Labour pains and how you know?

Question

Do labour pains or contractions always start off painful. Im 39 weeks pregnant and wondered if they come on painful and spread apart first or if you can have contractions that gradually get more and more painful?
Im totally unaware and a little worried about it all happening. And are you more likely to have contractions first or do u waters break first?

Answer 1

Let me just tell you my experiences because they were all different. With my first baby I was getting very slight pains. Nothing bad, but I did notice them. I decided to go to bed and get some sleep just in case it was labor, and sure enough I woke up at 4am in serious pain contractions 2 minutes apart for the next 8 hours...They had to breadk my water at the hospital
My second was induced...so nothing bad and didnt get painful contractions until they broke my water.
My third was like the first....Contractions eventually getting a little stronger however They were not consistent..I would time them at 4 minutes, then 10 minutes, then 6, etc.... So they say 5 min apart...Just go anyways, even if they are inconsistent because I ended up having my baby a few hours later and my water broke on its own and that is when the contractions really began to hurt..
SO it was all different. Painful contractions without water breaking and also after it broke...So you can never tell. But you will always be able to tell when you are going into labor. You will just know. Try not to worry about it too much:)

Answer 2

In my experience, the pains started off as annoying twinges quite far apart and gradually built up to the most excruciating pains imaginable practically every 30 seconds!
When the pain was totally unbearable I begged for an epidural and after about 10 hours of established labour my waters had to be broken for me.
Everyone is different, some peoples waters break first and some have the contractions first.

Answer 3

As its your first, you will probable 'niggle' for a bit, maybe a few days before you have your show and your waters go. (unlikely to be the big gush everyone thinks of, more likely an annoying trickle). When the contractions start you'll probably realise whats going on quite quickly, due to the recurring nature of contractions! For me, I had niggle aches for a day or 2, then was awoken at 1am by a contraction. Took me a few to realise they were contractions, as felt like a bad ache, rather than a pain. They soon intensified though, within an hour or 2 I was at the delivery suite and 4 cms.

But everyone is different, and your experience may be totally different. You might have a spontaneous delivery! See http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/labour/howknowwheninlabour/. I found this site very useful through pregnancy, and still now with my 5 month old.

Best of luck, enjoy your bundle when s/he arrives!

Answer 4

All labours are different. I started getting labour twinges on the monday night, and I delivered my baby on Wed morning. So my labour pains gradually increased, and my water didn't break til early Wednesday morning - and that's when they were a lot stronger. On the other hand, my sister in law, started getting pains at 2am, and they we're super duper strong, she had the baby 2.5hrs later (it was quick, but pretty painful because there wasn't a gradual change for her body to adjust), as for her water, she had a slow leak, so she thought she just had to urinate every 10 minutes. Some women have their water break with no contractions for a while. If you're waters have broken, let your doctor know. And if your contractions are lasting 1min and are at least 5 minutes apart for an hour, call your doc and head to the hospital. Like I said, all pregnancies are different, good luck and congrats !

Answer 5

Mine were pretty constant as far as pain levels go, maybe a bit more painful for the last 3 hours. However, they don't always come regularly like the hospital will advise. I had contractions for 4 days coming every 20, 10, 8 and 5 mins apart (not in that order) right up until the baby was born. Stay calm and and the pain will be bearable. My waters didn't break until 1 hour before baby came but if yours break ring the maternity ward for their advice. Everyone is different and not always text book, Good luck x

Answer 6

Most likely contractions first but everyone's different. The contractions should start fairly mildly and with reasonable gaps between, building in frequency and intensity as labour progresses. Your waters may not break till really late on. The midwife was sceptical about me coming in when she heard my waters hadn't broken but said to get going when she heard the frequency of my contractions as I spoke to her on the phone. I was 6cm dilated on arrival and it was hours before my waters finally broke. Best to stay at home a while in familiar surroundings if you can.In the last trimester of pregnancy have you experienced Braxton Hicks contractions which feel like a tightening of the abdominal muscles? That's kind of how labour will feel earlier on. You'll know when you're established in labour. Your body will do its thing and there'll be no stopping it.

Answer 7

Regarding the waters - every labour is different and some will break first, some go a bit later as where others dont break and have to be broken at the hospital. Labour starts gently and gradually builds up over the hours - most women have mild pain at first and then a few hours in it gets more painful. Hence when you hear women saying I was in labour for 20 hours - often the hardest part only lasted a few hours. Dont worry about it - you'll know when its happening and dont worry - just go with the flow and you'll be fine. Good luck with your birth xxxxxxx

Answer 8

there are no set rules, waters could break before having any contractions or maybe not break at all, then the Dr would help you along by breaking your waters for you. For my 1st pregnancy I was induced at 38 weeks, you will certainly know when you are in labour, they could come on one every few hours or come thick and fast, there are no rules. My 3rd labour was very quick, I just managed to get to the labour ward, sat on the bed and there she was !!

Don't worry, you'll know when it's happening, it's not so bad, or people wouldn't keep on doing it would they. I would rather give birth than be pregnant for 9 months.

Answer 9

I was 3 days overdue with my second child, and didnt realise i was in labour for a few hours. I managed to walk home happily from a local gardens where i had been for coffee with my mum, get home, sit down relax. I only had mild back pain at first, which i then realised was my contractions. Turned into full blown back labour though. (painful) My waters both times were broken at the hospital.

Answer 10

It can start either way. Labour usually starts first though. You will know when it is a labour pain as you fell the uncontrollable urge to push as the pains occur. They are not always painful and the early ones are quite mild anyway. I am told that when you are giving birth the thought is always never again but when the result is there then you change and as time goes by you forget the pain and hope to go through it again.
All the best with you, your partner and your baby. Have a great Christmas.