel like. I have no idea what labor is like. No water breaking, no bloody show (ha!), nothing like that.

Don't get me wrong--part of me feels like, "Ha, I didn't have to go through any of that to get my beautiful kids!" But there is a huge part of me that feels like those are things that I should have gotten to experience as a woman giving birth. They're things that I wondered about all my life--you know, when you're growing up and you think about having kids someday in the future, and you learn about all of the details on what usually happens in the process of labor and delivery...now here I am with 2 kids, and I still wonder about those things.

But believe me, even though my body wasn't able to go through labor safely, I am so very thankful that it could carry my babies safely into the operating room. That's the important thing.

Nanner, I'd feel the exact same way if I were you.