I feel dumb asking this question, but I've had a couple of false alarms and really don't want to go all the way to the hospital if I don't need to!
I'm having definite contractions (belly getting super tight, then relaxing, in a wave-like pattern) but only mild menstrual-like cramping. They are timeable, but not really painful. I'm sure they're just BH, but should I time them anyway? What if they get to the 5-1-1 rule I've been taught but still aren't intense?
First time mom problems lol...
pineapple / 12234 posts
Most definitely time them! Even if they are mild, they can get more intense and at least you can tell your dr how long you've been having them and the timing patterns. How far along are you?
persimmon / 1436 posts
@HLK208: OK! I have been timing them, actually, and no real pattern so far. I'm 39+2 so I know my body is definitely getting ready, but I don't want to go in too early and be sent home!
clementine / 918 posts
For me there was a very obvious change when I was in labor from mild to painful contractions. No reason not to time the early ones but when they asked how long I was in labor, I used the time when they got more painful. Don't know if that's helpful but I definitely went through mild contractions first - good luck!
coconut / 8475 posts
YES.
Mine never gt painful at home. I timed them and went to the hospital at 5min apart. Turns out, I was 5cm dilated and was 6cm dilate about 25 minutes after that.
At 6cm is when they started to finally get painful; so, of course I asked for an epi right away.
coconut / 8475 posts
@MamaMagpie: there are things that will allow labor to progresss a bit quicker if, in fact, your are in the ebginnings of labor.
A long walk (maybe uphill on a treadmill)
a hot shower
nipple stimulation
bouncing on a yoga ball
If you are truly in labor, these will def rev them up to the point that you will at least know for sure that 'this is it'.
pomelo / 5789 posts
I had a similar experience to @TurtleDoves
Mine were not painful at home, but noticeable and got to 5 min apart. I was a 4-5 cm by the time I arrive at the hospital and not in a ton of pain.
I was 39 weeks.
I went for a walk and bounced on a ball. My water broke on the ball.
persimmon / 1436 posts
Eeeee this is making me excited! LOL I'm going to go stimulate my nipples in the shower and then go bounce on my ball! Haha I'm so glad I can say that kind of thing on here and you guys know I'm not being a weirdo 
I am SO ready to meet this little guy! Cross your fingers for me!
coconut / 8475 posts
@MamaMagpie: Bahahaha, yep, this is def the only place where you can get away with saying "I'm going to stimulate my nipples in the shower". In fact, we encourage it!!
pomegranate / 3329 posts
Tome those babies!!
I had many false alarms, but when I was actually in labor (39+2 as well) they weren't as strong but they were right on top of eachother. I was a "good" 5 when we got to the hospital and they got worse but not nearly as bad as the time before!
Exciting, goodluck
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
Mine were like that for a long time before they got really painful. I called when they were almost 5-1-1 but since I wanted natural they encouraged me to stay home until they were "really intense". She said I would know when that was, which I did! I'd time them for a bit, but if they're not getting closer is try to rest for a while before trying to ramp them up. You'll need the energy later!
persimmon / 1436 posts
Well, no baby yet 
Contractions got fairly uncomfortable and would last for about 60 seconds and got to about 5 mins apart, but that only lasted for about 30 mins before they got further apart. Wah wah.
I still thought they still might turn into the real deal but it was pretty late and so I decided to try to get some sleep. It's now 6:00am and no more contractions.
Such a tease! I feel disappointed 
We are SO ready for him to get here!
Thanks for the support, ladies 
hostess / papaya / 10219 posts
@MamaMagpie: I had a similar thing happen. They were 5 minutes apart for an hour before becoming disorganized. Everyone's labor is so different which is why it's hard to tell false from real labor. My experience was that, when I was in labor, real labor, even from the first contraction it was super intense and extremely painful.
pomelo / 5041 posts
Your body is practicing. It probably won't be long now! While I didn't get to experience real contractions I can still say that nipple stimulation thing works because every time lo feeds I get the worst contractions in my uterus!
