What do contractions REALLY feel like?

Question

Over the weekend my boyfriend and I went on our babymoon and I woke up at 4:00 in the morning with pretty intense stomach cramps. These cramps felt like having some of the worst diarrhea though, they were so bad I had to breathe through them. I thought contractions were like when you have your period?-- but obviously worse. If it's like diarrhea pains I'm out lol I wanted to do it natural but sign me up for that epidural😂
*hey everyone! Just wanted to comment back in and let you know my son was born 8/5/17 --I know what they feel like now 😫 lol

Answer

I had this happen to me last week! I had always read the cramping described as during to be like the ones during your menstrual, but these were those "you knew you shouldn't have drank that milk," cramps. All I could think was that I was prepared to handle the former, not the latter & was sitting on the 🚽 fighting leg cramps and practicing my breathing but the whole time thinking "OH NO BABY WHAT IS YOU DOIN'?!" This is my first so I only know which type of pain I was leaning toward (as if we get to choose) 😭

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Read that middle paragraph!

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For my it felt like someone was ripping my pubic bone apart. So so painful. Nothing like period cramps. My contractions were all around my pubic bone.

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I can't say they felt like poop pains to me but they are nothing like period cramps. It's a tightening of your whole mid section and some women feel it intensely in their back or sacral area. I did labor mostly on the toilet, despite the pressure not feeling very much like elimination pains. It was a place where I could relax and not worry about "making a mess." Also a place I am used to being when I feel like pushing something out so I was really able to advance things in there. Remember this, contractions even at their most intense last only up to 60-90 seconds at a time. Then you get a chance to breathe and relax. You can do anything for a minute! I know you can!

Answer

Sounds like possible Braxton Hicks. If they are, putting your feet up and drinking water should make them go away. If they don't, start timing them and then go to the hospital at whatever interval your doctor suggests. Labor pain will literally take your breath away and your stomach will get harder. You'll also likely feel them in your back more.

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I think everyone experiences something a little different. When my baby was ready in the beginning, I felt like I had to go number two. I was constantly running to the bathroom thinking if I didn't I was going to soil myself. (Don't be scared, it happens to many because the feeling and pushing are similar to bowel movements). I used hypnobirthing techniques which helped me focus on the feeling as a surge or wave of my muscles moving my baby gently down the birth canal. The more relaxed you are, the less tense your muscles are, the more gentle the contractions.

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Contractions are the tightening of your stomach muscles (feel like intense cramps). Don't let it discourage you from trying a natural birth, the pain is only temporary

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Hey that's my birthday! Congrats(: to me they felt like having to take the BIGGEST poop of your life but having to hold it in. Lol

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Some of the early contractions are like period cramps, but pushing is pushing, hate to say it. This baby is coming out awfully close to where the other comes from, and the push feels about the same, though the intermittent factor helps immensely! Don't give up on the natural birth because of how it feels! You had good reasons for that decision, and I guarantee you will feel like giving up at some point. Good news is, millions of us have done it in spite of that feeling, and you can, too!

What do contractions REALLY feel like?

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