Female content - are contractions ALWAYS horrible?

[AimeeM]

My stomach is cramping pretty regularly right now (36 weeks - the exact gestational age that I had my other two children, so this could just be a mind over matter issue). With my other two, I went into labor at 36 weeks; but always back labor. I've never felt contractions in my stomach before.

 

This is uncomfortable and makes me *want* to walk, but it is NOT unbearable. It cramps pretty intensely for a minute or so, in my lower stomach area, then stops... then starts again.

I am asking only because I'm up for my third c-section; I was instructed to go into the hospital immediately if I "go into labor"; but have no desire to sit in an emergency room for two hours just to get checked and told to go back home.

 

Are contractions always unbearable? I have an immune compromised little one with me to think about (3 year old son) - I would really rather avoid the emergency room if at all possible. If I *know* I'm in labor, I can call my doctor and go straight in to be met. Lol. If I'm just cramping, I can put a warm washcloth on my stomach and relax at home.

 

... and then I could just be rambling and over-worrying :D

[higginszoo]

Unbearable? No. They get to the point where they're really, really uncomfortable, but that could be past the point that you want to go before getting in. I had weeks of prodromal labor (labor that doesn't progress) with my younger two. The docs had me take a warm bath, and said that unless it was the real thing, that would slow it down.

[Forget-Me-Not]

IME, not always. With my second child, I had some prodromal labor and only went in because I started having frank red blood. I was at 6 and she was born 2.5 hours later. My water stayed intact until I was 8-9, and I really think it muffled the intensity of the contractions for me.

[BinahYeteirah]

No, they aren't always unbearable. Mine usually aren't too painful until the last hour or two before the birth, though every labor is different.

 

You could try drinking a lot of water or other fluids (dehydration can cause contractions), and see if that helps your contractions ease up. You could also try taking a relaxing bath or resting and seeing if they contractions space out. If it's real, usually things will just keep going no matter what you do. For me, one of the differences in my contractions when I'm actually in labor, as opposed to Braxton Hicks contractions, is the feeling of downward pressure. I have tons of contractions in late pregnancy, but I only really feel the pressure when I'm in labor. YMMV.

[kokotg]

with my third baby, things didn't get unbearable until an hour or two before he was born. I was very pleasantly surprised. I finally understood what people meant when they said things like, "I just never felt like I needed an epidural." But, yeah, right up until transition they stayed 5 minutes apart and varied between "huh....that one barely hurt" and "ouch...that feels bad."

[AimeeM]

No, they aren't always unbearable. Mine usually aren't too painful until the last hour or two before the birth, though every labor is different.

 

You could try drinking a lot of water or other fluids (dehydration can cause contractions), and see if that helps your contractions ease up. You could also try taking a relaxing bath or resting and seeing if they contractions space out. If it's real, usually things will just keep going no matter what you do. For me, one of the differences in my contractions when I'm actually in labor, as opposed to Braxton Hicks contractions, is the feeling of downward pressure. I have tons of contractions in late pregnancy, but I only really feel the pressure when I'm in labor. YMMV.

Ton of pressure. Actually, the pressure is what I'm noticing more than the cramping.

Again, though, nothing unbearable.

[FaithManor]

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

I only felt pressure until I was dilated to about 6.

 

My contractions never got super intense until about 30 minutes before I delivered.

 

My grandmother delivered two children without feeling any even uncomfortable contractions. :glare:

 

I am concerned about feeling the need to walk. I alway preferred to be on my feet as long as I could during labor...always...you couldn't get me into bed for nothing! I was very uncomfortable laying down or sitting. So, if you were me, you'd be in labor.

 

Do you have anyone at all who could watch your 3 yr. old so you don't have to take him in?

 

Would you need to be seen in the ER? At our area hospitals, the ER docs are so freakishly afraid of pregnant women that if you come in with so much as a twinge, they put you in a wheelchair and have a nurse RUN like it's the 100 meter dash to the OB ward...seriously, a pregnant woman seems to scare the eebie, geebies out of them. Bypassing the ER, might make things safer for your little boy.

