https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Tue, 12 May 2026 17:10:24 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-93628 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 18:51:30 +0000 StbHisMrs 93628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Maysprout<br /> I will second that.<br /> When my contractions started (and they started consistently at week 28) they were mild for the most part, it was the frequency that was being monitored they felt like small tightening cramps.<br /> I was induced with pitocin and that didn't make them stronger, it actually made them almost subside. Then they broke my water and Holy Mother of .... they took over my body, I've been in labor before and don't remember them being that bad. </p> <p>It was like a giant grabbed my entire body and twisted it, then slowly let go just to start all over again. By the time I got my epi I'd passed transition and was pushing within 10 minutes. I would never compare true labor contractions to cramps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-93451 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:02:57 +0000 lemondrop 93451@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In high school I used to have cramps so bad that I would throw up. Labor is so much worse than that! I threw up at about 6-7 cm too. </p> <p>To echo above- contractions take over your whole body, all I could do was lay there and wait for them to pass. The worst part was how frequent they were, right on top of each other, no relief. </p> <p>My anesthesiologist was MIA for an hour when it came time for my epidural, but I forgave him once he showed up and gave that amazing epidural. </p> <p>All that being said, I won't automatically jump to an epidural next time either, I'll see how it goes, but I'm definitely not against it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-93265 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:02:52 +0000 Maysprout 93265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My contractions never really felt like cramps. Before my water broke I'd take contractions over bad cramps. After my water broke there's no pain that I've felt that's comparable for intensity or feeling. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-93129 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 07:44:42 +0000 tequiero21 93129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i am a tiny bit worried that i won't be able to tell the difference but from your experiences, i think i should know eh? lol. i've been getting tons of braxton hicks, but right now, not confusing that with real contractions because it's not painful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-93058 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 04:20:05 +0000 mediagirl 93058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can't wait to go into labor now.... :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-93027 Wed, 14 Mar 2012 00:19:08 +0000 cupcakemama 93027@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yep have to agree with all the pp. It starts out feeling like really bad cramps and ramps up from there. I found that after the OB broke my waters the pain increased exponentially again. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92802 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:26:21 +0000 littleveesmommy 92802@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I am the lucky few who never really had bad cramps during my period so when everyone told me that I am in labor when my contractions feels like cramps, I really had no idea what that meant. Well, now I do and then some!!! In the beginning it's bearable but when you get past 6-7cm dilated, it really takes all the concentration you've got to get past them! I went through labor with LO sans meds so I felt everything and it was intense! Honestly the worst pain I have ever experienced. I think I scarred DH for life - he hated seeing me in so much pain. He said around 8cm, after my midwife broke my water, was when I started having a lot of trouble working through them and actually screamed out during some. Once I was able to get back into control I was just groaning very loudly. </p> <p>As crazy as it sounds, I would totally do it again sans meds the next time. DH thinks I'm crazy since I now know how it feels, but I think of I can get through it once I can do it again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92759 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:05:59 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 92759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Before my water broke they were like really bad cramps, after though it was a whole different ball game, and not in a good way. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92741 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:44:48 +0000 Andrea 92741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@daniellemybelle: yeah sorry not in the ball park or else they would just give you ibuprofen and not an epi! I got an epi the first time around but I would like to attempt it without the second time around so that is saying something! Don't be discouraged! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92733 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:23:58 +0000 daniellemybelle 92733@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Nskillet: That crossed my mind as well! I still want to go natural but it is definitely daunting!</p> <p>@Andrea: Before my ibuprofen kicked in, I was immobilized, but I know that they didn't equal contractions! I was just wondering if they even were in the ball park... and I guess the consensus is only really in the beginning! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92721 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:04:32 +0000 Running Elley 92721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Nskillet: Totally agree! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92711 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:25:50 +0000 keiki_mama 92711@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Nskillet: I'm with you! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92707 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:23:06 +0000 Nskillet 92707@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Suddenly my desire to go as long as I can no meds is going away. Epidural please! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92702 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:19:52 +0000 chopsuey 92702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They start off feeling like REALLY bad cramps. Maybe my worst crampsx5. Then they get more and more painful and stop feeling like cramps. :P </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92701 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:18:30 +0000 Andrea 92701@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@banana: heh. well, it does say something that most people do it more than once, though. hey, us women can handle anything. :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92697 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:16:43 +0000 banana 92697@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@andrea: LOL! Dang..tell it like it is, girlfriend! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92692 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:11:51 +0000 Andrea 92692@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If your cramps immobilize you and you can't speak and you can't see and you truly want to die, then yes that equals contractions! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92684 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:04:31 +0000 banana 92684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Totally agree. At first, they feel like REALLY bad cramps. And I thought "Man...if this is as bad as it gets then I don't need an epidural after all." Ummm no. They get MUCH MUCH worse. I have a pretty high tolerance for pain and I've got to say that contractions are one of the most painful things I've ever felt. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92673 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:58:39 +0000 heffalump 92673@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>In the beginning they felt like very bad cramps. But then they get so much worse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92670 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:57:01 +0000 mrs. wagon 92670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've had pretty bad cramps, and when I first went into labor, they felt JUST like those. Then they escalated to the point where I couldn't walk or talk while they were happening, which sounds similar to the level of pain you've experienced. There was no position I could get into to make the pain even lessen a little bit-- every position I got into, they felt exactly the same. I literally felt like a giant had put his hand into my body and was squeezing my uterus into a tiny little ball... if my uterus was made of coal, he would have made it into a diamond.</p> <p>at 8cm dilated and when my epidural wore off, I literally thought I was going to go insane from the pain. I couldn't stop myself from screaming horror movie screams. I would literally grit my teeth and try not to open my mouth, but the screams would rip through my teeth and my mouth would fly open. </p> <p>Sorry :T I'm brutally honest when it comes to these things! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92668 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:55:13 +0000 Mrsbells 92668@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>From what I've been told contractions dont compare to cramps, contractions are on a whole other level. Thats what my cousin told me based on her labor, and she usually has bad menstrual cramps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92664 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:52:35 +0000 Rubies 92664@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Contractions feel like your worst period cramps times a billion, no joke. Sorry... :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/those-with-horrible-cramps-how-much-worse-are-contractions#post-92661 Tue, 13 Mar 2012 12:49:58 +0000 daniellemybelle 92661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've heard a lot of you compare contractions to really bad cramps. This morning, as I was breathing through the most horrible cramps, trying not to pass out or puke, I thought, "Labor can't be *that* much worse than this."</p> <p>Of course I know it is, but I fall into the unfortunate category of women who have truly debilitating cramps. I was on the BCP for a long time and so my cramps were much better. Now that we are using NFP, I feel great the majority the month, but the first two days of my period are pretty horrendous. I take 4 ibuprofen every 12 hours or so and that makes it so I can function, but without that, I literally can't move from the pain. Do any of you have cramps like that, and how much worse was labor? </p>