I had intense back labor, but if I vocalized throughout the contraction it was bearable. My labor started with what I could only describe as a "funny feeling" in my belly I didn't feel cramp-like sensations or hardening until later on.
As I progressed, I definitely felt the tightening, hardening feeling with intense cramps but all in my abdomen area With this one, I have been having BH contractions for quite some time. They began early on for me and the sensation felt like the baby was doing a twirling or twisting motion. Eventually, I realized that they were BH contractions and felt the classic hardening, tightening in my abdomen. It was that menstrual cramp feeling in the beginning, though, that distinguished them from the Braxton Hicks cramps I'd had through the pregnancy and let me know it was "real" labor.
Once I was about halfway dilated it felt like one big constant contraction, with no rest in between, even though the monitors showed a brief break between them. The contractions felt different with my second birth, though, and I wasn't sure I was really in labor. They didn't feel the same way they did the first time around, and my BH contractions had been so intense and uncomfortable painful, not just the tightening feeling the last month or two of my pregnancy, that I constantly felt like I was in early labor.
My baby was "sunny side up" that time too, so more of the pain was in my back. My mother and mother-in-law had told me they never knew when they were having contractions, just felt the pressure of pushing at the end. That astonished me. My mom literally never knew when she was having contractions, just knew that she 'felt funny. I had a c-section after pushing non medicated for 5 hours with my fat, 9lb 37 week direct OP baby occiput posterior -- baby who is facing up instead of back , and a non-medicated VBAC with my second, so feel like I really got a sense of what things felt like.
They started as menstrual cramps, and an ache in my lower back, moving around and increasing in intensity deep in my pelvis. I did not have back labor with either, even the OP babe. I have to say that I did not think they were that bad, I mean, intense, yes, requiring deep focus and coping, yes, but the worst pain I ever felt?
It was very freeing to surrender to the contractions, doing whatever felt good, no matter how crazy or silly it seemed. Labors last about 36 hours each, in both labors, I immersed myself in the tub, completely, except for my nose, when I had the intense contractions, removing all the sensory stimulation, ears underwater, eyes closed, remaining really loose.
Alternately, I did a lot of deep vocalization. As I said, hard, yes, intense, yes, all encompassing, yes, body wracking, yes, but incredibly painful -- no. Your body naturally helps you to cope by releasing endorphins, which can help to change your perception of pain.
After birth, the memory of those exhausting contractions will probably evaporate as you hold your new baby for the first time. The experience may give you a feeling of empowerment and achievement, alongside the elation of becoming a mum.
If you're feeling apprehensive about contractions and how you're going to cope with them, remember that your midwife will be there to help. She can support you to work with the pain or provide the pain relief you need. Understanding what an amazing job your body is doing while you're having contractions may also help. Multidimensional evaluation of pain during early and late labor: a comparison of nulliparous and multiparous women.
Physiology and care during the first stage of labour. Myles textbook for midwives. Signs that labour has begun. Birth environment. Evidence based guidelines for midwifery-led care in labour. Supporting women in labour. The labor progress handbook: early interventions to prevent and treat dystocia.
Chichester: Wiley Blackwell Walsh D. These tightenings are called Braxton Hicks contractions and are usually painless. Your contractions tend to become longer, stronger and more frequent as your labour progresses. During a contraction, the muscles tighten and the pain increases. If you put your hand on your abdomen, you'll feel it getting harder; when the muscles relax, the pain fades and you will feel the hardness ease.
The contractions are pushing your baby down and opening the entrance to your womb the cervix , ready for your baby to go through. Call your midwife or maternity unit for guidance when your contractions are in a regular pattern and:. Read more information on when to go to hospital. During pregnancy, there's a plug of mucus in your cervix. This mucus comes away just before labour starts, or when in early labour, and it may pass out of your vagina.
This sticky, jelly-like pink mucus is called a show. It may come away in 1 blob or in several pieces. It's pink because it contains a small amount of blood. If you're losing more blood, it may be a sign something is wrong, so phone your hospital or midwife straight away.
A show indicates that the cervix is starting to open. Braxton Hicks contractions can feel like very mild cramps or more intense pains. The pain of Braxton Hicks is usually felt at the front of the abdomen, and the intensity of these contractions may ebb and flow — for example, they could feel weaker, then stronger, then weaker again. As your due date nears, you might find that they feel stronger than they did earlier on in the second or third trimesters.
They are more likely to occur toward the end of the day, after physical exertion, or after sex. To relieve the pain or discomfort of Braxton Hicks contractions, try walking around or changing positions. Resting may also help make them go away. Staying hydrated helps make Braxton Hicks contractions less likely to occur, so keep drinking plenty of water.
For you, early contractions may feel quite painless or mild, or they may feel very strong and intense. Typically, real labor contractions feel like a pain or pressure that starts in the back and moves to the front of your lower abdomen. Unlike the ebb and flow of Braxton Hicks, true labor contractions feel steadily more intense over time. During true labor contractions your belly will tighten and feel very hard.
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