XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Since you guys have BTDT, can you help me understand whats going on?

Do contractions just feel like menstral like cramps in the beginning?

I know they say the difference between real contractions and Braxton Hicks contractions is that real labor cramps come with a pattern.

So, I hope this isnt a stupid question, but can you just have 1 contraction and then like 3 hours later have another contraction? Or would that be a Braxton Hicks contraction?

Just wondering because since late yesterday afternoon, I've been having some cramping- but its been a little more than mild, but not really intense. One of them actually woke me up in the middle of the night.

Help!

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

yes, my contractions felt like really INTENSE mentrual cramps, and almsot like you have to push out the biggest bowel movement of your life...sorry to be graphic, but that is what i went through.
But I was induced.

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Having already given birth, this is all still mysterious to me. When I went into labor for the first few hours the cramps weren't that bad. The only way I knew that it was something other then routine cramping was the start and stop frequency. They were irregular in the beginning, but happened repeatedly in under 15 minutes. They didn't get really painful until I was already at the hospital, about 12 hours after the original contractions started...

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Message edited 8/6/2007 10:05:57 AM.

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

a week or 2 b4 DD was born, yeah, i had the braxton hicks mentrual cramps, so yes, that is what they feel like....real labor feels the same, but it gets WAY more intense as it goes on. the first couple hours youre almost thinking- this is labor? wow, i can do it, how easy! and then it does get more painful, but still, u can do it!!! but yuppers, trust your gut- youll know when its the real thing.......

and i was always told- go to the hospital when it gets to the point where u cant walk thru a contraction....... i did, waited until then, and was lucky enough to go to the hospital and give birht an hour later.....

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

What is/was concerning me is that the one that woke me up in the middle of the night was more intense than the ones in the afternoon.

So far, I just had one of these crampy type feelings this morning on the way to work. It felt like the ones yesterday afternoon, and wasnt as intense as the one in the middle of the night.

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Posted by dandr10199

Posted by trnity44

Since you guys have BTDT, can you help me understand whats going on?

Do contractions just feel like menstral like cramps in the beginning?

I know they say the difference between real contractions and Braxton Hicks contractions is that real labor cramps come with a pattern.

So, I hope this isnt a stupid question, but can you just have 1 contraction and then like 3 hours later have another contraction? Or would that be a Braxton Hicks contraction?

Just wondering because since late yesterday afternoon, I've been having some cramping- but its been a little more than mild, but not really intense. One of them actually woke me up in the middle of the night.

Help!

I had this for a week. At first tit was like this, then they were 5-7 minutes apart for a week straight. What I had was predonal labor. I had Braxton hicks in the beginning believe it or not my OB told me to have ONE SMALL glass of wine and they did stop. Then, contractions kept coming back. Hey, I will bump my birth story so you can read what happened to me. The one piece of advice I can offer, is this:

YOU KNOW YOUR BODY. I had multiple people tell me it was Braxton Hicks, including a doctor in the group (not my own OB). I knew it was way beyond Braxton Hicks, I knew it in my gut, yet everyone was telling me a different story. When I saw my OB the next day he told me what he thought. OK, I am bumping it now. Liz, feel free to FM me if you want to talk and hang in there.

Sending {{{{{{{{LABOR VIBES}}}}}}}}}}}}}and your way.

ETA: I bumped it and it is on the preggo board.

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

When I first started having contractions, it felt like I had cramps like I had to go to the bathroom. Then I realized they were coming in a pattern. I timed them and they were coming between 2-4 minutes apart, and lasting between 45 sec- 1min 15 sec long. They didnt hurt at all, and the were in my lower stomach. When I got to the hospital, I was 3cm and 100% effaced, and in no pain. The nurses admitted that they thought for sure I was not in labor by the way I looked, and how I was smiling. But I was.

I am not saying that the contractions dont become much stronger, because boy do they. But I am saying that you dont have to be in pain to be in the beginning stages of labor. I started timing my contractions at 10:20 AM and had my son at 10:19 PM.

Good luck!

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Re: XPost from the PG Board: Contractions

Yes. You could be in very early labor. I had contractions for 4 days before I went into active labor.