nectarine / 2834 posts
You might be closer than you think? Are they getting painful? Mine were abuot 5-8 minutes apart for several hours but it was only belly tightening. In th emiddle of the night, my water broke, and the "real" contractions started about 5 min later. I really noticed a difference in the way they felt, and from the time my water broke, they were 3-4 minutes apart (but only about 25-30 seconds) for 11 hours when DD was born.
persimmon / 1436 posts
@travellingbee: I keep telling myself I will "just know" when it's real and then second guess myself! I guess I just have to be patient
@marionberry: you're right -- at least I know my body *is* doing some good work, even if it's not quite time yet! Have to keep that in kind rather than get frustrated And I've heard from my IRL mom friend about the pp contractions when breast feeding -- that is so amazing to me! Our bodies are pretty cool!
@Tidybee: I keep praying my water would just break already so that I KNOW it's really real! I woke up just before 6:00, though, and no contractions, so I think I'm in the clear for now. Bummer...
nectarine / 2834 posts
@MamaMagpie: just do some walking. mine went away when i went to bed too, and i was so bummed when I was walking to the bathroom at 2:30am, and then i'm reaching for the toilet paper and "pop". everything can change in the blink of an eye, so just enjoy your sunday...probably your last without a baby!
persimmon / 1436 posts
@Tidybee: you are so right about everything changing in the blink of an eye I'm thinking I'll be the best prego wife ever and take the dogs on a walk before DH gets up to see if anything will start back up (and cross fingers that dang bag of water will break!). If not, enjoying a Sunday of good football will have to be my consolation prize
bananas / 9118 posts
Mine went away two nights in a row once I went to bed, the third day my water broke. If this isn't it, you are at least getting close- you can't stay pregnant forever, even though it feels that way! Can't wait for you to have this little one!
GOLD / papaya / 10166 posts
@MamaMagpie: my labor started out as period-like cramps that were getting progressively worse, so I started timing it. I was 40w, 5d but still didn't believe it... And then my water broke.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@MamaMagpie: I would rest as much as you can for now since it sounds like the big day is close! The day I was in labor they got stronger and closer when walking around, and slowed down when I laid down, but I was definitely in early labor. I kept walking around to try to keep things moving but I think I would have been better served to have rested when I could, since active labor started around 9 pm and I was pretty much up all night.
And like others said, even if this isn't it, it definitely is your body getting ready to get that baby out! So exciting! And, as annoying as it is to hear, you really will know when the contractions are serious. I kept being like, I don't know, is this what she meant by intense? Then finally I was like, OH! THIS is what she meant by intense!
Good luck! You will meet your baby so soon!
pomelo / 5469 posts
Fingers crossed this is the real thing.. and then I'll know what to look out for when the time comes 
coconut / 8861 posts
@MamaMagpie: well, now you have some idea of what it's like. I went into labor after work. I couldn't sit still, then it just got more and more painful right up until we got to the hospital a few hours later.
pomelo / 5326 posts
Definitely keep timing. I went into labour around 630 am with pretty mild but timable contractions. They were pretty random at first but got closer together throughout the day. By 4pm they were 5 mins apart but still not that painful. We went to hospital and I wax admitted because I was 4cm. Shortly after that they got painful.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@MamaMagpie: that's how mine started so I def would start timing it. When it's painful where you need to pause is when you should go to the hospital.
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
@locavore_mama: well then I would have gotten to the hospital way too late then! I didn't time mine at all, until my husband came home for lunch and they were already less than 5 minutes apart...I didn't deliver for another 6 hours, but I was fully dilated in an hour after that.
So you never know.
pineapple / 12234 posts
@MamaMagpie: you never know! Mine stalled, I was bummed and hours later my water broke. You're almost there!!!
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
@looch: same here! when I called the on-call OB, she said I didn't sound like I was in pain and to stay home til 10:30 pm (it was around 5:30 pm). good thing I didn't..I was fully dilated by 8:30!! I just have a high pain tolerance, I guess? lol.
hostess / watermelon / 14932 posts
@MamaMagpie: I would definitely time them! you never know and call the OB if there's a distinct pattern, or if they're close together I'd think.
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