 

Faith

[chepyl]

My contractions with DS never hurt until the broke my water, they were simply exhausting. I think the same was true with DD. I managed a 30 minute car ride, dinner, and a small nap before I decided I was really in labor. I went into labor at 9 pm and DD was born just before 6 am. They got more painful the more exhausted I became.

 

If you are feeling a lot of downward pressure, I would go in. If you are not trying for a VBAC, I would not risk it. I would rather be sent home than have anything go wrong.

[LucyStoner]

If you are feeling a lot of downward pressure, I would go in. If you are not trying for a VBAC, I would not risk it. I would rather be sent home than have anything go wrong.

 

:iagree:

 

Good luck! Before being augmented with pitocin, my contractions were uncomfortable but not especially painful. Do you have to go to the ER to check? Here you can call ahead and go right to the maternity department- they can check you there and send you home but you would not need to wait in the ER.

Edited June 3, 2012 by kijipt

[BinahYeteirah]

Well, for me, that would be a strong sign of labor, especially considering you are at the point in the pregnancy when you had your other kids. If they were spontaneous labors, I'd probably go in; if they were induced or c-section births, I might be more hesitant and think I was making more out of it that it is. Oh, wait, I just reread your OP where you write that this will be your third section. If you went into spontaneous labor (with the back labor you mention) before having those sections, that would be significant for you, I'd think. It could be that your baby is in a better position this time, so it's not as painful as it was in your previous labors.

[AimeeM]

:grouphug::grouphug:

 

I only felt pressure until I was dilated to about 6.

 

My contractions never got super intense until about 30 minutes before I delivered.

 

My grandmother delivered two children without feeling any even uncomfortable contractions. :glare:

 

I am concerned about feeling the need to walk. I alway preferred to be on my feet as long as I could during labor...always...you couldn't get me into bed for nothing! I was very uncomfortable laying down or sitting. So, if you were me, you'd be in labor.

 

Do you have anyone at all who could watch your 3 yr. old so you don't have to take him in?

 

Would you need to be seen in the ER? At our area hospitals, the ER docs are so freakishly afraid of pregnant women that if you come in with so much as a twinge, they put you in a wheelchair and have a nurse RUN like it's the 100 meter dash to the OB ward...seriously, a pregnant woman seems to scare the eebie, geebies out of them. Bypassing the ER, might make things safer for your little boy.

 

Faith

If I can drive myself safely, my husband can stay home with the 3 year old. Since I am supposed to be a planned section, our plan was to call my mother and have her make the 3 hour drive from Atlanta to stay with both children when I have my section.

I am delivering at a Catholic women's hospital... so, come to think of it, the emergency room THERE may not be as big an issue (it is next door to the "big" hospital, so I'm not sure if they share an ER).

[chepyl]

:iagree:

 

Good luck! Before being augmented with pitocin, my contractions were uncomfortable but not especially painful. Do you have to go to the ER to check? Here you can call ahead and go right to the maternity department- they can check you there and send you home but you would not need to wait in the ER.

 

Both hospitals I delivered at were this way, I only went the emergency room in false labor with DS because I had no idea how to get to the maternity area....should have paid more attention on that tour!

 

Call the hospital and see what the policy is.

[Calendula]

I would drink a bunch of water and rest a bit (in a tub!) - if you are dehydrated, etc, that can cause ctx - the kind where everything feels really tight, but there isn't much pain. If things become more regular, intense, or you have bloody show, I'd call/go in. :) Happy soon to be birthday!

[Alphabetika]

With my 2nd dd, I had contractions all day, ever time I stood up, but they weren't a bit painful so I thought they were false. (with first dd I had to be induced 3 times over 2 days just to begin having contractions, so I wasn't sure what "normal" felt like.) Finally, at about 10 pm they were pretty painful and regular, so we went in - I was at 9 cm! I was so shocked I actually started laughing.

