I don't want some type of internet answer that you find off of a website and I don't want an answer that you find from a book (I have already read plenty.)
I want to know from people's personal experiences, do labor contractions actually have to be painful to classify as labor contractions?Also, what else (if anything else) do you feel a long with them, such as pain in your vaginal area, ect? If you have never given birth, please do not answer. I need to find this out asap. I am 41 wks preg and very curious.
2007-09-25 16:21:22 · 26 answers · asked by Miley 4 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
i will suggest to you to go for a walk if you want the baby out i did this and the next early morning my water broke but the previous night i had pains across my stomach and my vaginal area hope this helps good luck with the birth and congratulations
Vicky
2007-09-25 16:26:32 · answer #1 · answered by vicky_vicstar 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When they first start out, they may not be painful at all. It just feels like a tightening of your abdomen. This is the point when you are probably not at the hospital yet. They may be fairly close together, but you can still talk through them. This happened to me with my second son. I was dilated to 4cm, and having mild contractions for a couple of days. The contractions started getting regular, and close together (5 minutes or so), and I went to the hospital, but was sent home. (still no pain at this point). Several hours later, the pain kicked in, and my water broke (you will know if this happens). We went back to the hospital, and he was born a few hours later. You asked about the location of the pain - let's just say it hurts from the top of your abdomen, all the way down, including the vaginal area, and it hurts enough that you can't really do anything else but wait it out. If you end up being induced, your experience will be a little different. There isn't much build up. Once the contractions start, it hurts. Don't be afraid to ask for the epidural, if you want it. It allows you to relax through the contractions, and save your energy for pushing. Good luck. You're almost there!
2007-09-25 23:37:25 · answer #2 · answered by Tiss 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had my daughter 8 mos ago so the memory is pretty fresh. Labor contractions are extrememly painful. At least it was for me. They feel like mentrual cramps multiplied 100 times. It felt like a lot of pressure and tightening. I felt it everywhere. The closer they get the worse they get.
I lasted for about 8 hours before I asked for some relief. Then when I was 3 centemeters I had an epidural and I would NEVER do it again without one. I still felt the contractions while delivering but they were WAY less intense and were actually helpful. I used them to push and the contractions did most of the work. My labor was endused and it lasted 21 hours from start to finish. I hope that helped a little. Good luck and congrats!
2007-09-25 23:35:29 · answer #3 · answered by bumbypie 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am expecting my 5th child in about 4 weeks. I am going to answer by briefing you on my 3rd labor and delivery....
I felt really cruddy all day long and was discouraged because I was not in labor (had been to doc office at 8 am and told I was no more dilated than I had been the week before). I decided in the late afternoon that I was going to take a warm bath and call it a day early. When I got out of the tub, I realized I was having contractions. I started timing and by the 4th contraction, we were getting ready to go to the hospital. I felt an enormous amout of pressure in my butt...yes my butt. My little girl was born within 45 minutes of me realizing I was in labor. If you think you might be in labor, go get checked. If you're not, you won't be the first 41 weeker to be sent back home (I know that from experience too). Good Luck and congrats on the new blessing.
Oh my other l&ds were just variations of the "textbook" labors.
2007-09-25 23:37:50 · answer #4 · answered by Psalm91 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I had heaps of Braxton-Hicks contractions before actual labour, some quite strong, but never painful. For both my kids, labour started in the early hours of the morning and woke me up every time. More like very strong period pain. That's the level of pain I had until about 4-5cm dilation. Then pain was worse, especially suprapubic. As baby moved down, pain more in the lower back, and then eventually all over lower back, suprapubic, pelvic area and upper thighs. That's when baby is navigating under the pubic bone, because this is a narrow diameter. I was a real baby with the pain (no pun intended!), but my mom told me she just walked around the whole time and did deep breathing, 3 pushes and out comes baby. I actually kind of preferred the C-section (my first) because when the pain is really intense, they just knock you out and you wake up and there's baby. With vaginal delivery (my second), it was definitely the worst pain ever the 1/2 hour before baby was born. I'd suggest you join a Lamaz or similar type of class. They teach you how to deal with pain more effectively (I never had access to them, but would have gone if able).
