https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 13 May 2026 14:30:41 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-139732 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:13:24 +0000 kgbee 139732@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My early contractions literally contracted my body -- bent me in half at the hip. Once things got going, they felt more like menstrual or intestinal cramps. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-137624 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:20:25 +0000 MegWag 137624@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Is it weird that I have honestly no idea what contractions felt like? I don't think I could explain it if I tried because I just can't remember what it felt like... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-137225 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:37:17 +0000 Mrs.M57 137225@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regebradaisy<br /> Glad your appt went well, it sounds like your dr thinks your close, that's really encouraging that hopefully the crampiness and lack of sleep will turn out to be something more soon! Here's hoping!<br /> I am 38 weeks 4 days how far are you? Yea my crampiness seems to be when I'm still for longer, so I know what you mean I see the doctor tmrw morn so I'm anxious to hear what she thinks. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-137095 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:42:51 +0000 regberadaisy 137095@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks chicas!<br /> The appointment went well. My OB thinks it's either a)my body getting ready for early labor b) my sac is really engorged so the cramping can be from that c) or I might have a UTI so they took a urine culture and will test it</p> <p>I'm still pretty much dilated the same as last week -almost 3cm- and baby's head is really low now. She said she will mention to the OB on call that she might be receiving a call from me this weekend. To me that sounds like she thinks I have a really good chance of delivering this weekend right?</p> <p>Now I'm left wondering if I should take off Thursday &amp; Friday. Sigh. :(</p> <p>@winniebee: unfortunately we are working on getting a bid set out so everything I can work on I need to be there today. :(</p> <p>@Mrs.M57: that's so weird!!! How far along are you? No cramping now, it's weird but seems to happen only when I'm laying down? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136766 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:16:15 +0000 mrs. wagon 136766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: sigh :( but honestly it was a good decision to take the day off. You may end up starting your maternity leave now...! My Braxton Hicks kept me up til at least 5am every night for the last couple of weeks of pregnancy. I was in this vicious cycle... I'd sleep in, then that night my BH would keep me up and I'd finally fall asleep out of exhaustion around 5am, wake up at 8am to watch Wagon Sr. get ready for work, fall back asleep and finally get up around noon. It was awful-- I was basically nocturnal. Blowed when I went into labor at 5am and delivered the next day at 5am-- I basically didn't sleep for 2 days straight! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136718 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 09:51:31 +0000 LuLu Mom 136718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Hope you get good news at the doctor, the baby will be here before you know it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136532 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:34:40 +0000 Mrs.M57 136532@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regerberadaisy So weird I had a very similar night! Kept waking up with cramping finally woke up and couldn't go back to sleep at 2 so I stayed up and sat on my birthing ball and watched tv til 530. Went back to sleep til 8. Gah how miserable! Are you still cramping this morning? Mine has gone away and just the backache has stuck around. I hope your appointment goes well today and that baby is near :-) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136530 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:32:41 +0000 winniebee 136530@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Ugh sorry you had such a rough night of sleep :( Is there anyway you can work from home today so that you don't use a PTO day? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136492 Wed, 25 Apr 2012 08:12:22 +0000 regberadaisy 136492@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Last night blowed.</p> <p>About 10pm my cramping started up again. Almost every two hours I woke up from my cramps. Could not get comfortable. Gave up on sleep about 2am, was worried I wasn't feeling the baby so chugged a glass of OJ. Took me 30 minutes to really start feeling her moving around. No fun. Went back to sleep about 330am. Woke up again at 530am. Been awake since.<br /> Have a dr appointment tomorrow morning and was able to switch it to today. </p> <p>Made a decision to stay home today. Feel SUPER guilty for it. :( I don't get much leave time nor do I have a ton of PTO. I wanted to save it all for when baby gets here. AND we have a big project deadline tomorrow. Sigh. :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136096 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:23:57 +0000 BoogieBea 136096@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136086 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:14:43 +0000 Rubies 136086@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My labour began with cramps. Sounds like it'll be soon-ish for you!!! So exciting! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136071 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:03:15 +0000 regberadaisy 136071@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: haha yup! I like to say a whole country celebrates my birth!hahaha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-136024 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:41:49 +0000 chopsuey 136024@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Aww you're a cinco de mayo baby! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135975 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:19:27 +0000 regberadaisy 135975@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@BoogieBea: oooh don't toy with my emotions! haha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135970 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:16:59 +0000 BoogieBea 135970@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>With my first, I had cramps and tightening 1 day before my son was born. It happened all morning and went away for the rest of that day. The next day I went to the hospital. Sounds like baby will be arriving soon! Hope you have a quick and easy delivery! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135961 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:12:57 +0000 cupcakemama 135961@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had awful period like cramps for a few hours before. That night I woke up from the contractions. I can't remember what it felt like, just really really painful. There was no mistaking it! I was induced the night before I had LO with the gel stuff (no pitocin) so my experience may be slightly different. