From the article: True Labor versus False Labor
Everyone describes contractions differently. Some say it's sharp pain, others say dull and crampy. Do contractions feel anything like Braxton Hicks Contractions from pregnancy? Being prepared for any kind of pain is difficult to do, but some readers help give you advice on what to expect from labor and delivery. Share Your Experience
painful but joyful
- With my first pregnancy everything th at could go wrong went wrong. I got the epidural well it didn't work. They poked me four times in the back with that thing. All it done was put me in worse pain. It left a baseball size knot and bruise on my back. And I could taste the medicine in my mouth because they pumped me so full of it. Ended up throwing up and was in labor for 33 hrs. After having her she had used the bathroom in her sac and in my uterus. So we both had to have antibiotics. They ran a cord down her throath into her stomach to clean her out. They took the epidural out of my back and it was bent like a fish hook. It was suppose to be straight. Not to mention the blood loss I had. Well with baby number two I refused medicine and liked to never got through it. She was bigger than my first baby was. They sit me up put me sideways layed me down some etc. To get me to dilate 3 more cm to have her it wasn't happening just like it didn't with my first. They had to thin my cervix out
- —Guest grace
Contraction pain
- Well with my first I was in active labour for 26 hours the first was 18 hours of getting from 2 cms to 7 1/2 then 7 hours of getting to ten then one hour of pushing every few minutes with the largest tear being 8 cms the most painful part for me was the tearing but the whole thing was excruciating without drugs my second pregnancy was 1 hour of back to back contractions and 2 pushes I had gas for this one to help me breathe with the non stop contractions this was also very painful but not as painful as my first I'm now eagerly awaiting my third and am 22 weeks and have been experiencing bra ton hicks now for three days on and of which I had with both my other children these have varied in pain from none to sharp cramps hope this is helpful ps I screamed through the last hour of my first but with my second I only cried out for the first few contraction
- —Guest Rachael
Terrible, but doable
- I had my little guy 13 months ago. I'm kinda small, 5'3" so I thought it might be more difficult for me. Apparantly I have good baby hips or something, cuz from the first contraction to the second he was born, was a total of about 7 hours. The first 5 were really tough, but bearable if I rocked on the ball thing they have. The 6th hour for me was terrible, it quickly got worse and worse and the whole 7th hour was excruciating. But I'm really not crazy about medicines, they freak me out. So I bared down and pushed him out in 5 pushes the very second I felt like it was time! Some advice to moms to be? Do whatever you need to do to stay calm and try not to freak out too much. If your calm I think that makes it alot easier.
- —Guest First Time Mommy
Everyone is different
- I agree w another poster that there are some very judgemental comments on here. If braxton hicks are uncomfortable or painful for u it does not mean u have a "very low pain tolerance". This is my fourth child & every pregnancy has been different. I've had very different deliveries as well....from induction, to natural, to epidural that only took on half my body. Every experience, even from the same mommy, is different. I am 22 weeks along & already having Braxton hicks which are very uncomfortable. Not painful (like actual labor pains) but the tightening does stop me from whatever I am doing until it stops. This is a new experience for me. Unlike one posters comment, I actually have a very high pain tolerance, but it is something new & intense happening w my body. Please try to enjoy every aspect of ur pregnancy....the easy, the painful, the little kicks & movements, the Braxton hicks & yes, even the actual labor. It goes by so quick!
- —Guest Everyone is different
Tryna keep it COOL ;)
- I have now been through my whole 40weeks in labour, im actually 1 and a half weeks over due, supposed to be getting induced this tuesday, but my stubourn baby decides she wants to come a day before hand. haha Contractions are deffinately painful would say more in my back and thigh region and stomach n pelvis mussel tightnings are quite herendious -.- But i rekon if you control your breathing & you have the loving support of your own family surrounding you with comfort. everything will be sweet as ;) oh and a pair of extra great massaging hands hehe carnt wait till my babygirl arrives, second baby contractions getting closer and still hava nuff strength to comment! ;) mean
- —Guest Dommy
So much worse than expected...
- I usually have a very high pain tolerance. I went through 7 long, grueling weeks of false labour before the real thing finally kicked in. Everyone promised me all the false labour would make the real thing easier, so not true. I have never screamed so loud in my life. I'm usually so quiet my relatives were crying down the hallway listening to my screams, terrified something must be wrong. Maybe it was and that's why it was so bad, but 10 months later, I certainly do not forget how bad it was. I'm absolutely petrified to do it again, but love my daughter so much I'm hoping it will somehow be different next time around if I end up pregnant again. I ended up with a c-section in the end, and didn't even want to see my daughter when I woke up. I was just relieved to be alive and wanted out of that damn hospital. I spent my whole life wanting to be a mom, and have no doubt you can never replace the feeling of having your own children... but damn, man, that was worse than death.
