Period cramps vs contractions?

Question

I️ need help. So whenever I️ had period cramps in the past it was mostly like aches and heavy in my hip and lower back area. Do false or real contractions feel this way or completely different? I️ feel the aches and stuff like I’m on my period here and there but I’m not sure I’m gonna be able to distinguish cramps and contractions. Can anyone tell me how contractions feel?

Answer

Curious about this also! Been having period cramping for a few days on and off

Answer

My first pregnancy, yes they started like that and I had them weeks (timetable too) before he actually came. The night I went into labor I wasn’t having too many period like cramps, went to go pee at 11pm and felt a pop. I noticed I was trickling water and by the time I woke up my husband I already started my first period like cramp. Those last maybe 15-20 minutes (timetable but not too close together) and then by the time I called L+D and picked up my house a bit lol, the real contractions started. The real difference for me between those early cramping and the real ones were this:
1. Timetable. The period like cramping was timetable but before this day they would only last for 30 minutes and maybe would have like 4 inconsistently. This night, the real ones started out at about 7 minutes apart and kept getting shorter and shorter together. By the time I went to the hospital they were consistently every 5 minutes for over 30 minutes.
2. The pain. Period like cramps can be painful-hell I used to throw up when I was little from the pain but it’s totally a different pain when the real ones come. However I will say for me it was a gradual pain... they started as period cramps (pain wise) and got more and more painful. When I was cleaning my house getting ready to go to the hospital, I would have a contraction and it would stop me in my tracks I would have to take a breath and I always made a slight face. I could still do things during that time but it was definitely more noticeable. When they come on real strong (active labor) you will be clenching the side of your hospital bed, throwing up, telling the nurse you want to die. Lol at least that’s how I was 🤣🤣
I hope this makes sense. Always listen to your body and if you think they are getting more consistent and more painful start tracking them on an APP on your phone and call L+D to speak with them!! But my best advice is what everyone says... you’ll know!

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Contractions can vary on woman to woman. Some don’t even have bad contractions and have barely made it to the hospital to deliver, some can’t even talk through them. If they’re coming at regular intervals and lasting about a min, it’s always good to just get checked. And if they intensify that’s also a good indicator.

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Wondering the same too. I can’t tell if it’s my baby pushing or if I’m having Braxton Hicks. And I definitely don’t get the period cramp thing either. Sometimes When I wake up and my stomach feels crappy but it goes away. This is my second pregnancy and I never felt contractions with my first so its all new to me.

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I have a pretty high pain tolerance. So I  can't distinguish them also. I go to the doc tomorrow and I'll ask.

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Ditto. My cramps were similar to yours. I’ve been having some random sharper pains that last for maybe 30 seconds, but I’m not sure if that’s BH or just pregnancy pains

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My contractions felt like I was being ripped in half. Ever try to rip raw chicken with your bare hands? Like that.

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Sorry ladies with my first all I had was a dull ache every so often at the front. That's much so I rolled up at hospital 3hrs late and they thought I wasn't in labor n ready to send me home all smirks with a mouthful of 'as if she thinks she's in labor'... I was in fact 6cm 
No water loss
No real pain
No bleeding
No nothing, all I had was the period pain ev 5mins lasting 1min each time to go off that had me thinking maybe. Even I wasn't fully convinced