what does a contraction feel like??

[larudy13]

Does a contraction feel sort of like a dull achey pain? Or more like a sharp pain? Is it kind of like an intense period cramp type feeling or something totally different? Did you just "know" when it was contractions? I am wondering because as far as I know I haven't even had braxton hicks so wondering if I will even realize when I am having "real" contractions? Thanks in advance for your replies

 

[JessAndAva]

It kinda feels like your lower stomach is tightening & you're stomach will get hard as a rock. You will defffffffinitly know when you're having a braxton h. contraction. Brax|Hicks contractions feel different than the real labor contractions tho. The labor ones are waaaay more intense.

 

[amy19604]

they can start off like dull achy period pains in your belly or lower back. the best way id describe them is like a period pain but 10 million times worse lol once they start coming regularly and get more and more painful you will just know. x

 

[MrsAgar]

I used to hate when people would tell me "you will just know" but it's true! Hard to explain but in one word OW! It will take your breath away

 

[amjon]

I used to hate when people would tell me "you will just know" but it's true! Hard to explain but in one word OW! It will take your breath away

I actually had no idea I was in active labor. They told me I would have some cramping and the pain wasn't all that bad. I only had it in my thighs and lower abdomen also, so didn't think it could be labor.

 

[Kitten_x]

its a cramp that builds slowly and has a 'peak' when it's most painful. Thats what mine felt like but I was induced x

 

[MrsAgar]

Everyone is so different it's really hard to know how labor will affect you

 

[NaturalMomma]

Mine felt like menstraul cramps until transition, and then it still felt like menstrual cramps but a little worse and they were constant, no breaks inbetween.

 

[ttcnewbie123]

I wouldnt describe them as a cramp... honestly, it felt like a stabbing pain in my lady parts!x

 

[kaths101]

its a cramp that builds slowly and has a 'peak' when it's most painful. Thats what mine felt like but I was induced x

yeah mine were like this^^^, a
At first I didnt realise I was having contractions I thought they were just twinges but when I started getting the pain every 10 minutes the penny dropped

 

[tmr1234]

I got told with my 1st think about having a belt around your bump that gets pulled more and more then it gets let go off.
With my 1st my pains started off as mild af cramps but had a peck to them and got more stronger and closer together. With my 2nd all i can said is OMFG ow from the off.

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

In latent labour they were a dull but very painful back ache.
In active labour, a sharp pain that built up to a peak, which was clearly in the cervix area, rather than back or bump.

 

[loverguts]

I honestly would describe my contraction pains as feeling like someone was stabbing me in my back and tummy repeatedly and swirling the knife around like they were trying to scrape the contents of my womb out!! I am so jealous of people who describe them as just like a period pain!!!

Obviously this was a bit later on though, at their worst. At first it just felt like really bad braxton hicks. When i think back, i feel like i was in so much pain that i literally couldn't think or do anything whilst i was having a contraction. My baby was back to back but i don't know if that really does make much difference to the pain.

I just hope its not as bad this time. Hmmmmmmmmm!!

 

[emilyjade]

with DS it just felt like (TMI) i was going to have a bout of diarrhea with the cramps. DD though was totally different, i had a dull ache in my back then it started in my tummy in waves then went away again.
I didnt know i was in labour with DS i honestly thought i had a dodgy tummy for the scampi i had ate the night before

 

[hawalkden]

to be honest I didn't have B/H at all and when my waters went at 35 weeks I don't remember the feeling of the contractions. All I remember is saying after everyone 'fuck off i don't want another!' !
Diamorphine for you !

 

[AimeeM]

My back to back labour with Leo was way more painful than with Nathan but also I was induced.
For me contractions were like a really dull ache that rose to a sharp scrape type pain at the peak then wore off. I found them bearable until around 6.5cm the first two labours and until 5cm with my third.
I think there are loads of different factors which go in to how much it hurts for each individual woman. Induction or not, baby's position, number of previous babies, pain threshold etc.. xx

 

[robinator]

its a cramp that builds slowly and has a 'peak' when it's most painful. Thats what mine felt like but I was induced x

yeah mine were like this^^^, a
At first I didnt realise I was having contractions I thought they were just twinges but when I started getting the pain every 10 minutes the penny dropped

Mine were different from these ladies experience in that my contractions did not build slowly. Each one hit, BAM!, and then slowly eased off. They felt like dull, achey (yet hellacious) menstrual cramps, and stayed "down low".

 

[x__amour]

For me, it was just tightening. Then as it progressed, crampy.

 

[victoriav]

Like having a red hot poker shoved up my arse then twisted.

 

[elvira]

My 'dilation' contractions were like a bad period pain building up to a peak, then dying away. 2 mins later, I would feel another rolling in. I could breathe through them and keep talking throughout. After transition, my contractions felt like needing a huge poo and not being able to resist the urge to puuush! These ones did make me sound a bit like a farmyard animal for a while...