what could real contractions feel like?

Question

Can anyone describe what real contractions feel like I am currently 39+2 due 26/4/17 & am not sure if I've been having contractions. Midwife said at last appointment at 37+6 baby's head was fully engaged. What does that mean? How do you know when you dialate? I'm a first time mum & really am not sure what signs to look for in labour & would appreciate any advice from you lovely ladies xxxx

Answer

Contractions may feel different for different people. But if they're true contractions they will be a tightening of muscles (like "to contract". They make your body tense up) and can cause pain in the abdomen and/or back radiating down to the legs. They may feel like period cramps, just worse. Or like you've done way too many an exercises. Just worse. When they get stronger and closer together you won't be able to really talk or do much but focus on them. You'll "go internal" where you just have to focus on getting through the contraction and breathing.

Usually they'll start out at 30 seconds long and be anywhere from 2 hours to 10 minutes apart. When they get at least a minute long and 5 minutes apart, hospital time.

"Engaged" means the head is in the pelvis in position to be birthed. So baby is in the right spot to start moving down into birth canal.

You won't know you're dilating or effacing unless you're checked by a doctor. However, contractions do help you dilate.

Before you start contracting or after you may or may not lose your mucus plug (will look like a cork of snot) or have your water break. I lost my plug a little over a week before I started contracting. I was in prelabor or "prodromal" labor for nearly 3 days and dilated to 2 cm and effaced completely (my cervix thinned). I was in horrible pain with the contractions and had a hard time sleeping. They gave me something to sleep and I progressed to 4 cm in that 3 hours I slept. That threw me into "active labor" and in 6 hours I was pushing. 45 minutes later I had a baby.

Answer

Started as cramps and tightening and progressed to excruciating pain that cake in waves and peaked once they are ditzybckty timetable you'll know

Answer

For me, it was just a tightening in my belly all the way up until I felt like it was time to push. Then it was an excruciating pain in my pelvic region. Pushing was a relief.

Answer

For me they felt like really bad period cramps mixed with really bad gas cramps. I went in to be induced but started laboring on my own before they started Pitocin. I didn't know if they were contractions until I asked my nurse. I had back labor so it might be different if your baby is facing the correct way.

what could real contractions feel like?

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