2007-09-25 23:42:00 · answer #5 · answered by Linni 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
very early labor can be nearly painless, mostly just uncomfortable. I actually slept through early labor and woke up only when the contractions were 3-5 minutes apart. Productive labor is usually painful, with pain in the back, radiating to the front. Pain and pressure in the vaginal area is normal too. Good luck, you will be a mommy soon!
2007-09-25 23:26:07 · answer #6 · answered by parental unit 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi there Mom of 2 Boys!
3 and 4 Months!
Labor Contractions , ( not going to lie ) HURT LIKE HELL!
And both times I only Felt The Pain In my Stomach and Lower Stomach! Its Like a Tightening , That Only gets Worse , Feels Like someone is twisting your whole Middle!
I Got an Epi w/ Both Babies Though! Not telling you what to do! But when i FINALLY got the epidural , IT WAS HEAVEN! I got to enjoy the birth and everything! Yeah ENJOY PAIN FREE! Good Luck! Hope all Goes Well!
Also! In Early Labor NO! They do Not have to Hurt , It can be a Tight feeling and goes from your back to your front! And Progress From there!
2007-09-25 23:31:45 · answer #7 · answered by CeCe 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
When I went into labor with my oldest, it started as a dull back ache that slowly increased in intensity over the night. By the next morning my back was hurting so bad I was literally squirming around in my bed trying to find relief! The back pain continued to intensify until my husband drove me to my OB's office at 1 that afternoon. When she checked my cervix I was dilated to a 2 and she went ahead and admitted me (due to some complications with my son's heart rate that needed to be monitored)
I never felt a single contraction in my stomach, it was 100% in my back...but is WAS defeintely painful!
This time around (I am 40 weeks) I have been dilated to a two and having contractions for about three weeks...although they aren't painful, just uncomfortable. I am hoping when I go in for my appointment tomorrow I will be more dilated and they will give me some sort of hope that this little guy is on his way!!
2007-09-26 00:09:37 · answer #8 · answered by western b 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
With my first pregnancy, I was getting the non-painful Braxton Hicks contracts that started at 34 weeks.
The next week, I was dilated to 3 cm, but my contractions weren't very painful, even though the were regular - five to seven minutes apart.
Since I was early, they didn't want to induce labor, and sent me home. For another week I had regular, non-painful contractions. I went for a routine doctor's appointment and they said I was dilated to 5 cm at that point. Afterward, I was sent to the hospital.
I was there for about six hours before was completely dilated. The contractions began to be painful when I was about 7 cm. I didn't have any vaginal pain though. Just severe 'bouts of intense pain in my uterus that last for a couple of minutes each.
So, to answer your question, I was in "active" labor for a couple of weeks, but it wasn't until a couple of hours before the actual birth where I was in any serious pain.
It's definitely bearable, although I chickened out and took the Demerol that was offered to me.
Good luck! :-)
2007-09-25 23:41:23 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I was 41 weeks and 1 day when i gave birth to my baby girl..braxton hicks are not that painful..they feel like menstrual cramps..but when the labour contractions happen..you'll know that you're almost there..min started on july 1st..they were ok i kept breathing through them..but they became much more intense on july 2nd..and 3rd! my God!..i had to take the epidural..what i relief!..anyways..i'm not going to lie..they are so painful..i wanted her out ASAP...lol..you feel severe pain in your lower tummy..and above your viginal area..its when the tummy is tightening and baby is pushing down and getting ready to come out..so you'll feel as if there's knives stabbing you in that area..lol.. i dont want to scare you..but it really hurts..its liek smthg is squeezing that area really hard..that you'll cry..these are contractions..it can last from 30 - 60 seconds..depends how long yours are.. the longer the more painful...you can try to slowly breath in and out..it kind've helps..in the end though you'll be able to do it..and if you end up taking the epidural..you wont feel a thing..its a Magical tool!
2007-09-25 23:57:05 · answer #10 · answered by nano c 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Early labor contractions don't really hurt that bad. They feel different for different people. Mine always felt like mild period cramps to start. My best friend even thought her tummy was just upset but it was labor. You will feel a tightening of the abdomen just like in Braxton Hicks. It may feel like the baby is bunching up. You may have some pain in your back and legs as well. However, some women only have pain in the abdomen. In my case, that happened to me all 3 times. I never had much back pain until I was well into active labor.
2007-09-25 23:27:03 · answer #11 · answered by busemomme 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