 

My 3rd dd's labor started with me hemmoraghing - this ended up not being serious, but it was scary at the time, so we went in to the ER. It turned out I was having contractions, but I couldn't feel them at all! It went on like that for hours - I could see the contractions on the monitor, but I literally couldn't feel a thing.

 

These have bene my experiences. Praying all goes well for you - congratulations! :grouphug:

[AimeeM]

Well, for me, that would be a strong sign of labor, especially considering you are at the point in the pregnancy when you had your other kids. If they were spontaneous labors, I'd probably go in; if they were induced or c-section births, I might be more hesitant and think I was making more out of it that it is. Oh, wait, I just reread your OP where you write that this will be your third section. If you went into spontaneous labor (with the back labor you mention) before having those sections, that would be significant for you, I'd think. It could be that your baby is in a better position this time, so it's not as painful as it was in your previous labors.

I do know that this baby has already turned - whereas my previous two were both breech when I went into labor (baby one was back labor, no water break; baby two water broke but I didn't go into back labor until I was already situated for my section at the hospital - both never moved from breech).

 

I think I'll call my doctor's emergency line. I know what they will tell me (same as they always do after hours - go to the hospital), but I'm going to call for the heck of it. Lol.

[garddwr]

I've had back labor with three of mine, and the contractions were horrible. The one baby I didn't have back labor with the contractions were MUCH more manageable. And all those relaxation techniques I had learned before my first baby actually worked! The contractions only felt really intense the very last hour, after my water broke. My guess is, you're in labor and you've finally gotten lucky enough to not have to deal with back labor.

[Unicorn.]

I would definitely call that labor. With my first my water broke about 7 am, and my contractions started about two hours later. They were more like pressure... not uncomfortable at all. In fact, I didn't experience any pain at all until they hooked up the fetal heart monitor. If I were you, and you haven't already done so, I would be calling mom to meet you at the hospital to pick up the three year old. Please don't try and drive yourself!

[I.Dup.]

My pain tolerance is high, but I often dilate to an 8 with what others may describe as braxton hicks contractions. By the time the contractions are unbearable, I am in transition. So be careful. The first time this happened was with my 2nd and I was in early labor with him and didn't know it.

[AimeeM]

Thanks ladies! I'm going to call my doctor's line and the hospital (since it's a women's hospital, I assume they have a maternity line?). I know I sound indecisive and ridiculously irrational - I just hate to expose my 3 year old unnecessarily, just to be sent home in the end.

[Catwoman]

Are you OK, Aimee?

 

I hope all is well! :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

[Scuff]

My BH contractions were pretty intense and painful for 3 & 4. Now, I'm only 26 wks, but I've already had a few that were getting there. Drink some water, rest, and try not to worry about it. If it doesn't let up any or gets worse, you could go in in a few hours.

[Mommyof4ks]

Not always. My first two were very painful, but my 3rd would have been born at home had I not been scheduled to be induced. I was at a 7 when I got to the hospital, and I walked in like it was a normal day. The nurse laughed and said I should be in some serious pain by now. I just felt little twinges in the nether regions and some slight tightening of my uterus like BH. Good luck!

 

Can you call your OB? Mine always sent me straight to L&D bypassing the ER all together.

[GSOchristie]

With Jackson (my only non-pitocin inspired birth), the contractions were uncomfortable but not unbearable until I was at 7 and he started rocking his head back and forth with his hand on the side of his gigantic noggin. That was pretty much the worse pain I'd ever felt up to the point in my life :001_smile:.

[MusicMama]

With my first and second, when I reached the point I thought that curling into a ball and never moving again was the best idea in the world, I was finally dilating past 2cm, and there were about 4-6 of labor left. :) With #3, I finished watching "My Best Friend's Wedding" and the nurse came in and checked me, I was at an 8. Baby came about an hour later. I kept waiting for "labor" to start...I was only in the hospital because the Dr insisted I be induced b/c DS was acting very sluggish.

 

Better safe than sorry...can you go to the triage area in the OB ward of the hospital to be checked? That would be a better option than the ER.