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135960 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:12:50 +0000 Tidybee 135960@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Just wanted to wish you luck in your final weeks!! So exciting...I remember when we were both having a hard time TTC and now the end is almost here for you!!!! -(Lotam from WB) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135947 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:07:39 +0000 regberadaisy 135947@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Well, from about 10:30 to 3:30 my cramping "intensified" almost every hour. Then it stopped. boo. False alarm I'm guessing. I had one localized area that routinely tightens but that's it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135370 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:56:53 +0000 regberadaisy 135370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Glad to hear so many had menstrual like cramps prior to labor! A good sign for sure! :)<br /> I've had underlying slight cramping all day. Briefly it will intensify a little, timing it at roughly every hour since 10:30..</p> <p>I've been feeling "tightening" on my bump but it's localized and not sure if it's "tightening" or the baby giving me a really swift kick! But it lasts for a couple seconds.</p> <p>@winniebee: My birthday is May 5th! And my due date is 4/30. :) My induce date is likely 5/6. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135111 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:20:24 +0000 BabyBoecksMom 135111@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like Mrs. Wagon, I had BH contractions for a long time. But when I finally went into labor, the contractions started out feeling like period cramps, but there was definitely a structure to them.... it was like a wave - started out light and got gradually more painful and then would go away completely. </p> <p>For the hiccups, they were cute at first and then got annoying because she would have them for 10-15 min at a time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135106 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:14:32 +0000 mrs. wagon 135106@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ooh la la!!! :D For me, I had Braxton Hicks for weeks and that just felt like my bump tightening and getting super rock hard. When labor started it was like that, but a lot more uncomfortable, and all night long. When I started actually progressing they turned into menstrual-like cramps. When I couldn't walk or talk through them I knew it was definitely not Braxton Hicks anymore. I would time them but mine were NEVER regular-- some were 2 mins apart, some were as much as 15 mins apart! all the way up til when we got to the hospital. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135101 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:10:50 +0000 winniebee 135101@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: I hope this means you are progressing! I forget, when is your bday/hubby's bday that you would like to avoid? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135033 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:32:54 +0000 chopsuey 135033@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Uh oh!! I would time the cramps! My contractions felt really different and I just knew I was in labor. I had a massive BM right after the contractions started too.<br /> Sounds like you're gonna be having your baby soon!!!!!!<br /> Exciting!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-135026 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:31:18 +0000 regberadaisy 135026@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks everyone!<br /> I called my OB's office and talked to a nurse. She had me drink a big glass of juice, count movements and call her back in 30. I was able to feel the baby move so that made me feel a lot better. The cramps decreased after the juice but while counting I felt tightening at the bottom of my bump and at the top. Sometimes together.<br /> When I talked to her again she said to just keep drinking fluids. Keep an eye on things. And if things start getting to the point where I can time them to give her a call.</p> <p>I hope this is the onset of early labor??</p> <p>@artbee: oh no, I have been feeling her hiccup, it's pretty awesome :)<br /> @pelikila: see, I had more than usual bowel movements this morning and I thought I read somewhere sometimes it's an indication of labor. When I told the nurse she was like it doesn't matter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-134992 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 09:13:07 +0000 pelikila 134992@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me contractions were like really intense diarrhea-like cramps. My bowel emptied itself with my initial contractions and it progressed from there. Best of luck if its time! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-134922 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:09:21 +0000 hilsy85 134922@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have no idea what contractions feel like, but if this is it, I hope everything goes smoothly!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-134918 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 08:08:09 +0000 winniebee 134918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, contractions feel like this - the uterus gets really tight and hard (and you feel pressure) accompanied by lower uterus cramps and sometimes low back pain. </p> <p>Good luck! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-134905 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:58:24 +0000 heffalump 134905@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When my labor started it was very mild cramps. They lasted for about a minute, and got close together really fast, so I knew it was labor. </p> <p>You haven't felt hiccups yet? I loved when she hiccuped in my belly! I'm sure that's it, you can totally tell when they're hiccupping, so cute! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-contractions-feel-like#post-134897 Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:48:41 +0000 regberadaisy 134897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is my first so I have no idea what contractions feel like.</p> <p>I'm 39 weeks + 2 days and for probably the past 30 minutes my stomach has been cramping? Not like the worst menstrual cramps I've had but it feels like menstrual cramps. I also had a (tmi) bowel movement this morning and the cramps started afterwards?</p> <p>The other thing is, you know how it feels like when you think your baby is hiccuping? In between cramps it feels like the whole right side of my bump is "hiccuping"?</p> <p>Last two days my lower back pain has also intensified?</p> <p>Even if they're not contractions I'm a little worried because I haven't had cramps last this long yet.<br /> I'm at work already and if I'm still cramping in an hour I might ask my husband to come get me and go to the doctors. :(</p> <p>I wish it was just the weekend and I was home! </p>