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I think when they are timeable is really when they are considered "real" contractions. Have you tried timing them? Do they go away when you lay down or take a bath?

I was induced at 40+5 after my water broke and I was not dilated AT ALL. I had really vicious BH from like 28 weeks on.

I ha contractions that didn't hurt. I walked around all day, the day before my son was born, just being uncomfy when in fact I was in labor. We got to the hospital after only an hour of painful contractions and I was already dilated to 5cm!

@JerricaBenton: My water broke and I didnt go into labor on my own, that's why they ended up inducing me. Turns out my daughter's head was crooked and she wasn't putting pressure on my cervix to dilate it, even though she was very low. Good luck! I hope you go on your own!

ETA: Once they started the pit, things went REALLY fast and I dilated within a few hours though.

@JerricaBenton: I was, a bit. I was 2cm the day before so I guess not all that far to go to 5. I was lucky to have had painless contractions for so long. I think I was also in denial that I was in labor!

I went into natural,spontaneous labor the morning of my induction (induxtion was supposed to start at 7pm). I (naturally) got all the way up to 6cm dilated and my contractions had not yet started to hurt! Like you, I felt pressure down there.
But I was offered an epi and I wasn't gona pass that up:) so I got it anyways. I will never know if and when my contractions would start hurting.
Pushing hurt like a mutherf-- though.

@JerricaBenton: Hoping they just keep getting stronger!
I tried to figure out what different types of contractions were while I was pregnant without much luck but when I was having BH my stomach would stay super hard for awhile without any pain, whereas the 'real' contractions are much more like you are describing with the peak being the real action with a building phase and a resolution phase. So I hope they're the real deal!

Some women do have contractions without the pain. I didnt know I was having contractions and ended up in the hospital with preterm labor and dilated to 5cm without feeling a thing. When I actually went into labor when I had my LO I was just uncomfortable all day. The pain came when the contractions were 2.5 minutes apart. Good luck!!

I went to L&D last weekend with contractions that were 3 min apart, for over 3 hours. They weren't strong enough to dilate me though so they sent me home and told me they were braxton hicks. I've always been told Braxton Hicks weren't regular but these were. So. Everyone is different I guess.

I was induced at 39 weeks + 4 days and did not feel the need for an epi and delivered my son with no drugs. super strong Braxton hicks contractions continuously, even regular timed 3-4 minutes apart the whole week leading up prior... It drove me crazy because I kept thinking, this is it! Then I would take a walk or have a small glass of wine and they would subside. Everyone kept telling me I would know when I had a real contraction and when the first "real" contraction came 10 minutes into pitocin, they sure were right - big difference! My water broke after 45 min on pitocin, so I was able to go off the pitocin and let labor progress naturally from there. The pitocin jumped started things for sure because I was not dialated prior and after my waterbroke I was already at 3cm.

I'm 35 weeks now with my second and definitely having strong regular Bh contractions already. But now that I know the difference in the feeling of BH contractions versus a labor contraction,, I imagine I still have a looooong few weeks to go.

Good luck to you on Thursday!!

This happened to me, I went to the doctor on a Tuesday and was 0cm. I went back Thursday and was 3-4cm but hadn't felt anything but a tightening (which I thought was BH). He was a little surprised I wasn't feeling them since I had made such progress. I was induced on the Sunday following (39w0d) and delivered 4hr after induction started. Good luck!

@jerricabenton: I'm apparently having this happen! I went to an OB today to get okayed to give birth at the birth center, and apparently I'm having contractions...I didn't even know that I was having them. Now that the OB pointed it out, though, I feel them, but they don't hurt. Did you end up being induced anyways?

@jerricabenton: Thanks for the info! I won't be getting induced unless I'm way over, cause I'm going to a birth center, but after the OB telling me today that I was contracted, I'm just wondering how long it'll be, now! Congrats on your baby!

@jerricabenton: When I had ds, my water broke at 32 weeks, so I headed to L&D and found I was already 4 cm and I never felt a thing. I sure did starting a bit after that, but it was pretty crazy I didn't feel that, either.