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July 2015 Moms
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FTM how did you know you were in real labor??

suzieq94suzieq94 member
in July 2015 Moms
i am 39w3d and I've been having cramps but not too severe, for those who had their first child how did you know that it was no longer Braxton hicks and rather real contractions. I've been reading a lot of Articles and asking my doctor but I'm just scared that I won't know when it's the real deal especially with my first or that I won't know how to tell them apart or go in on time. Idk maybe I'm just freaking out way too much
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Re: FTM how did you know you were in real labor??

  • beccer123beccer123 member
    When your belly is tightening and the pain from the "cramps" feel horrible. Also, if you can't get relief from a hot shower, they say they are contractions. You will know when it's a contraction. It's a pain like none other.
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  • mandalynn814mandalynn814 member
    FTM here just wanted to ask if back labor is different? All of my braxton hicks have been in my back, it's this terrible cramping but only in my back. Today I've had the horrible cramps but also a major tightening in my stomach. Is this still the same thing?
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  • bookworm7495bookworm7495 member
    I've been dealing with the same issues. I just got home from getting checked actually. I was having contractions but I am not in labor. I was told that if I can't talk through them, they are labor contractions.
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  • avismom26avismom26 member
    edited July 2015
    Braxton hick contractions are through your whole abdomen, real labor contractions feel like period cramps times10 and there mostly down low and back if you have back labor!! Trust me mommas you'll know when it's time! Good luck baby will be here soon! ☺️
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  • jacmariecjacmariec member
    I wondered this too the last 2 weeks of my pregnancy. Im a FTM and had no clue what to expect.

    Belly tightening-I didn't get this at all. My period cramps got worse but weren't really the terrible cramping everyone talked about.

    I couldn't sit! We went out to eat and I kept having to lean on my husband an put one leg on the booth lol. This would only last about a minute then I'd be fine....just felt like a big gas bubble that wouldn't come out.

    Repositioning didn't help. Once my labor really started going, repositioning didn't help anymore. I would just close my eyes and try to remember to breathe until the cramp passed. Again, they weren't excruciating, just really uncomfortable
    **sidenote, trust me, the contractions did get bad but it wasn't until I was already in labor for 6 hours....luckily I was in the hospital and the nurses were able to help

    Water broke-the only reason I decided to go to the hospital when I did was that my water broke. No crazy gush of water but just enough that I knew it wasn't just discharge. After that, I had a continual leak until delivery.

    Everyone is different. Trust your body to know when it's time and stay calm. You can do it!! :x
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  • Knottie99627423Knottie99627423 member
    I knew things were really getting started because all of the contractions I was having became intense enough I had to walk them out. Prior to that it was just mild discomfort.
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  • mrsrep123mrsrep123 member
    Haven't slept a wink as I've been having "menstrual-like" cramping for the past 3 hours. No real pattern yet. Not crazy in intensity but I definitely feel them. Putting counter pressure on my lower back and breathing with a loose jaw helps with the pain/discomfort. Wondering if this is going anywhere???

    FTM 39+2

    DS1 7/24/15

    DS2 5/7/17

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  • kursha13kursha13 member
    I was a FTM and went a week early. For some reason I woke up with back labor and just knew! I tried taking a warm bath to make the contractions disappear like before, I laid in bed in different positions, went for a walk, nothing seemed to make them disappear. Trust me your mom instincts will kick in and you just know
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  • Savanna111911Savanna111911 member
    Glad I'm not the only one that's worried that I just won't know!
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  • arbell615arbell615 member
    My early labor felt more annoying than anything, like cramps in my lower abdomen. After about 12 hours of that they intensified so I had to focus my breathing to get through them and couldn't talk during them anymore!
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  • shakirahbshakirahb member
    FTM and girl, honestly. The pain was excruciating. Like I could not stay still in one place. Everything was uncomfortable. You will know when you can barely form sentences or talk, you're in labor.
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  • Knottie99627423Knottie99627423 member
    I don't know....I was hanging out with a friend and chatting for the first two hours of my contractions. They were definitely real. I think it all depends on your threshold for pain. There was definitely a point where I have was feeling a lot of discomfort (and saying f*ck a lot....like a whole lot) but I had my baby an hour after that point. Being a ftm I had no idea what to expect so I just kept breathing through them and reminding myself that it was pain for a purpose and only temporary.
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  • NatjuneNatjune member
    The only way I knew, was water was continuously running down my leg. I never had a single contraction. When I got to the hospital (I was 38 w and 4 days) they had to do an emergency c section, since baby was breech.
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  • marijaa333marijaa333 member
    I had BH for days on and off. On Saturday, they became "regular"-- i.e. every 30-40 minutes. On Sunday morning, they were painless but closer together. Sunday afternoon, they became quite painful and very regular (5-10 minutes apart). I got an epidural on Monday morning and LO was born Monday night.  Overall it wasn't a pleasant experience but it was manageable. 
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  • astout2009astout2009 member
    When I was able to time the contractions, I knew it was labor. The contractions should also get more intense as time goes on. I wouldn't get too caught up on where you feel them... I was told contractions would be high on my belly, but my contractions where under my belly button or in my back my entire labor.
    ~Katie~
    image
    image

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  • msmith0208msmith0208 member
    I had a LOT of false alarms, and I was worried about the same thing. However, when it was time, I KNEW. It is true that it is a pain like no other pain! Totally worth it all in the end, and your brain is amazing at helping you forget exactly how much pain it was!
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