How do contractions start out???

[Brightxeyes]

I was induced with my first, I don't even remember any uncomfortable braxton hicks. Just tightenings with little discomfort.

I've had a lot of discomfort with this one. I've had a bit of a stressy day, and there was a point when it felt like baby was crazy low, very heavy down there, and I was getting like a period ache round the belly, sides and back. Now I'm getting it a lot on and off towards my left side more so.

I don't know if it's unrelated or braxton hick or early contraction or something? I've just never experienced a natural labour so I haven't a clue what to expect? I'm just rather uncomfortable. Theres not really anything to time either.. but I'm wondering if it's how it begins??? Can you have aches just more towards the one side?

Panicking because I'm not due yet and I've got so much to do!!

 

[xarlenex]

Nah that doesn't sound like early labour, particularly with the one sided thing..sounds more like possibly a pulled muscle or just general normal aches as baby is growing and things are stretching and baby filling all the space.

I had a horrible heavy ache down low for a few days then realised I have a very attractive varicose vein in my vuvla

 

[Hoping4numbr3]

I know this probably sounds Cliche but I promise you if you were in early labor you would know! I would still keep an eye on the pain you are feeling and if there starts to be more of a pattern call your OB but it could just be the way baby is lying or could be pushing a weird way to stretch. Good luck hun

Edited to say: If you feel concerned I would call the OB either way.

 

[Dreamer429]

I have had a couple of minor BH contractions - or at least thats what girlfriends are telling me they were -- it was a tightening that occurred on one side of my belly and lasted about 20 seconds... was uncomfortable but not terribly painful. Just felt very restricted, as if i wanted to raise up my arm on that side and lean over to stretch out that area. IDK if that makes sense? but its how i felt!

I agree with the others that it likely was not early labor, but if it keeps happening, a phone call to the midwife/doc couldnt hurt

 

[jessicaftl]

I had a natural starting labor with my first and I remember contractions with my others well, they all felt like very bad gas that went into my back. I'm sure you're fine though!

 

[WhisperGirl]

I've had that! In my 4th pregnancy and fifth. I think it's more of a ligament pain and definitely for me it came with Braxton hicks. Felt like pins and needles but then sorer but the one thing I noticed was it wasn't a deep muscular contraction like the real ones. Hope that helps you feel better if any of that rings true to you. I had 4 inductions and one naturally went himself. The first contraception came in the night and woke me up like a lightening bolt.

 

[Hoping4numbr3]

Just checking in! Hope you are okay!

 

[Brightxeyes]

That weird back and side pain seemed to go but today has been nothing but a tight belly, lots of painful movement (because the tummy is so tight every jab is hurting!)

Currently feeling like a sore and achey tightness centre and low as well as a lot of lightning crotch. Like he’s pressing on my bladder and I have the sensation of needing to pee a lot more but quite a lot sharper than that. I remember lightning crotch wth my first but this one is sooo much worse.

It feels like it’s been almost entirely constant all day. No noticeable patterns because I’ve been out and about and busy.

Right now the sore achey tightness is constant, I think I’m going to struggle to sleep tonight

 

[Brightxeyes]

Woke up and I'm still constantly uncomfortable. It's all under my ribs at the moment. It almost feels like digestive discomfort with it too, but I'm still not entirely convinced it's just that.

But it doesn't seem to go away. All movements from baby hurt I'm thinking oh it could just be it's tight squeeze in there and I'm stretching, but I was a lot bigger all over with my first, I haven't put on as much weight with this pregnancy, so I have been stretched out far more and far earlier than this and not been this uncomfortable.

If it doesn't calm down I'll call my midwife. I don't think these are contractions as theres no pattern, it's just constant. Any way I sit hurts. I walk I hurt. I lie down I hurt. I get a bit of relief rubbing the painful areas or putting the warm shower head on it and that's it really.

 

[drudai]

I went into PTL at 31 weeks. I just kept having contractions (remembered how they felt from DS) over and over. When I got to hospital, I couldn't feel them anymore and thought I was wasting everyone's time. But monitor told us different! I was contracting (thankfully not progressing) every 3-7 minutes.

Contractions are different for all ladies. Some only experience extreme back pain (especially if baby is back to back), others say it feels like bad gas... me personally, I think it's textbook. I slowly feel my uterus contract (imagine flexing your hand into a fist) and doesn't release. It makes breathing weird and when I move around, I can feel baby/it hurts a bit.

Anyway, like I said, I would go get checked out to make sure.

 

[xarlenex]

If you say you got bigger before maybe you are just more uncomfortable because baby is taking up all the room there is. That's how I knew my daughter was going to be quite a big bigger than my son, every movement hurt and there was just no room at the inn midwife kept saying "don't be daft it's a wee 7lber" she was almost 9 I knew it though! This one as well is following in her sister's footsteps, almost every movement hurts already. hope you are feeling comfier soon x

 

[Brightxeyes]

I called up because I suddenly had some odd vision disturbances and a bit of a foggy headache, it was difficult to read anything at all at one point it was quite bad.

I did read vision disturbances and headaches weren’t good.

I’ve geberally been stressed as well as experiencing discomfort all weekend so all of that combined worried me.

They said to see how it goes the rest of the day but it’s still worrying? The First Lady seemed concerned, the second said likely a computer related migraine cuz I mentioned I was reading at the time (while working on the computer).

My dad has a blood pressure monitor so I’m gonna get my blood pressure checked on his to see if it’s any higher than usual.

I don’t know whether I’m being silly or not now? I just felt really off but I don’t know if it’s self inflicted work stress or not?