can conractions stop and start?

[worriedbabe]

last night i had what i can only describe as fullblown contractions. i was very tired and trying to sleep at the time so unfortunately only timed the last 3, which were 40 seconds in duration ( normal for me for a contraction ) and coming every five minutes apart. i guess this was happening for about an hour and a half. after i'd timed 3, i was going to ring the hospital and then, as suddenly as they'd came, my pains stopped. i have had painful braxton hicks this time around...but nothing like this. my worry with those was if i couldn't tell the difference between them and early labour. this was like fullblown labour ( which i've been through 3 times ) and i'm so puzzled how the pains suddenly stopped. any insights? i've no idea what my body's doing.

[megmil]

THey certainly can. I was in the hospital four times with my last son with contractions and dilating and after being in the hospital for a day they just stopped. They thought each time I was actually going to have him and kept me monitored because it was too early but they just stopped.

[Grandmatobe]

With my first daughter, I didn't even have painful BH - - just good old fashioned contractions when I was in labor.  With my second - ugh!  I was having the WORST BH contractions and I was SURE I was in labor.  Went to the doctor for a checkup and he said they were nothing more than BH.  I couldn't believe it - - I mean, I had already been through one labor, so you would think I would know the difference.  Nope.  I ended up being induced for my second delivery.

I often wonder if the contractions during a subsequent delivery are harder than the first.  Doesn't make much sense, but it sure was that way for my deliveries.

[worriedbabe]

hmmm...i hope not! am only 32 1/2 weeks. i checked it out though and apparently some women can go on like that for weeks, hopefully i'm one of them. lost my plug at 31 weeks so don't think i'll make it to 40 weeks now. but, a few weeks more would be good.

[hope_peace]

The girl I nannied for she had contractions like that. they were full blown contractions and then just stopped and then a day later they started again and she ended up having her baby. so who knows maybe its just the start

[mami1323]

This happened to me as I got closer to my due date.  I believe its our bodies way of preparing for birth.  It may be BH contractions or real contractions.  At the time mine were real but it wasn't consistent enough to be considered active labor.  I had to be induced at 41 weeks.  

[Darkestlight]

YES, happened to me about 2-3 days ago, I'm in the hospital too keep in mind. I started having full blown contractions, every 2 mins lasting 40 sec each. This went on for about a hr and a half. Then just went away.