Questions from a first time momma...

[isra1986]

This is my first pregnancy, first baby. I have no clue what a contraction feels like! Not even braxton hicks. I have pain sometimes, but I don't know if it is a contraction. Could anyone describe to me what it feels like? My doctor is not helpful, she just tells me when it is time for me to go to the hospital, I will know. But I plan to go last minute to the hospital so I have to know when it is getting close. And I asked my husband (He is the 3rd of 15 total children all from the same mom and dad, all born at home, so he has witnessed many births!) and he just gave me teh same answer as the doctor. I need someone to describe it to me if possible.

[AlwaysByMySide]

My "real" contractions always feel like HORRIBLE menstrual cramps. When I was a first timer, I thought I would feel them at the top of my uterus, but I always feel them very low on my stomach and/or in my back. (I never get out of back labor...)

I've also always had an epidural very early on, so some others might be able to tell you what they feel like later on in labor.

You will definitely know. I was told the same thing, and didn't believe it until it happened.

[guestmama9972]

Yeah, I used to hate to hear that, "You'll know when it's time to go" answer. Unfortunately it is true, but annoying.

I find braxton hicks to be more of a tight feeling across the front of my belly. Sometimes it is hard to tell if it is a mild BH or just the baby stretching. If I put my hand on my belly and the whole front is round and hard, then it is a BH. If I feel hard baby parts but the rest of my belly is soft, I know it is baby.

In labor the early contractions started out as feeling tight, but they hurt. I could not ignore them or sleep through them. They got stronger as I walked around and got to the point where they ached and burned so bad I had to stand still and rock my hips to get through them. Toward transition it hurt on my belly, back, and up and down my thighs. At the height of the contraction it seemed nearly unbearable, with a little relief in between.

It is very hard to describe the quality of contraction pain. One analogy I have heard is of climbing a mountain, where it gets more and more strenuous the higher you go.

I don't know if this will help at all, but maybe!

[Writerbird]

:

[Mommy2Austin]

BH for me feels like my whole belly tightens up and I start getting a little short of breath just as one starts.

The only contractions I had with DS were in my back and all I can remember from them (you'd think after 4 days straight of them I'd remember better lol) is I would feel a similar tightening and then an escalating crampy/painful feeling that would peak and then slowly ebb away. It was centered in my back, but I assume it would feel similar in the the front!


And BH are a good way to practice any relaxation/pain reducing techniques that you plan to use in labor!!

[isra1986]

I never had anything like a tightning. I just get sharp pains in my lower stomach occasionally (A couple of times a day) like the strong menstral cramps the first poster described.

[SamuraiMom]

You may not notice the tightening before the cramping, but if you feel your belly right when the cramping begins than you'll notice your belly is tighter. I don't remember ever having BH with #1. It all happened at once, well, actually, the first night I stayed up all night, not advisable BTW, and timed every. single. contraction. all. night. long. and then I slept the whole next day. I had called my OB but she told me to stay home. She was so great, she even came to my house that morning to see how I was doing. Then the next night.... I was contracting again and sleeping between them. A GF had brought me a bottle of wine and I drank less than half a glass, an hour later I threw it up and peed thinking it was my water breaking, so I went to the hospital and atually made it on time for an epidural and a nap, and three hours later Sarah as born. So, I guess I felt like it was time to go, but I am not going to say I KNEW it was time to go. KWIM?