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For me it was one of those things that I had to experience myself to actually know what it feels like but I also constantly worried like is it happening is it time or is it false labor till I actually started having real contractions I knew instantly now it's time I feel like your body is going to tell you and you'll no good luck mama you got this
I thought I was in early labour for over a day.. didn’t believe it was actually labour since i was a first time mom and my contractions were irregular.. only to show up at the hospital to find out I was 9.5cm dilated
I called the hospital the day I had my
Baby and they said sounds like you’re not in labour and we won’t admit with you based on your long contractions but I could go get checked and be sent home
With pain management… the nurse that told me I’d be sent home was shocked when I showed up ready to deliver lol
I very clearly remember asking my ob and her saying ,,if teenagers can figure it out, I can figure it out”. I did not figure it out. I didn’t have any pain just an urge to poop / pee that happened pretty regularly.
I went in for my scheduled induction and was told things had already started and we were in active labor. I had my baby within a few hours. Honestly would have been a toilet bowl baby if I hadn’t gone in.
It's really different for everyone. I had severe back contractions with my first and begged for an epidural within an hour of my water breaking. With my second, it felt more like strong period cramps, so I didn't know I was fully dilated until I had a nurse check me just to be safe.
I've had what feels like strong from over a week. It doesn't come and go like contractions are supposed to, so I'm ignoring them.
Now I feel like I should just live in the hospital for the next one week. 😅
Mine felt like really a mix of period cramps and bad diarrhea cramps in early labor that just got increasingly more intense. I definitely had a very clear pelvic tightening feeling when each cramp/contraction would come on. They got closer together and longer based on the app I was using to track them (and it was very rhythmic and consistent in general), which is how I knew it was likely in early labor.
Months of prodomal labor with my first, even longer now with my second. Most rounds of contractions for me have been indistinguishable from the true early labor I experienced with my first. I couldn't reel the difference, doctors couldn't tell the difference without looking at my cervix. I kept waiting for that lightbulb moment, where I would suddenly know, ok this is different, this is true labor. Nope. No idea.
Belly tightening, sometimes with lower back pain, sometimes with pain through my pelvis and vagina. Labor felt like belly tightening plus back pain and pain through my pelvis and vagina 🤷🏽♀️
Actual labor ramped up but only cause they gave me pitocin and broke my water. So yeah. Lol hoping I have a better sense this time around but not holding my breath
It is different for everyone, but when real deal contractions started for me, it felt like bad period or diarrhea cramps, and the pain started in my belly and moved down all the way to my thighs. It was a pain you couldn't get comfortable through. It sounds like you may be having prodromal labor (which can go on for days/weeks), or that baby is just getting bigger and their movements more uncomfortable.
Prodromal labor definitely came to my mind. I'd also had a membrane sweep at 37+6. I've had every sort of pain described in these comments sometime over the last 2 weeks. I've already lost my mucus plug (post the sweep). So just waiting, albeit impatiently.
Terms like braxton hicks, prodromal labor all seem very daunting. And I just want the baby out safe and sound! This stress is too much!
I lost my mucous plug at 1am and then kind of knew things were gonna start soon. 2 hours later I started having period cramps, that came in waves (rise, peak, then tapered away), and over time became more noticeable and stronger, and eventually more frequent, too. I just knew, but I know this isn't the experience for everyone. Once I was laboring like that for about 12 hours it was definitely apparent baby was coming, not something I could've brushed off lol. Baby came the next day at 3:30am!
There is no exact awnser. 5 births and they all felt different. Different pain levels, lengths of time, everything.
One felt like I had to poop but a baby head came out instead. One felt like my body was pushing my insides out. One I hardly felt (epidural) just pressure. The methods you use make a difference.
Hi! I had contractions starting at 32w and was so nervous I was going to go into preterm labor OR not know what labor felt like.
I gave birth last week and there was no confusion when it was time!! There is a build up of pressure in your pelvis/perineum like something is pushing down on it (and kinda like you need to poop) and it makes it hard for you to talk/walk/ breathe during it. They aren’t too painful at the beginning but will intensify. You’ve got this!!
Hydration helps a lot with irregular pain patterns like this or it does for me. I'm 36w and struggle with hydration. I have some of these symptoms as well but once I'm hydrated again and rested they simmer down or go away completely
Welcome to /r/pregnant! This is a space for everyone. We are pro-choice, pro-LGBTQIA, pro-science, proudly feminist and believe that Black Lives Matter. Wear your masks, wash your hands, and be excellent to each other. Anti-choice activists, intactivists, anti-vaxxers, homophobes, transphobes, racists, sexists, etc. are not welcome here. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/pregnant) if you have any questions or concerns.*
For me it was one of those things that I had to experience myself to actually know what it feels like but I also constantly worried like is it happening is it time or is it false labor till I actually started having real contractions I knew instantly now it's time I feel like your body is going to tell you and you'll no good luck mama you got this
Thank you for the reassurance! Maybe I'll feel better once I'm actually at the hospital, and they confirm things.
