My labour started off with period pain every 5 minutes and with an hour was really really bad period pain crossed with really really bad bowel infection kinda pain (if u have ever had that) and 2 minutes apart. The contraction itself would build up so it would be period pain for about 10 seconds then really bad really bad OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG really really really really bad everything then really bad period pain, just period pain gone. If u can walk and lean forward and rock this seemed to make it more bearable for me however most of the time the nurses wanted me flat on my back on the bed all the time until I said "thats it im out of here" and then they let me go.