How to know if you are having contractions? (1st preg)

Question

hi, so i have looked everywhere in the app and i dont see any posts regarding contractions.  I wish there was a tab for it  lol.  I looked under first  time moms and no one really asks what contractions are like,  at least not as far i scrolled down to look.  Not only is this my first pregnancy but im also having twins.  And because your  body  goes thru so many changes, theres many different things that we feel and experience and some ive noticed that singleton moms dont even go thru or have.

In several occasions i have woken up with pain, and so i just try to figure out what it is and its like a guessing game every time.  First it was a sharp back pain that went away when i got up to go to the bathroom.  This morning i had a stomach ache that woke me up at 5am, plus my belly was hard and my stomach was making a lot of noise. both times first thing i do is llok at the time to keep track of it in case they could be contractions.  im just scared that i end up having them and i wont know that they were!!!

sorry for such a long story!! and your experiences are are welcome!  😊

Answer

With my first I was very unprepared as to what labor felt like. Everyone told me to expect "strong menstrual cramps". So that's what I waited for. Unfortunately for me, I labored with my daughter in my back primarily. So I just chalked that up to Braxton hicks. It took me starting to bleed to get my butt to the hospital lol. And by then, I was already 7cms! I had my daughter within the hour. It was an unplanned natural birth lol. My advice to you, you'll know when you're experience contractions. You will be in pain, in regular intervals. Or if you have a feeling you can't shake or start to spot, anything that has you worried, go get checked out. It's better to be sent home than stuck at home :)

Answer

With my first I also wondered the same thing...but it sounds odd..but u just know..even when there the very first ones...I woke at 6am and just said to my sister..im in labour I just knew they were contractions as they felt different to any other pain id had

Answer

With my first, I didn't get contractions until his due date, and it's involuntary abdominal and uterus contractions, that are regular and prolonged. It feels like everything tightens and pushes downward. After a while it gets difficult to breathe during the contraction, so you have to breathe when it releases and exhale through the contraction. Don't do quick breaths, you'll hyperventilate. Long slow breaths. They didn't hurt to start, but after you've done fifty crunches, the muscles get tired and it hurts. Lol. Mine would be constant for several hours, and then stop for a bit. Then it would start up again.

And if you can, labor in the tub, it takes the weight off your stomach and its so comfortable. I wouldn't worry too much about your water breaking, my midwife broke mine after I was admitted and dialated to 6cm, to help the process along, and she said most waters get broken by staff at the hospital or when you're ready to go, and fully dialated. It's common in movies as the sign to go to the hospital, but in reality they probably would've already been deep in contractions for a while. :-)

Answer

Thank You all ladies for all the advice!!  😊

Answer

for me i slways had thus restless energy a dew hours before i went into labor. kinda like having too much caffiene. then a backache and then the contractions will come. with real contractions you can SEE and feel your stomach tightening up thats how they know yoyr having them . braxton hicks usually arent visible, go away if you change positions, get up and move around/ or rest depending on how active your being when they start  or you drink some water. and if your water breaks go to the hospital right away. theres really no mistaking that when it hapoens. its like peeing yourself except ir doesnt stop. hope this helps

How to know if you are having contractions? (1st preg)

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