In LABOR!!! Is this NORMAL??? Should my belly be constantly HARD?

[BenimBebek]

Ive been having contractions between 2-5 minutes apart 45second to a minute... but in between my back is aching like crazy and my belly is hard as a rock non-stop!  what is going on?  i cant almost not tell when the contraction starts and ends!!!  My midwife said call when theyre 1 minute long, 4 minutes apart for over an hour, but Im kind of freaking out!!!

[Italiamom]

It sounds normal to me, BUT, call your midwife back!  Let her know what's going on, how you're feeling, etc.  Part of the really amazing experience of receiving care from a midwife is that she won't mind.  I would guess that she's probably reassured hundreds of other mamas about hundreds of other things.  You won't be the first :)

And good luck!  How exciting!!

[~Adorkable~]

Thinking good thoughts for you!

Yeah as the PP said that is one of the joys of a midwife, they are there for you.

Please let us know how you are when you can.

[WifeofAnt]

Mine were every 2 minutes from when I went into labor until he was born.  The only thing that changed is they got more and more intense.  Call her if you want to be sure but I definitely *knew* when it was time to head in (transition was not subtle).

[MamaMonica]

It's always a good idea to call your midwife if you have concerns!

[georgia]

Hi! I hope everything's going great, and I'm sure you're very busy right now! I wanted to remind everyone of our policy on medical advice:

Discussions at are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here. 

Requests for Heath Information
Discussion should focus on requests for information, personal experience and support rather than requests for a diagnosis, prognosis or personalized treatment plan that could be construed as medical advice.

[Sunflower223]

That's how mine have always been at the start.  It doesn't always turn out exactly like they say in the books, to say the least.  Sounds perfectly normal to me.  Call your MW and let her know what is going on. 

[MamaMonica]

How are you doing? I hope all is well.