2nd+ Moms: Do you always feel the tightening with contractions?

Babycakes29 · January 2012

I know this sounds like a dumb question in theory since the very word "contractions" implies a tightening but hear me out.

When you're going into labor and you start feeling your beginning labor pains, do you always feel the tightening contractions with it or can you ever have just pain (like period type pains) that come and go?

Babycakes29 · January 2012

nonasimonsen:

Im not totally sure what you are asking. If you are asking 'does every woman's belly get hard during contractions?" than the answer is no. Mine never got hard even when I was in active labor.

If you are asking just about labor pains... than yes I think it feels like your stomach tightening and then releasing and then repeat. This is only true for the very early stages of labor. Once you are in full active labor (as in time to go to the hospital), it feels like someone is stabbing you in the stomach (at least it did for me) and there was no "tightening" just a constant Freddy vs. Jason battle inside and on my stomach.

Well, think the first part of your response is closer to what I was asking. Basically, I'm having period-like cramps right now and the pain is slowly kinda getting worse. But it literally feels like I'm just having a bad 1st day of my period. I'm not having contractions like I normally do (I get a lot of BH). I just have lower abdominal pressure but not pelvic pressure.

So I guess my question is, can you have pain without contractions and be starting labor?

I'm not the panicking type. But this pain, as I mentioned, is starting to get worse and I'm just like... Ok that's new!

Babycakes29 · January 2012

nonasimonsen:
Babycakes29:
nonasimonsen:

Im not totally sure what you are asking. If you are asking 'does every woman's belly get hard during contractions?" than the answer is no. Mine never got hard even when I was in active labor.

If you are asking just about labor pains... than yes I think it feels like your stomach tightening and then releasing and then repeat. This is only true for the very early stages of labor. Once you are in full active labor (as in time to go to the hospital), it feels like someone is stabbing you in the stomach (at least it did for me) and there was no "tightening" just a constant Freddy vs. Jason battle inside and on my stomach.

Well, think the first part of your response is closer to what I was asking. Basically, I'm having period-like cramps right now and the pain is slowly kinda getting worse. But it literally feels like I'm just having a bad 1st day of my period. I'm not having contractions like I normally do (I get a lot of BH). I just have lower abdominal pressure but not pelvic pressure.

So I guess my question is, can you have pain without contractions and be starting labor?

I'm not the panicking type. But this pain, as I mentioned, is starting to get worse and I'm just like... Ok that's new!

Are they timable? My contractions were timable from the get go. I was sitting on the couch watching TV and then had my very first contraction (I never even had BH with DS). Then 11 min later had another... I just kind of stopped and was like "wait..." so I stared at the clock and 10 min later I had another. and then another 10 min later another.... then I got up and baked a cheesecake while they were getting closer together. Then I took a shower, packed my overnight bag, and by that point they were 5 min apart. I was super calm and didnt even call DH to let him know. I just kept timing them and staying busy b.c I wanted to be at home for as long as possible. Then as soon as DH got home I told him I was in labor and I instructed him to shower, shave, and clean the car. And then when they were 2min apart we left for the hospital.

My contractions for the first few hours were just a "tightening" feeling like I was cramping and squeezing my "abs". That changed when they were 2 minutes apart tho.

Do you think you are just cramping or do you think they are actually contractions? I cramp here and there when Im vacuuming or doing something like that. I just sit down and drink water and it passes.

I think the biggest question is: are they time-able?

No "tightening" and no they are not timeable. I'm glad you asked that question cause the pain is just so nagging that I was even considering the fact that they WERE coming and going... but now its just a constant pain with some pressure but no actual contracting and no coming and going. And I know consistent pain pretty much means they're not real contractions so that's reassuring!

Babycakes29 · January 2012

nonasimonsen:

I hope its just cramping which is normal-ish. Too much cramping can be a possible sign of early labor, but hopefully it is nothing and will go away in a bit. Are you laying down on your left side and drinking water? If the answer is yes then good. In a bit I would get up and do some yoga like stretches and just stretch out your body and release any tension you might have from laying down. Then take a nice long shower or bath and then crawl back into bed and go to sleep.

Yeah its really weird how uncomfortable this is. Maaaaybe, I'm actually just having digestive issues and because everything is so squished up in there it just feels abnormal and period-like. I'll definitely try to get up and move around a little and a bath sounds so good in theory but I might just skip that part and try to lay down instead.

books4brooke · January 2012

I never felt tightening of my uterus throughout my entire pregnancy with my son, even in labor. I had back labor and finally started timing my back pain. Honestly, up until a week ago, I didn't even know what a real contraction felt like.

kel716 · January 2012

I was going to also say if they aren't timeable, is it possible it is gas pains?

TMI warning, but I felt like absolute crap this morning. I drank some water, rested for a bit, and then wound up being right on the gas pain thought. After that was gone, I felt much better. But before that, I questioned whether or not I should call my OB. A warm bath or a heating pad might also help loosen things up.

kmhunt11 · January 2012

Mine was back labor. My water broke and about 6 hours later the back labor set in. I never felt uterine contractions while in labor- just for the 2 weeks leading up to it! This time around I have regular BH (every 5-10 minutes for the second half of every day), and they started around 20-22 weeks.

Babycakes29 · January 2012

kel716:

I was going to also say if they aren't timeable, is it possible it is gas pains?

TMI warning, but I felt like absolute crap this morning. I drank some water, rested for a bit, and then wound up being right on the gas pain thought. After that was gone, I felt much better. But before that, I questioned whether or not I should call my OB. A warm bath or a heating pad might also help loosen things up.

nonasimonsen:

It could be GI related! Maybe you just need to use the bathroom and are having gas pains?!

Yeah it ended up being that! It's just so different while 32wks pregnant! I have had GI problems most of my life so I always know what they feel like which is why I didn't think that was it! But things just feel so different in pregnancy! I hate not knowing my own body! I'm normally so in tune to my body and this is the one time in my life I get so confused by what my body is doing!!!

amberdaz · January 2012

For me labor started with period like cramps that intensified. Once my water broke I then got contractions.

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