Labor Contractions

[AmyGirl28]

I was just reading here on MDC that some women experience contractions as the knife in the cervix pain versus menstrual cramp pain. All of my braxton hicks have been like menstrual cramps. Just wondering if some of the mamas who have had their babies already (or the second time mamas) can shed some light on this subject. My last labor was induced with Pitocin and I felt crampy labor pains. Yesterday I was definately feeling the vagina knife pain but I thought it was just the babies head pressing down on a nerve.

[samsmamma]

All I can say - not having hatched this one yet - is that the pain is moving from menstrual crampy type pain to knife in the cervix type pain. I jsut had to go to something at Sam's school and walked back with Dh - it's just a few blocks - and by the end of the walk decided that I would not be the one trick or treating tonight because as much as I want this baby out, I'd like to hang on for about another week or so...and it feels like something different is happening.

Interested in other answers!

[flyingspaghettimama]

I get the knife stabbing too (who described it as a pap smear from the inside? but more of a biopsy, for me)...but it comes and goes over time for the past couple of weeks, and if I shift position it will stop. Last night, I was sitting when it came on horribly, so I sat forward (cat/cow) for a few minutes and it totally stopped.

So I don't know if it's a nerve thing or what. Walking or vigorous exercise definitely brings it on; but then again, I was just watching the DVD of Da Ali G show last night. Maybe baby doesn't like Ali G...

[starlein26]

jumping in here because i just wanted to comment that i had that type of cervical stabbing pain for almost 3 weeks prior to my water breaking. it actually initially started after my 36 week cervical exam. i'm not sure what it is...

[flyingspaghettimama]

gah! i take it back - they're getting worse today - is there someone on mdc who might know the answer?

add: ah , just found thread about this topic from last week. very normal, yet inexplicable.

[nataliekat]

Hmm. I've had knife in the cervix since about 20 weeks with both pregnancies. But my labor contractions had nothing to do with those. Granted, they were induced with pitocin but they were just really hard pain right in the front over my pubic bone, accompanied by very hard entire uterus, obviously.

My personal experience is that knife in the cervix is nerve stuff, not contractions. Maybe those who didn't feel them earlier in the pregnancy are now feeling them after baby dropped? Don't know. But it would seem logical that if they're not accompanied by a hard, tight uterus, then they're not contractions.