- —Guest nana
Not that bad!
- I have to say that labor really isn't as bad as most people are saying! It really isn't. I had one natural, one induced, epidoral, water broke (gush), and water broke (trickle). Honestly none were THAT bad. The contractions weren't that bad. Heck I didn't even know I was in real labor with my all natural one until I was already 10 cm. That's when I got to the hospital. Yes expect some pain, yes expect some things you weren't expecting. BUT it's not like you are dying and once you have that baby in your arms you forget about the pain because all you can think about is that beautiful bundle of joy you brought into the world. CONGRATS TO EVERYONE EXPECTING!
- —Guest Mommyof5
Labour pain
- It's so true how they say labour pain is different each time, wen I had my first it was so scary all I wanted to do was scream which actually made pains worse, wen I had my second all I was consentration on was breathing and what my body is saying it really help my second was born on ambulance it was a quick process with my third I was induced an that pain is even worse then labour pain even breathing didnt help, now am 37+5 week pregnant its 26/12/12 Wednesday 2:23am I hav been getting contraction since Saturday but no progress every pain seems like now am going but no sign of baby this time round it all feels new again jus dnt knw wen it will end. My advice to all mums to be is listen to your body concentrate and then try breathing in and out it really helps trust me with every contration do your breathing from the start your feel that you got actual contration or even with your braxton hicks try it
- —Guest Four musketeers
no pain, fast labour
- My first baby outt of four was so fast,i had a show 7.30am then nothing till 1am, my contractions started with feeling of little stomach ache 1.20am delivary suite here I come he was born at 1.50am I coped without any painkillers as was not very painful...my 3 girls were fast labours to, each off them an hour and no painkillers again...my kids weights were between 6.6 -- 8.1....and honestly I sailed through with no problems and very little pain, my daughter who is 6 days away from having her son is hoping her labour is easy as mine were :)
- —Guest tanzkanz
Ready
- 38 weeks been feeling these abdominal pains for 2 days scared to be having fake labour so i don want to go to the doc yet no dischrge im jus scared ths ma first baby okay
- —Guest Sheb
32 weeks
- this is my first baby, im very nervous about giving birth ive had a pretty easy pregnancy but about a couple of weeks ago i started hurting really low and when i walk or move it is very painful. I wake up with it and throughout the day it wears away then i wake up with it again the baby moves all the time though and has hiccups alot anyone else scared?
- —Guest rachel
i had my first child 14 yrs ago
- I had my 1 child 14 yrs ago im about to give birth soon with my second child im so scared im 31 now but it feels like idk what is going on nor do i remember on what to expect
- —Guest gina
painful but worth it!
- I'll be honest and say that contractions aren't a walk in the park. I was in labor for over 26 hours and at first the contractions hurt but they weren't horrible until I started having back labor which was pretty painful. Thankfully by the time they got there I was able to get my epidural which made a world of difference. The epidural hardly hurt at all since I was having big contractions throughout the procedure. A common misconception is that if you get an epidural you can't feel when you give birth.NOT TRUE! They turned my epidural off I'd say half an hour or so before I felt him move down into the birth canal. So I got to feel him shift down and got to feel all my pushes and had him out in less then ten minutes of pushing. And by the time they took me to my room the epidural was pretty much completely worn off. I was able to walk and do whatever. I'm pregnant with number two and am.going to attempt to avoid the epidural.
- —Guest katiefaith
Worse second time around!!!
- Dull tightening like pms cramps. Much worse second time around. Only time I get relief is when I lie down.
- —Guest Sarah
Confused
- Hi, I am 31 weeks pregnant. The past few days I've been waking up out of my sleep to sereve sharp pains in my whole stomach ( none in my back I don't believe) the pain is so intense I cant stand it I can't even move I cry and try to breathe right. My water hasn't broke there's no mucus plug or anything else that I can recall but it only happens at night or while I'm sleeping. Last night I had 3 meaning it came on strong for maybe up to a min went away and 2 more after that the pain seemed like it was increasing while I felt it. I'm lost On if this is how it feels to be in false labor or if this is something more serious. During the day I feel fine they don't happen. Though today I felt sick in my stomach and dull lower stomach pain I do feel him moving and kicking alot. The first time I experience this I went to the hospital and they told me I was okay I asked the hospital what was I feeling and all they told me was you feel lots of pain ( :/ didn't help at all) my obgyn said its norm
- —Guest Amber
1-15 of 186Next
