what do your early labor contractions feel like? « Back to Group Discussions

[whoabethy]

With DD my early labor contractions felt like menstrual cramps, but...today I've been having on-and-off "gas" pains. No gas though! And no need to to poop. Has anyone experienced contractions like this? Moms who've had more than 1 birth - did your experience of labor pains change between births?

[etsdtm99]

i've never had anything more than painless BH type ctx before being like half way to having a baby (4-5+ CM) ..  once my ctx are painful, i only feel them in my cervix/down low .. and they really don't feel like anything else .. not gas or menstrual pain or any of that. ..
 

this time i have had some painful/pressure-y cervix pain type ctx. over the past few weeks that obviously didn't indicate labor and that has been the biggest difference for me so far this pregnancy..   i've never had a ctx that hurt and not been in labor before this time..

[Chloe'sMama]

i have been having crampy feelings for days..... I will be in the car and randomly think..... 'oh, am I going to start my period?'  hahaha.... so out of touch, right?

With DD2, I had BH that just started getting a little more intense and closer together, then all of a sudden, I was thinking, OK, this is it..... but it happened quick after that.

[loveandgarbage]

I've only experienced natural labor (without pitocin) once, but they started out as crampy/period type pains but quickly (I think within an hour?) were the kind that started in the back and wrapped around to my tummy.

[Amor Rays]

I have had gas pains that I thought were contractions.

[Adaline'sMama]

My past two labors has crampiness/ gas pains for several days before labor actually began.

[rachieface]

I had either painful prodromal labor or looooong early labor with my son. Several days of frequent, uncomfortable contractions that I couldn't cope well with lying down but that weren't really dialating me much at all. I still couldn't tell you *when* exactly "real" or "active" labor kicked in.