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Question for mommies - where to contractions hurt?

plumpousplumpous member
in 3rd Trimester
FTM at 31W here. I am thinking a lot about labor recently as I start to get closer to the end of the journey. 

I am wondering, where in the body do you feel the contractions? 

My mom said it was a strong tummy ache. I thought it was gonna be more in the pelvis. So where does it actually happen in the stomach? On the sides, middle, below/above bellybutton? Is it very local or all over? 

Thanks!
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Re: Question for mommies - where to contractions hurt?

  • RobinaCeeRobinaCee member
    It's all over. You'll know when you have one. Your whole tummy gets rock hard.
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  • DChunt09DChunt09 member
    I sort of felt my whole lower torso contract. Pelvis and stomach. Some women also experience pain in their backs. I can't say how that feels, because fortunately, I haven't experienced it personally. 

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  • BigboobsmcgeeBigboobsmcgee member

    They hurt all over my stomach, my pelvis, back and butt. It was the most horrible pain I've ever felt in my life. There was no denying what was happening.

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  • LeahaucLeahauc member
    My stomach would get really hard but I mainly hurt in my pelvis and butt, basically like really horrible menstrual cramps. But I've had people tell me their whole stomach hurt like hell. I think it's different for different people. I never felt my BH contractions either, only knew I was having one if I happened to put my hand on my stomach and felt it was hard.
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  • kayway85kayway85 member
    For me it was a strong cramping sensation that starts in your abdomen and then as contraction intensifies, it kind of hugs you all the way around and the pain ends in your lower back.

    That being said, don't be afraid. I would encourage any first time moms to think positively about birth. It's a process and yes it is painful, but if you live in fear of it, it will rule you when you're experiencing it and it will make coping much harder. for me, birth was more psychological than physical.

    Pain is only one part of giving birth, it doesn't define the experience unless you let it.
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  • CrystalRaquel2010CrystalRaquel2010 member
    With my first one they started out like a cramping feeling and get more intense as each new contraction came. I would describe it as stabbing ,cramping, aching, sharp, shooting, spasm-like, squeezing pain, and with pressure in the back.

     It started high up inside of the vagina, and went into the low abdomen just below the belly button. It lasted about 30 seconds and were about 3 minutes apart.

     My stomach did not "involuntarily contract", I always had to force myself to contract my stomach because it hurt much less that way, vs forcing myself to stay relaxed. I could time it by me trying to relax, and if it still hurt was that stabbing pain, I knew i was still contracting. I could not breathe, and I had to mentally remind myself to breath. If I attempted to keep my muscles relaxed during a contraction, it was was an excruciating pain that is indescribable.

     I always had to stop and brace myself wherever I was, and start to stare off into a distance. I was "zoned", all I could think about was the pain. When I tried to think about a "happy" and "calm" place, it definitely helped. 

    I hope this information was useful :)
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