Short contractions?

[october]

Hi there everyone,

I'm at 40 weeks 1 day and yesterday I experienced a completely new sensation. For weeks I've had mild menstrual cramping in my back, which is where I get cramps when I get my period. Yesterday, I had pain in my lower abdomen, below the belly button, that felt like how I've always imagined a contraction to feel, but every time it happened it only lasted about 5 to 10 seconds long! I thought contractions lasted for at least 30 seconds, even in the beginning..

Anyways, I had about 6 or 7 of these sensations total in a period of 3 hours, although some seemed to come within a few minutes of another.

The reason I'm curious about this is just because I'm wondering if that's what a contraction is going to feel like, since I'm a first time mother and I don't know. Can contractions last as short as 5 seconds??

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by october

The reason I'm curious about this is just because I'm wondering if that's what a contraction is going to feel like, since I'm a first time mother and I don't know. Can contractions last as short as 5 seconds??

If it is indeed contractions... it could possibly be that they are only strong enough to feel for those 5 seconds. Many women can have contractions and not feel them, or not feel the entire thing because they just aren't quite strong yet.

Not to say its not contractions, but I don't know? lol... if you get back pain during AF, you are much more likely to have back labor. During my back labor I never once felt stomach pain but that's just me and I was probably so focused on the discomfort in my back that I never paid attention to my stomach. I do remember feeling it harden but I am thinking I only felt that when I had my hands on it and was paying attention...

[momto4plus4]

I had really odd contractions with my first. I was having them every 2 minutes that I couldn't feel at all then every 15-30 minutes or so I'd have 1 huge contraction that would last 6 minutes long and wipe me out. They ended up breaking my water because those contractions, although not regular by any means, were causing me to progress and my bag of waters was bulging out my cervix. I remember going in that day simply because I didn't feel right and my doula encouraged me to follow my gut, not necessarily what I was physically feeling.
Hope this is it for you!!