Start and end of contractions.....

Hi,

I don't really care if this seems like a silly question :lol: cos' i gotta ask! I've been having BH's and tightenings for weeks now but lately they've become stronger and more period pain and backaches (prelabour pains) the last week especially...... on and off.

I know that I will just KNOW when labour has started (because everyone says you will JUST KNOW) and that everything gets stronger, faster etc..... however how will I time contractions when they are so random at the moment?

What I mean to ask is, when I'm in labour, it will be easier to time my contractions won't it? Because they will be more established and pattern-like? Like when one starts, I'll know immediately and one it finishes does it just go completely and then you feel good for a bit until the next one starts?
I've read about it all however I just need to know if I'm gonna know you know? Like when to time it etc .... hhhmmm am I making sense?? LOL

I've sussed out contraction master which i'll use so that will be handy.

they say that labour has started when you have regular and painful contractions, so yes timing them will help....


yes you will know when one starts and when it ends.... its easiest to time from the start cause you get distracted in the middle of one lol:)

It will be way easier to time your contractions when you are in labour, don't bother timing them while they aren't regular or you'll do your head in! (I did this in early labour with DS1 and it was sooo annoying and disappointing). Once they become regular you time them from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. And yep, your contraction will start kind of softly, then peak and go away softly at first, kind of like a wave and you will get a break where you feel normal in between. Also, keep track of how long each contraction lasts for because your hospital will want to know when you ring them.

Yay, not long to go now!!!

Ok thanks girls!! That's what I thought but I just needed some clarification I think :lol:

I knew that I had to time them from the start of one to the start of the next one etc.... and contraction master will help with that too.

So basically once they feel like established contractions happening regularly, and obvious contractions that are easy to 'define' then I can start timing..... :p

I feel like it was a silly question I asked now :redface: hehe I think it's just part of me getting ready for it to happen soon......

Real contractions will feel like they peak and then ebb - when they start they just keep building and building and building, and then it will start to subside (usually when you think OMG can this possibly get any worse ROFL) and fade away. At first you will feel relatively *normal* in between them, but when labour is really established and contractions are very close together you more than likely wont have that feeling of normalcy in between, it certainly wont feel like the contraction just did, but you do have a bit of a lull. There isn't really much to be gained by timing them, when they start to last for longer (anything from 90secs to 2mins) and have that definate peak and ebb (whereas BH's will be a constant pain/sensation), then they are the real thing and don't worry about timing them, just go with it. using the thinking part of your brain in labour can hinder your progress.

Yes, you will feel it coming on as the contraction starts. Then in between they go away and the pain ends completely, then you will feel another one come on, peak and then end...etc etc.

You may not know exactly that you are in real labour at the beginning, but you will definitely start to see a pattern shortly after and then you will know.

I never worried about timing then myself, I just got DH to watch me and time them.

I loved timing mine though, I don't know why, but it felt theraputic LOL! Trillian has described contractions much better than me!

I knew my very first contraction with DS1 was the real thing because it felt different to a BH and it built up, then went away. It kind of felt like a balloon was blowing up inside my tummy and then slowly deflating. It would be nice if it felt that way all throughout the labour! Luckily labour is clever and slowly builds up in intensity (for most people anyway!) so you have plenty of time to get used to it.

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Hi,

I don't really care if this seems like a silly question :lol: cos' i gotta ask! I've been having BH's and tightenings for weeks now but lately they've become stronger and more period pain and backaches (prelabour pains) the last week especially...... on and off.

I know that I will just KNOW when labour has started (because everyone says you will JUST KNOW) and that everything gets stronger, faster etc..... however how will I time contractions when they are so random at the moment?

What I mean to ask is, when I'm in labour, it will be easier to time my contractions won't it? Because they will be more established and pattern-like? Like when one starts, I'll know immediately and one it finishes does it just go completely and then you feel good for a bit until the next one starts?
I've read about it all however I just need to know if I'm gonna know you know? Like when to time it etc .... hhhmmm am I making sense?? LOL

I've sussed out contraction master which i'll use so that will be handy.

