What do contractions feel like?

[Freya]

Can someone describe what early labour contractions or contractions feel like????
Im having some pain like Im going to have the runs (sorry TMI) and its all over my belly. Ive also got pressure in my bottom. Can bub still move even though your in labour?????


Ugh I hate not knowing whats going on.

[BellyBelly]

I think real labour contractions most women struggle to describe - just like someone asking you to describe an orgasm - it's hard to say in words! If anything, I would say they are very strong and intense waves of tightening, pulling, dragging, opening, cramping... that you can feel a distinct start, peak and end. Kinda like period pain to the max, being turned up slowly then hitting a peak then reducing slowly - but because our uterus isn't tiny anymore, it's very big, the contractions are that much stronger. It is common to get diahorea in early labour as your digestive system makes way for baby... sounds like it wont be long now Have you read the early labour articles on the main site?

[Fi]

I was just thinking that Kelly - I dont know how to describe them! Possibly cause I can't remember too.
I think I remember like a shimmering period pain that started at one end of the uterus, and ended at the other. I had a back ache that went with it too.
Isn't funny that our minds are capable of making us forget this.

[BellyBelly]

I think it's an automatic species survival instinct - to forget LOLOL!!!

[Tigergirl1980]

Oh yeah, period pain to the MAX.

[kristi14]

Hi,

Its like a tightness all over your belly feeling. You can feel them build up, hit, peak and ease off. They start at the bottom of your uterus and the top of your uterus is the last part to go hard. Then it holds for awhile and releases.

The best way to tell is feel your belly. If its rock hard its a contraction or BH depending on how long it lasts and how often they come.

You might be in the beginning stages of labour and your body might be trying to clear out your bowels in preparation.

[Lucy]

The only way I have ever been able to describe it is like this:

Imagine when you drink really quickly from a water bottle and the bottle squeezes inwards? Imagine that on your uterus/around your back/hips......intense......but rythmical.....

[Fire Fly]

Mine started as dull aches that slowly increased to intense aches lol. I remember everything.
I think the thing to remember is if you find its quiet frequent to start timing them and see if there is a pattern. Cant remember though if you time the beginning to end of pain then time between pain. Ive got them written down somewhere. Girls help me.

[Cricket]

I would have to say that my contractions were definitely like PMS pain, but almost "satisfying" (weird way to describe it, I guess). I knew that they were working, and actually doing something, even though they hurt, whereas BH and PMS just hurt for no good reason.
About timing, you are supposed to time from the beginning of one contractions to the beginning of the next.
By the way, Anna, how's it going? Sounds like you were really in labour, so I hope all is well!

[Freya]

Mustnt have been labour, or established labour atleast as they tapered away to very irregular contractions. Im in a world of pain and misery but I dont see an end anytime soon. Im beyond caring anymore. Midwife thinks I'll go in the next few days but I dont believe her. Thanks for all the advice its def made things clearer on what to look for!

[KarlaO]

You poor thing! I do hope you go into established labor soon and can hold Jett in your arms. Big hugs for you!

[Debbie Lee]

Yep... mine felt like period pain too... but 1000 times more intense! I also felt a hek of a lot of pressure "down there". I constantly felt like I needed to do a poo but nothing would come out.

[tammy03]

I had totally different labour pains. I had a really bad pain in my back for the first few hours. It wasn't until I was 8 cm dialated that I felt anything in my tummy. That was when I felt the orge to push. The whole labour was only 61/2 hours thakfully. But i couldn't walk for 2 days because of the bruising to my lower back, because of how hard I made people rud my back when I was in labour.

[SSmiles]

Having gone through it last Friday, my best explanation is that it feels like major period pain/cramps and the pain gets more intense & more regular as the hours pass... I couldn't even speak a few hours into the contractions starting...but I was fully dialated when I got to hospital (about 6 hours after they started) & had him about 3.5 hours later...