contractions !??

[emilyyg]

What do contractions feel like ? Everyone keeps telling me period cramps. But I don't get the whole timing them. Lol do you get a random cramp in your belly for 30,seconds then 20 min later get another one on the other side ? Or is it all at once ? Or it is just the bottom of your stomach?,

[anm89]

I had contractions and back labor with my first. My contractions started out with just my tummy tightening, which would last a minute or two and then it would go soft again, then about 15-25 minutes would pass and it would happen again. It did that for like 2 days and it was very noticeable, not painful though. After that, I noticed that when my tummy would start to get tight I would also get some tiny cramps at the very bottom of my tummy and the cramps stayed there until the tightness was gone, (still lasting over a minute each, every 15ish minutes apart). Then I got induced, so not too sure how the normal contractions go on from there, but here's how mine went. After the pitocin was started, the contractions pretty much stayed the same except a little bit more crampy. I stayed pretty crampy for a few hours, was also dilating slowly. Once I was 5cm dilated that's when I really knew that they were contractions lol. Tummy would cramp in the front and lower back, then get rock hard, then cramp more with a few sharp pains thrown in, and then it would just stop out of no where. And it continued..and continued..lol. It just got closer together and more painful, but that was pretty much it. =)

[mamanavarro]

Stomach tightening will come and go like a wave. Back labor is more like a dull ache and then will get more intense then back to an ache. As u progress the pain will get stronger and stronger . u time when you feel the tightening of the belly or the back ache increase . then when it ends u will be able to breathe better .

[emilyyg]

With your stomach tightening did it come and go ?,or was it  constant thing? And do you know I with back labor is it a dull pain, or is it like cramps in your back?

[Nhoyt231]

My contractions i had with my previous children did not feel like period cramps. My whole stomach would tighten up and they didnt really hurt, just really uncomfortable and had to breath through them. I have high pain tolerance though. Some people dont even get contractions, they experience back labor. So i guess everyone is diff.