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Hun, you will feel the contraction starting.... I said alot through my labours to DH "here comes another one...." then my breathing would get heavier as it peaked & calmed as it passed. Then feeling normal in between :)

Good luck, its a very exciting time!!! I know you're going to do a fantastic job!!

xxx

when i had dd i didnt time at all because i didnt want to know they were getting closer or not.. it help in my head to just go with what my body was telling me rather then trying to be mathamatical about it....yK well they are 5 min now they should get closer oh hang on they are getting further apart... that type of thinking made my first labour so hard.

this time i am going to try NOT to time them (once at hospital anyway) i found it very distracting and watching the clock all the time just emphasised how long it was taking and how many hours of it i have to go through still and how many more contractions i am going to have. i was induced and found that i diddnt really get a 'back to normal' feeling in between. it wasnt AS painful but there was still pain there.
DH said that i was making some wierd noises during them, like little moans that went up in musical scale from low to high then high back to low. (that would have been funny). how wierd would it be for the guys who are there, i reckon they could feel a bit helpless and wierded out. being the one in labour you just kinda do your thing. (sorry a bit off track i know).

WOO HOO HOOOOO! not long to go now Ren! so excited for you!

oh reading all this just brought it all back to me - I feel all nervous and excited for you Ren!!! I've got butterflies!!! I guess I only went through it 12wks ago...lol

Not a silly question Ren, I'm glad you asked coz I was wondering the same thing.
I have been having some pre-labour pain too but it's more like a constant pain and I was thinking I seriously hope it's not going to be all constant like this in labour and wondering how you're supposed to time them. Glad to know it's different!

Thanku for your replies ladies.
Trillian explained it very well, thank you.

Sara - yeah sounds exactly like what i've had! Just prelabour stuff for now.... getting our bodies ready!! Not long for you either hun ;)

Sneaky & Myson - thanks girls!! :hug: I'm soooooooo excited!!! Getting rather impatient now as so many in my belly buddies group are having their bubs lately and a few early bubs!!

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It will be way easier to time your contractions when you are in labour, don't bother timing them while they aren't regular or you'll do your head in! (I did this in early labour with DS1 and it was sooo annoying and disappointing).

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Yep - while ever you're having trouble identifying beginnings and endings, or while they're really irregular or far apart it's not worth timing them. It just makes you focus on it and in early labour you don't want to be doing that. When you need to be timing them they will get your attention quick smart ;)

always a bit hard when you are one of the last to birth in your Belly buddies group but someone has to be. and just think yours will be the smallest and cutest!

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Real contractions will feel like they peak and then ebb - when they start they just keep building and building and building, and then it will start to subside (usually when you think OMG can this possibly get any worse ROFL) and fade away. At first you will feel relatively *normal* in between them, but when labour is really established and contractions are very close together you more than likely wont have that feeling of normalcy in between, it certainly wont feel like the contraction just did, but you do have a bit of a lull. There isn't really much to be gained by timing them, when they start to last for longer (anything from 90secs to 2mins) and have that definate peak and ebb (whereas BH's will be a constant pain/sensation), then they are the real thing and don't worry about timing them, just go with it. using the thinking part of your brain in labour can hinder your progress.

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Great point Trillian. I think my DH timed my contractions for a little bit near transition because they were just coming one on top of the other and I think he was worried about me, poor dear.;) But I wouldn't time contractions if I could avoid it. Every labour is different, and you may be umming and ahing about when to get to hospital etc based on contractions which aren't text book. Mine, for example, never got longer than 50secs (I had continuous monitoring), so if that had been what was helping me decide to go to hospital then I wouldn't have made it!

Advice I received on the emotional signposts of labour was the most helpful thing for me. If you can't smile, and feel really serious, you sort of sink into yourself inside and the outside world is hard to notice, that's when you know active labour has begun and should head for the hossy. If you feel like giving up and get despondent and nauseous, then you're in transition and it's not long 'til the end. :D

My contraction were never regular... They just came more frequently. They also did not feel ANYTHING like what everyone else describes. I felt NO contractions in my stomach only sporadic (and quite painful) back stabbing sensations (and no bub was not prosterior -sp?). I didn't really know if I was in labour or not, but went to the hospital because the pain was too much.

