Contractions..

[purpledahlia]

Are they normally at the top or bottom of the bump.. or does it matter? Are they really low and around to the side where you would normally have period cramps and can they start off like cramps but just intensifying cramping pain then going back to cramps?????

 

[tootsy1987]

Sorry i cant really help sweetie but i just wanted to say i really hope this is it for you if your experiencing them its deffo your turn to meet your princess now xxxx

 

[purpledahlia]

awh thanks... I dont know if its just normal pre-labour cramping, or if its the start of contractions, Ive had about 4 or 5 its quite sore... I dont wanna get my hopes up incase it stops and nothing comes of it but i amnt sure if theyre contractions!cos theyre not all over bump or at top.. just bottom

 

[Eve]

That's how mine started with my first, and after a little while I knew for sure they were contractions, but everyone is different. I hope this is it for you!! Good luck if it is, and if not... I sure hope it is soon I would time them if they get worse or if they come regularly, that might help you determine which is which.

 

[McLovin]

havent got a bloody clue! also heard people talking about 'back labour' as apparently some people have contractions that they feel in their' back...... so I am completely confused!

I did read in someone's birth story the other day though, that she thought they were supposed to be felt at the top (as MIDWIFE had told her), but she was actually getting them at the bottom to begin with (or maybe it was the other way around?) ANYWAY - I think that part is another one of those horrible "every woman/pregnancy/labour is different" answers.

do you think this is the start for you then?!!! yay yay and double yayness if it is!!!

 

[purpledahlia]

ok ill time it and see if its got any pattern to it, I just dont know if they are normap period cramps or not! Cramping started just after 7pm and has been there since but last hour theyve been getting sore then going back to normal cramping.. kinda feel like i need to poo all the time and like shes sliding down?! if that makes sense?! but ive no idea! i cant compare to BH cos i didnt get any!

 

[tootsy1987]

ooo purpledahlia really hope this is your time! sounds promising though! have you checked ur cervix like u were doing the other day? my friend went into labour about 5 weeks ago and we talked the whole way through the early stages and she got it low down like a tight cramp.. she too didnt think it was labour because it wasnt all that strong etc just period cramps but tight and hot flushes to match.. that was 9pm and by 5am the next morning waters had gone... i got everything crossed for u hunny xxx

 

[Snoopy]

It does sound promising hun

As my midwife says, go and have a bath. If, when you get out, they come back with a vengeance then they should be real contractions. If they don't come back (or if you do anything else that seems to make them slow down or stop), then they're probably just practice ones

HTH

 

[purpledahlia]

yeah its like a tight cramp, just had some pain at top of bumpo tho! Nah not checked, had another sweep on monday at 11.30am, cervix was open and soft but still quite thick, i thought earlier and my mum said,maybe the period cramping pain was just the cervix thinning out a bit.

 

[purpledahlia]

snoopy did she say try a bath?? i heard a bath slows things down.. I wasnt sure whether to have one earlier or not cos i didnt know if it helped!

Not sure i could run a bath without waking mum and sister up tho

what else can i do?

 

[Eve]

This is my first time having BH and sometimes they feel like menstrual cramps, and sometimes my whole tummy will tighten and hurt. It's weird...

Yeah, my labor with Jake started as waking up around 3am with period type cramps (but worse than I had usually had during the pregnancy) and I thought it might be labor. I got up, sat out in the sun room made a coffee and after around 2 hours they were regular contractions, but still felt like bad period cramps, just coming every 10ish minutes or so. Then they started getting closer together and I believe around 6:30am they were 7 minutes apart and we went to the hospital (thank god for my mom as I was only just turned 18 and hadn't a clue!! ) hehe

Until my waters were broken it was like period cramps for me, but way more intense. A friend of mine who had a baby a few months ago said hers didn't feel like period cramps at all :S So it really is different for everyone.

Are these cramps you are having different from your usual, like in intensity or duration? Do they seem to be getting worse as time goes by?

 

[Snoopy]

snoopy did she say try a bath?? i heard a bath slows things down.. I wasnt sure whether to have one earlier or not cos i didnt know if it helped!

Not sure i could run a bath without waking mum and sister up tho

what else can i do?

Yep, she said have a bath. In fact, although you're advised not to get in a birthing pool until you're around 4-5cm, you can have a bath in the meantime. I know, I know, it sounds crazy. Once you get out again, things will kick off if it's real labour.

If you can't bathe, I guess a shower's out of the question too? Perhaps then try a hot water bottle for the same reasons. The principle is that, as with relieving AF, the relief is only temporary if it's real labour. Once you take the relief away, the pains come back. Whereas with practice contractions, easing them can calm things down completely.

Does that make sense? I get the feeling I might be waffling....

 

[purpledahlia]

i dont normally have cramps! Ive had back pain and cramps since Friday just passed, and since 7 cramping pain tonight which is worse when i stand or walk rather than when i lie on my side, so in bed i was lying on my side, and then noticed that actually it was quite sore a few times, so i sat up and got a few more, ive moved now to lean on the bed from the floor, more ''gravitational'' position but also to see if i get more, sometimes bump hurts now too but i dont notice the bump ' going tight '

 

[purpledahlia]

No that makes sense snoopy, like try to relive it as if its period pains and if it really was then theyd go away but if its labour it will just come straight back.. ? i could make a hot water bottle, but where do i put it, lower back or lower front?? they both hurt!!

 

[Snoopy]

No that makes sense snoopy, like try to relive it as if its period pains and if it really was then theyd go away but if its labour it will just come straight back.. ? i could make a hot water bottle, but where do i put it, lower back or lower front?? they both hurt!!

Well, more like period pains won't go away until they decide to (like proper contractions, in a way....if you know what I mean). But the bath will relieve the pain while you're in there....it just comes back afterwards because the uterus continues to expel AF. If they're 'false' pains, it's more like taking a bath to soothe a sore muscle after exercise - the muscle won't continue to 'do' anything to make itself hurt (unlike the uterus in proper labour) so the pain should be relieved and not come back as intensely afterwards.

Put the hot water bottle where if gives you the most relief. If the pain's relieved, then take it away after a while and see if it returns quickly or not. I must admit though, if you've not been having painful BH then it does sound like it could be the real thing....

 

[McLovin]

yay! how cool would it be if little Ava came bang on her due date!!!

 

[purpledahlia]

since moving onto the floor the pain is now worse in my back, ive moved back into bed.

I really want her out but i also really cant go into labour tonight!! of all nights!!

 

[tootsy1987]

aww why cant you tonight hunny? definately sounds the start of things, i bet my bottom dollar (whatever that is haha) espesh if your not the normal crampy person.... eeee how exciting xxxx

 

[Snoopy]

What's up with tonight hun?

 

[Eve]

Sounds like it might be the real deal to me too I know when I have the bad cramping (bh) and I sit with the heating pad it helps, or when I lay down and rest it eases up and goes away, so I would def try the heat thing and see if they stay away or come back with a vengeance Just in case this is it I would get any last minutes things done now before you end up not wanting to move around much

Best of luck to you, and I hope everything goes smoothly.