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I will answer the question to how a contraction feels...It is like a menstral cramp. If you have ever had bad menstral cramps that come and go. It is like that and then they continue to progress to longer cramps and more painful. But with every pain you know that it will go away in a little bit and you can take a breather before the next one. Does that answer your question...anyone agree with me?

I would have to say contractions feel like menstrual cramps. I am now 37 wks and having braxton Hicks contractions (which feel like menstrual cramps). This is my 2nd baby. W/my 1st baby, she was breech-but I was in labor for 12hrs b4 having a c-section. Those labor pains also felt like menstrual cramps. Good Luck!!!

I am 39 weeks today, and I think I just finally figured out what Braxton Hicks feel like. I am 1 cm dialated...since 3 weeks ago, but haven't even lost my mucus plug yet (don't think so anyway). I was at the store today shopping with my husband, and ALL OF THE SUDDEN, my stomach just starts tightening up like the baby is trying to push its entire body out of my belly b___ton. For the past 3 weeks, I have been getting cramps, but I figured out it was only gas, or that I had to poo really bad. This is my first, so I don't even know what to expect. I get the same answer about labor contractions...that I will know when it is happening, and not to worry. DON'T WORRY? The hospital here doesn't even have pain meds for pregnant women. No Epidural, Spinal...no nothing. Everyone tells me it's no different than period cramps...I don't know about anyone else, but my period cramps hurt soooooooo bad that I have to call off the day from work, or take the day out of school and just sit there in agony and moan because NO PAIN RELIEVER will work no matter what it is. If that is labor, it sounds kind of scary.

i would like to know if you have a urine infection can that cause you to have labor contractions

My BH were different than my labor ones. My BH just felt like a tightening. The labor felt like bad menstral cramps. Eva, I rarely get bad cramps. I got induced and at 4 cm they felt like fairly heavy cramps. If my cramps were normally that bad I would stay off of work, but it wasn't unbearable as they come and go during labor. It is not constant. At that point I got an epidural so beyond 4 cm I'm no sure how bad t gets (though I wouldnt want to find out, lol).

First let me say Congrats! You are worring about the same thing hat 90% of all of us do! To me, the contractions felt like a terriable gas pain. The only way I could get comfy was to walk. And I did this thing....Ok you lean over on something....back of a couch or something. Put your feet a little past shoulder length and rock from side to side. It's amazing how much better you feel. And it opens up the pelvis for baby to come down. Once I got to the hospital I did recieve and Epidural and I loved every minute of it. For the next few hours I didn't feel anything and gave my body time to relaxe and let it do what it should do. Next thing I knew there was a little pressure and I was at +3 station (+5 is crowning)...Ipushed 5 times and it was over! I'm pregnant w/ #2 and will do the same as the first. It's great! Good luck to you all! La Donna!!

I know this is now an old original thread,but the question will always be the same.for me mine started as a real backache,and uncomfortable cramps,like they say,pre-mentral.A feeling you really want to go a toilet,but cannot.As labour progressed,and the epidural did not take,I seemed to lose control and panic,feeling my body was not my own,the pain intensified and I kept thinking it cannot get worse.I felt alone,in pain,at one point as if my legs were being ripped apart.On a contraction they cut my perinean my that hurt,and the pain did not just disappear after the birth.In contrast the c-section,my choice,was more relaxed actually enjoyable.

I'm gonna tell u the truth. Labor kills. I tried narcotics and all it did was make me feel drunk and did not stop the pain. Don't do it. After 9 hours of labor i decided to get a epidermal cuz i couldn't take it anymore (it was worse than my 1st.) The epidermal was the best. I felt nothing at all.... 100 percent numb. I wish i didn't it hours ago in the labor. I would recommend it to everyone. why go through the pain. And hey ladies, castol oil is horrible. I believe that it made my baby have a bowel movement inside me and it was very dangerous and birth. My husband couldn't even cut the cord because they had to take the baby right away when she came out. Hope i helped.

Ladies im 40wks almost had my little guy premature at 30wks but thank god for the doctors today, we got him to stay in there, tonight im feeling really bad contractions, tighting of stomach, like menstral cramps, and the contractions are so hard its tough to take nice deep breaths, i called my doctor im going in the get checked out, i will update you to let you know what happened...but contractions..bh contractions dont last as long and occur as often as real ones, real contractions normally last around a min long and come between 2-5 mins apart..hope this helped.

The same thing happened to me as Marcie wrote on March 9th. Except, I didn't get a chance to go to the hospital, or have the baby. Because everything just stopped after three days. I've had this bad urge to go to the bathroom for over a week, and for thee days I had agonizing lower back pain, along with very uncomfortable, painful contractions. But then, the backpain started slowly leaving, and the contractions just suddenly stopped! I'm 39 weeks now. And really thought something was going to finally happen. Pretty disappointing! I have no idea what's going on or when I'll be going soon!

hi me, I hope I did not scare you with my descrpition,especially as you say you are experiencing the same symptoms. It really is like bad period cramps is'nt it? The difference is although the cramps are more painful than a bad period pain, the labour ones come and go. With period ones you are stuck until you take something for it. As labour goes on the pains get harder and closer. As I say I got to the hospital, willing to take anything to get rid of the pain,and the epidural did not take. I then felt like I was on my own, not really being able to concentrate on others around me. The pain more intense than I even imagined. I really honestly felt like my legs were being torn apart. I wanted to die, I really did. When the cut me,tnat hurt too, after the birth it took a while for me to be comforatable, having a wee I felt a burning sensation as it hit my st_tches. As I say by contrast my elective section was not as bad. It is however, good to share birth experiences especially the main question,which is this one, "what does labour feel like?"

if you want to know what its like when the baby starts to come out, get both your index fingers and hook them on the corners of your mouth, and pull until your lips cant stretch any more, and release, and do it again but harder, thats just an idea. Ha ha thats how my midwife explained it to me

bloody painful....do not know which is worse a natural birth or surgical. Both have good points and bad ones.

I agree with the last comment,both have good and bad points,although I would prefer surgical,you can go at your own pace during recovery.

it herts like hell

yes, it does hurt like hell. The worst pain in my entire life,and when it was over, apart from being very sore for a long time was also the happiest day of my life.