You know what scares me?

[MrsBexie]

Then you will probably be prepared for labour!!

Mine was like period pain but my normal period pain wasn't that bad. As others have said, it comes in waves and as long as you get over the peak you have made it through that contraction.

[Arimeh]

Mine never felt like period pain lol

You'll do fine. Just breathe. Don't fear the contractions cos it'll make you tense up which makes it more painful.

And I'm a big wuss so if I could do it twice drug free - you'll be fine!!

[Trillian]

It is totally different to period pain. I get severe pain from endo and I didn't find contractions any harder to deal with. When you have period pain, the pain is pretty much constant with no break, but with contractions you only have the pain while you have a contraction and even then it builds, peaks and then ebbs away.

[LimeSlice]

I can say that my labours have been absolutely NOTHING like period pain. lol So don't stress on that one.

[Jellyfish]

My contractions did feel quite like period pain (but more intense and 'structured'), my period pain is like waves with peaks and such though so maybe I'm weird! Everytime I have period pain now I'm reminded of labour. I think it is pretty normal to contemplate our ability to labour but half the reason for fear is that it is so unknown. Labour is very unlike any other pain simply because it serves a really fantastic purpose and there is an end, you know there is an end (although I wouldn't say it is when the baby pops out as you still need to deliver the placenta and your uterus needs to contract). Also, just becomes somebodies labour is worse than their period pain doesn't indicate that your labour will also be worse than your period pain so I really wouldn't freak out about that. You can do it, trust me, I just kept reminding myself that people do this everyday and many go on to do it again!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Spose I don't really have much to worry about at this time, considering I'm not even pregnant Jeez, this anxiety thing is really rad!

[Fleur]

This is going to be such a copout answer, but... You just cope. (ignore Amelia's birth story ) It is a lot like period pain, but it's different too itms? Period pain is just the closest approximation because it's so different to anything else you'll ever feel

I agree. My early contractions in some labours felt a bit like period pain, but not the whole way through. And it's different, too.... that mindspace thing. I wouldn't be surprised if you cope better with labout than with period pain.

[Jellyfish]

Spose I don't really have much to worry about at this time, considering I'm not even pregnant Jeez, this anxiety thing is really rad!

Always good to be prepared and I know this is something you will have a need to think about hopefully soon