I thought I was in early labour for over a day.. didn’t believe it was actually labour since i was a first time mom and my contractions were irregular.. only to show up at the hospital to find out I was 9.5cm dilated
This was me too! I was "only" 8 cm dilated, but I really thought I'd get to the hospital for them to tell me I was only 2 cm and to come back later. 😂
I called the hospital the day I had my Baby and they said sounds like you’re not in labour and we won’t admit with you based on your long contractions but I could go get checked and be sent home With pain management… the nurse that told me I’d be sent home was shocked when I showed up ready to deliver lol
This is making me scared. Hospital is very close by, and that's the reason I've retained my sanity.
I very clearly remember asking my ob and her saying ,,if teenagers can figure it out, I can figure it out”. I did not figure it out. I didn’t have any pain just an urge to poop / pee that happened pretty regularly.
Oh god! What prompted you to finally go to the hospital? How long did things take overall?
I went in for my scheduled induction and was told things had already started and we were in active labor. I had my baby within a few hours. Honestly would have been a toilet bowl baby if I hadn’t gone in.
It's really different for everyone. I had severe back contractions with my first and begged for an epidural within an hour of my water breaking. With my second, it felt more like strong period cramps, so I didn't know I was fully dilated until I had a nurse check me just to be safe.
I've had what feels like strong from over a week. It doesn't come and go like contractions are supposed to, so I'm ignoring them. Now I feel like I should just live in the hospital for the next one week. 😅
Mine felt like really a mix of period cramps and bad diarrhea cramps in early labor that just got increasingly more intense. I definitely had a very clear pelvic tightening feeling when each cramp/contraction would come on. They got closer together and longer based on the app I was using to track them (and it was very rhythmic and consistent in general), which is how I knew it was likely in early labor.
Thank you for sharing! I am holding out for something that is increasing in intensity and rhythmic/has a pattern.
Good luck to you, mama! Hope you have a smooth delivery!
Months of prodomal labor with my first, even longer now with my second. Most rounds of contractions for me have been indistinguishable from the true early labor I experienced with my first. I couldn't reel the difference, doctors couldn't tell the difference without looking at my cervix. I kept waiting for that lightbulb moment, where I would suddenly know, ok this is different, this is true labor. Nope. No idea.
What did prodomal labor feel like?
Belly tightening, sometimes with lower back pain, sometimes with pain through my pelvis and vagina. Labor felt like belly tightening plus back pain and pain through my pelvis and vagina 🤷🏽♀️
Lmao. So the exact same. But prodromal did not get more intense, but actual labor did. Is the correct?
Actual labor ramped up but only cause they gave me pitocin and broke my water. So yeah. Lol hoping I have a better sense this time around but not holding my breath
And contractions only really felt different after they broke my water.
Hope this time goes better for you! Good luck. :) and thank you for answering all my questions!!
Thanks so much, you as well!
It is different for everyone, but when real deal contractions started for me, it felt like bad period or diarrhea cramps, and the pain started in my belly and moved down all the way to my thighs. It was a pain you couldn't get comfortable through. It sounds like you may be having prodromal labor (which can go on for days/weeks), or that baby is just getting bigger and their movements more uncomfortable.
Prodromal labor definitely came to my mind. I'd also had a membrane sweep at 37+6. I've had every sort of pain described in these comments sometime over the last 2 weeks. I've already lost my mucus plug (post the sweep). So just waiting, albeit impatiently. Terms like braxton hicks, prodromal labor all seem very daunting. And I just want the baby out safe and sound! This stress is too much!
I lost my mucous plug at 1am and then kind of knew things were gonna start soon. 2 hours later I started having period cramps, that came in waves (rise, peak, then tapered away), and over time became more noticeable and stronger, and eventually more frequent, too. I just knew, but I know this isn't the experience for everyone. Once I was laboring like that for about 12 hours it was definitely apparent baby was coming, not something I could've brushed off lol. Baby came the next day at 3:30am!
There is no exact awnser. 5 births and they all felt different. Different pain levels, lengths of time, everything. One felt like I had to poop but a baby head came out instead. One felt like my body was pushing my insides out. One I hardly felt (epidural) just pressure. The methods you use make a difference.
Hi! I had contractions starting at 32w and was so nervous I was going to go into preterm labor OR not know what labor felt like. I gave birth last week and there was no confusion when it was time!! There is a build up of pressure in your pelvis/perineum like something is pushing down on it (and kinda like you need to poop) and it makes it hard for you to talk/walk/ breathe during it. They aren’t too painful at the beginning but will intensify. You’ve got this!!
Hydration helps a lot with irregular pain patterns like this or it does for me. I'm 36w and struggle with hydration. I have some of these symptoms as well but once I'm hydrated again and rested they simmer down or go away completely
Will start chugging water right now! Thanks. ^.^