This pregnancy I have been getting very painful braxton hicks (didn't get them with #1) and hope it's not an indication of how the labour will be.

Oh its fine if your DH finds it makes him feel helpful to time them ;) but once you're in labour time is irrelevant - Not sure if anyone else notices this when reading birth stories or not, but if they say they saw the clock or asked what the time was and the answer made them feel deflated, or "OMG, Ive been at this for hours/I thought I would be further along" etc - that's what its really like, you do feel a bit disappointed and it can take a while to get yourself back on track again and refocus on what you're doing. Same thing goes for internals during labour too (but that's a whole other discussion ROFL).

Your labour goes so much smoother if you let the process of birth take you over and you fully submit to it - that's why having a support person (either dh/partner/doula) is so important because we shouldn't have to *think* about anything other than giving birth. I'm someone who completely internalises during birth - I make hardly any sounds, I just withdraw into myself and let my body do it's thing and I have no concept of time while I'm in labour, except for my first birth where I had enough time between contractions to be lucid. With my last two births I had no idea what the time was or how long i'd been labouring until it came time to push and I had to came back to earth LOL, because that takes concentrated effort.

trillian, that is what i am going to try to do this time. i am gonna ask if they can take the clock down! it really is disappointing when you are a time watcher and then you get an internal and they say you still have 10 hours to go and it is gonna get worse! i just dont want to know this time! :-)

Thanks Trillian. That's really sensible advise. I have a feeling that I'll just want to go into my own little world and be left alone to just deal with it all in my own little space but of course I won't know how it's gonna go until i'm "in" it. I think looking at a clock would stress me out, particularly if a MW said to me 'you are only 3cm dialated' i would be thinking 'oh man could be hours away'.... hence why i'm not even sure if i want internals done!! Maybe 1......

I just remembered that on our hossy tour few months ago the MW said that there are clocks in the room but quite often the MW takes them down..... which is a great idea. There are no time limits at our hospital it seems (which is wonderful).

Whilst labouring at home for as long as possible, I will get DH to help me time my contractions but purely so we know when to probably get ready to hop into the car. Being my first bub, don't really wanna leave it too late :lol:

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Hun, you will feel the contraction starting.... I said alot through my labours to DH "here comes another one...." then my breathing would get heavier as it peaked & calmed as it passed. Then feeling normal in between :)

Good luck, its a very exciting time!!! I know you're going to do a fantastic job!!

xxx

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Yep i was the same - And DH said he could tell by the look on my face and the breathing etc when another contraction was about to start!
He also said i would be chatting away and the next thing i would be dead quiet as i tried to "breath" thru them!
AHHHHHH SO EXCITING - wish i could turn back time and do it all over again!

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Whilst labouring at home for as long as possible, I will get DH to help me time my contractions but purely so we know when to probably get ready to hop into the car. Being my first bub, don't really wanna leave it too late :lol:

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It's not likely you'll leave it too late to get to the hospital... especially (as I said before) I didn't really feel regular contractions but still got there in time :p Just enjoy the procedure and you'll know when it's time to get in the car.

Well, in my case, they never got regular, we gave up on the timing. Once it got all too much, we went to th birth centre. I basically got to the point when I felt that if I don't go now, I'm gonna stay home to have the baby here. Not even 2 hours after getting to the birth centre, Maya was born.
Oh, and I never had any internals either. They lifted the gown a couple of times, but all they said was: you're doing great, moving along just fine.

Saša

I have to agree with Sherie (trillian). finding a mental zone is probably the best once you are in established labour.

in my case i forgot to time my contractions as i was just so surprised that they were happening. i realised about 40 minutes later that i was having millions so buzzed the midwife. for me, because my waters broke and DD was fully engaged the contractions did ebb and flow, but never fully disappeared and were 1-2 minutes apart. although they were coming fast, they were manageable....

my midwife also dumped the clock!!