How would you describe a contraction

[Silver Bell]

Ok, probably a silly question but I want to hear how mothers describe a contraction... probably hard to put into words but if you can that would be great

[Tashie87]

Pain lol apprently it feels like a lot of pressure like you need to do a big poo. Well that's what my friend said it felt like hope this helps

[Heaven]

I just feels like bad period pain that comes in waves for me

[*LittleMissSummer*]

My contractions were in my back so they start off just a pain and then its pain pain pain PAIN (when it peaks)

Kinda like really bad bowel pains lol

[trishalishous]

I had a posterior labour, so it was like my lower back was being squeezed.
Pushing was great relief when the time came!

[Sagres]

Very different at different times!

My first labour started as period type pain that just got bigger and more intense as we went along, then eventually feeling like a HUGE amount of pressure in my stomach. So 'pain' from the get go.

Second labour was totally different, it started with just a pulling contracting feeling that wasn't painful. It was a bit weird, just like you could feel the muscles working and tightening. I felt the same kind of muscle tightening/working sensation as if I'd clenched my fist and tried to show off the muscles in my arm (LOL), but I wasn't creating the pulling action, it was just happening in my belly by itself. Another way to describe it was like I had a whole belly band made of super super strong elastic wrapped just around my baby (so not outside my whole belly, under the skin and just around the baby) and some one was pulling on the band, gently to start with then pulling really really really hard so the pressure was enough turn coal to diamonds! At one stage I could just feel the elastic being pulled at the top of my bump, but it moved further and further down until it was all my bump. I only really felt 'pain' towards the end when the pressure was very intense.

[Teeki]

Definitely like period pain for me, that came in waves and got more intense as I went along. A heat pack helped so, so much! Until just before my waters broke, I wasn't getting much of a break in between and wanted something more. From there I went into shock and don't really remember much about the contractions until I was pushing.

The pushing part was fantastic. It started involuntarily, my body just did it. Contractions that came with pushing weren't painful, they just made me cramp up and push lol.

[Heaven]

The pushing part was fantastic. It started involuntarily, my body just did it. Contractions that came with pushing weren't painful, they just made me cramp up and push lol.

Oh yeah, the pushing ones are different, not painful, that was awesome.

[~TT40~]

mine was all pressure, started out like really bad bloating feeling, like a balloon was blowing up inside me and was getting so big i felt i was going to burst!!!! then the balloon would get let down.
then all it was was involuntary pushes (before i was dilated) no pain with them. the only 'pain' was trying to stop the pushing - which was like trying to hold in a poo (a really big mother of a poo)

[nickle730]

Like my guts were trying to turn themselves inside out.

[Phteven]

Period pains on crack

[Catastrophic]

period pain / belly ache pain.. That came in a wave of really intense then it would stop...

[sloane]

like really bad period pain that built up, peaked & then tailed off - most of my contractions with dd lasted a minute for the whole of my labour. i also had bad back pain - pretty much like the sort of pain you get with a period.

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[leesha]

Depends which part of labour changes the feeling of contractions! Pre labour is period pain and a sore lower back. Then as they increase and last longer it's a more intense cramping pain and your tummy tightens with each one! Then as you need to push it feels less period type and more just a relief as your pushing and a nicer gap in between them once pushing starts too!
Definitely don't fight them, just go with your body and it all feels right :-)

[Lily Dust]

For me it was just like an intense pressure period pain and, it hurt but it was more uncomfortable than agonising like I had always been told. I could feel each about to start, it would begin get more intense and then ease down to a gradual nothing

[Ladylove]

Intense pressure rather than sharp or stabbing pain. It builds up and overwhelms the body so that nothing else exists except for the contraction

[Silver Bell]

thanks so much girls! its really good to get an idea on others perceptions.... I always thought it would be a feeling in your vagina like it was tearing open or something... but sounds like its mostly pain in the stomach area...

[PumpkinZulu]

Prelabour - period pain and back ache. My stomach would get hard.

Labour before my water broke - exactly as Teirae described. A balloon swelling in my uterus, accompanied with period pain low down, and some pain in my back too. Would last for a minute to 90 seconds, then trailed off.

Labour after my water broke - the balloon was made out of razor wire. As well as small midgets slicing through my stomach, with fists made of spikes Contractions lasted 1-2 minutes, until they came without a break. Pushing was an amazing relief and the pain of the contractions all but disappeared, instead it was in my bagina and bum.

I 100% believe being in water would have made my pain more manageable. I ended up being able to breathe well enough through them, but going do quickly from a lovely manageable early labour to intense pain after my water broke was a shock lol! And I have a high pain tolerance!