What do your contractions feel like? « Back to Group Discussions

[writermama12]

I am interested in hearing about all of the different ways we experience contractions (and secretly hoping I find some of you who experience them the way I am this time). 

I am having contractions that feel totally different than my other pregnancies and it is freaking me out a little bit. Each time I am about to have a contraction, I know it is coming because my heart begins to race and it becomes harder to breathe and my head and chest get kind of fuzzy feeling...then the tightening/hardening and crampiness occur in my uterus. It feels like I am having anxiety or panicking, but those feelings occur before I get the contraction. I tried to explain this to my MW and she didn't get it and had never heard of such feelings before.

Anyone else have distinctive contractions? Anyone else feel the way I do???

[micah_mae_]

Yes but only my BH feel like that if I remember correctly...

[sunshinelove]

Mine are like how they were last time--my belly gets hard, usually starts at the bottom and works its way up, lasts for maybe 10 or 20 seconds and then eases up. I've never had any issues breathing or my heart racing or anything like that--the only times i've experienced what you described is right before i passed out a few times in my life. It sounds exactly like that actually. One time i passed out (i was about 13 weeks along with DD) i figured out it was partially due to low blood pressure. Maybe your blood pressure drops when you have a contraction?

[cocoanib]

Originally Posted by writermama12 

Anyone else have distinctive contractions? Anyone else feel the way I do???

The only time I've felt those feelings you're having is after a couple of them and I start thinking "Oh crap, this is how labor feels". I get a slight panicky feeling and then i remember to breathe and that I've been through this before and survived :)

My BH's feel like a tightening around the belly with crampiness and sometimes stabby feelings in the crotch.

[RainGardenMama]

Writer- I have had the racing heart thing happen twice, very strange. I often feel a tightness that makes breathing difficult while contracting, probably with every contraction now that I think about it. And yes I often feel dizzy when contracting, particularly if i am standing. I have been having semi regular contractions for a couple of weeks, about 5 days a week. It is truly starting to wear me out. Sigh.
My MW thinks I look "ready", I told her not to jinx me!! but the contractions do seem to be taking on a new intensity.

[writermama12]

Thanks for sharing you all. I googled this too and found that there are a bunch of women who experience what I do. It does not happen for me with BH, only with stronger contractions. It is a new thing too, not something I've been feeling a long time. Just in the past week with my increased contractions. 

[storygirlcindy]

Writer - me, me! Some of mine felt like this. In fact, I was just thinking yesterday or the day before (while it was happening) that some of my contractions have an "aura" before them, like a hot flash or something. It's very weird and unsettling. I also googled it a lot and most explanations I found had to do with the uterus pushing up into the diaphragm and making it harder to catch your breath, etc.

At this point, I have had contractions that feel like every description of contractions I have EVER heard. Some that just feel like belly tightening, some that feel like menstrual cramps, some that feel like back (really sacral) pain, some that feel like constipation, some that feel like food poisoning! And some that feel like all those things all at the same time, LOL. And so far... none that have actually brought my baby to me (sigh).

[jodieanneanton]

I experienced those feelings, too, writermama.  Shortness of breath, warm tingling washing over me... But for me, real labor was WAY different!  

[spughy]

Yup, some of mine feel that way too, writermama!  It's like a head rush and I can't quite catch my breath.  Not all of them though - some feel just like they did with DD.  And after my accupuncture yesterday I felt period-crampy.

[LightForest]

The only form of BH I've ever had have felt like a tightening of my uterine muscles, but I've never really experienced any cramping with them.

Labor contractions with DD simply felt like constipation. Except the sensation came in waves, and they got more intense over time. There was some crampiness, but I've had much much worse menstrual cramps.

My experience is probably the exception rather than the rule

[RainGardenMama]

Writermama- how are you feeling?
I had many more contractions today in the earlier part of the day than usual and found myself thinking of you.
It is so strange to contract semi regularly for 7 hours only for NOTHING to come of it!
I started crying tonight, feeling tired and just needing to release , my husband thought I was afraid of labor. However it is quite the contrary, I am nervous to experience prodomal labor for 2 weeks. So exhausting!
Back pain and general pregnancy aches and pains are wearing me out as well.
Hope you are still feeling well after your outing with friends!

[writermama12]

Raingarden, Thank you for asking! I feel the same as you...tired, worn out. Not all of the time but the feeling of not being able to handle weeks of this comes and goes. Sometimes I muster inner strength and KNOW that I CAN handle whatever this labor brings, sometimes I want to schedule an induction or sweet talk my MW in a membrane sweep next week...my contractions fizzled out yesterday. I began feeling yucky, like stomach ache and really exhausted early last night and noticed my discharge was tinted pink but still nothing this morning. I know there is no figuring it out. I wrote for an hour about my feelings and vision and issues with making a vision for birth last night and I realize that I do have fear about how labor will commence stemming from how it began last time. 

I hope you get some relief soon to muster your strength. Eventually these babies WILL come out. A few weeks even is NOT that far away. 

[RainGardenMama]

Good morning, I am feeling better after sleeping some. This part of pregnancy was difficult for me with DS also. I realize that though the aches and pains are physical, the majority of the suffering stems from my thoughts. I will sit down with my journal to work through my anxiety about these contractions.
I am not tempted to induce or sweep, just wallow and complain endlessly! Also part of the problem is likely my plan to work up until baby's birthday, it is quite difficult for me to work while contracting. I will journal about that, too.
Have a nice Saturday, I have lots planned including a date with DH!

[Bena]

Whoa...writermama! What you describe in you OP is exactly what I've been feeling theae last couple of weeks!!!

[writermama12]

Isn't it comforting Bena to know something isn't going wrong?? I was a little worried before everyone posted here and I realized I wasn't alone. Phew!

[Bena]

Interesting thing...I haven`t had any caffeine (not even decaf coffee or chocolate) for the last few days (I was getting heart palpitations that were driving me nuts) and the "weird contractions" as I call them have stopped.  There is no scientific basis in this, it might simply be a coincidence, but I do see a difference!
 

[writermama12]

hmmmm, well I have had a little chocolate and some whitee tea and still haven't been having the intense "heart racing" contractions for a few days now. I think my uterus needed a break or something.

[storygirlcindy]

I'm curious... does anyone else find these heart-racing contractions come more in different positions? I almost never get them if I am sitting fully upright or standing, but if I'm reclining or laying down (especially on my sides), they're crazy strong. I think it's because when I'm upright my torso is elongated and so my uterus isn't pushed into my diaphragm as much. It's very weird, though. And annoying, when I'm trying to sleep!