BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

I know they say "You'll know when you're having contractions"... but what about those moments when you THINK you're having contractions?

I was up most of the night THINKING I was MAYBE having contractions? But I wasn't sure.

What the heck do contractions feel like? This is what I felt last night:

A sharp "period like" cramp woke me up out of the blue. Then more "mild" period cramps stuck around for a while. There was no definitive beginning or end to the cramps, so I wasn't sure if they were contractions. All I could concentrate on was everything I haven't done. I had a LOT of the back pain that I used to get when I had my period. Will I get back pain if I'm not having "back labor"?

I couldn't imagine "timing" the contractions because there was no start and end, per se. I also felt like I had to go to the bathroom, but when I tried, it was to no avail. I drank some water and eventually was able to get some sleep, but every time I woke up, I still felt the dull cramps.

Then I thought maybe it was just gas? I took Gas-X just now because I woke up with dull cramps still.

Do these pains sound like the ULTRA beginning of labor? Were they "contractions"? I read some older posts where pains like this could come the weeks ahead of true labor. Is that true?

I know "water breaking" isn't a guarantee, but will there DEFINITELY be mucus plug discharge before or with contractions? Will there DEFINITELY be a "bloody show"? Or can you go into labor without seeing either?

I figured I'd ask because one of the worst feelings last night was not knowing what was going on! TIA!

It was a HUGE wake up call for me that I am NOT ready for baby to come. I really have to pack that hospital bag - which I'm doing TODAY. And DH has to start the nursery - which he's doing today, too! Lots to do!

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

sounds like it could be!

that's how #1 started (and I felt them driving to the hospital for schedule c/s for #2). I lost my mucus plug at the same time, so I guess I knew.

I had a NST that morning and they said it was contractions. OB said 2 more days. That night I was feeling the "you know" contractions, but not under 6 minutes. DH couldn't take it any more...LOL and we went to the hospital the next day and had DS late that night.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

I was cramping like this for weeks. I was told contractions would have def start and end. I never had a real contraction. I was induced at 41 weeks, and even then I didn't ever feel a real contraction, it was always cramping pressure pain nonstop, no highs no lows, just plateau.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

Not btdt but i have been having strong painful menstrual type cramps for 3 weeks now. Like doubled over in fetal position painful cramps.

I have been having weekly nst and a lot of contractions on monitor every week but they dont seem to coincide with the cramping. The dr said it is probably my cervix thinning getting ready for labor. I'm still waiting....but the way you characterize your discomfort is similar to mine.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

I was woken up at 6:30am one morning with period like cramping. I had a bad period cramp and then it went away. I had them all day....they started getting closer and more painful, but still felt like period cramps.

I called the doctor at 11pm, I was now considering them to be more painful and different feeling than period cramps, they took my breath away. I couldn't carry on a conversation while I was having one and they were about 7 minutes a part.

We went to the hospital around 1am.

DD was born 3:49pm.

The weeks leading up to DD's birth, I had some cramping...but it was never consistent.

I'd say if yours are frequent enough to time them, then call your OB.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

I have had cramping feelings for a few weeks now too. I am 39 weeks. A few weeks ago I would probably just have one "false contraction" that lasted for a few seconds or a minutes a day, every few days. On Monday I had them every 8 minutes for 2 hours and last night every 10 minutes for 2 hours. They dont last that long and my stomach gets all tight and crampy/burning and it winds me and I have to stop talking. I told my doctor about this last week and he said it was normal. Also, this happened a few times during the day this week but with no pattern, the pattern usually happens in the evening with me. I am assuming that one day (soon!) they will get stronger and stronger and not go away and then it will be the real thing!

Message edited 7/23/2011 7:19:33 PM.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

i never made if far enough in my pregnancy to go into real labor and i had an emergency c-section - however i was having contractions on the monitors that i didnt necessarily feel. i did have back pain too. the night before i delivered i had similar period-like cramps that were very mild, but a few times id have a cramp that felt like a little lightening bolt shooting out of me. i found out the next day that i was 2cm dilated. im pretty sure those little lightening cramps were the ones that dilated me.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

Try timing the cramps. If they're lasting 45 seconds to a minute each, and are occurring regularly, they're contractions. If they're getting longer, stronger, and closer together, you're in labor. You may or may not lose your mucus plug, have your water break, or see blood as contractions happen.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

Let me start this by saying.....RELAX. I know they said you could go anytime, but you could honestly go another 5-6wks! I know you were on bedrest but I also know a few other mommies that were on bedrest and didn't delievr until they were induced at 40-41wks! Try to not read into things in general. Now having said that.......

When I have period like cramps w/low back pain it's normally because I need to poop. Gross I know but I was soooooooo constipated the day I went to my OB that when she checked me her face got and she said get an enema NOW. I went home, did it, felt RELIEF like never before, and the next day my water broke

It could also be from doing to much moving or bending, not enough water, and so on.

My suggestion is relax, poop if you need to and a good indicator it's a contraction is your belly will get ROCK freaking hard. I mean like unhuman hard. I had back labor with my daughter and I can tell you I still felt the belly hurt. It wasn't like cramping for me it was ouch ouch ouch painful.

I will also add I was on bedrest from 32-36wks with intermitten l&d trip w/brethine, home procardia, and both steroid injections to mature her lungs. My issue is I have a small uterous(?) so it was more about her size then anything. My baby holder was just not big enough to keep her in any longer.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

We were told in my L&D class that if you have pains you think are contractions that you should drink a very large glass of water and move around a bit. If they change, become less frequent, or go away, then it's not "real" labor.

For me, my water never broke. My OB broke it when I was at 10 cm and ready to push, actually.

Labor started as horrible back pain. Worse than I'd had the whole end of my pregnancy, to the point that I took 2 extra strength tylenols that day because my back hurt so bad. I did not realize I was in labor -- I just thought my back hurt all day. When the "real" contractions started, to me it felt like I had to pee so so so badly all of a sudden, and I rushed to the bathroom. Very little came out, but I did have some slimy discharge.

Then it happened again 10 minutes later. All of a sudden, I had to pee so so so badly. Again, I went to the bathroom and there was more slime and not a lot of pee (lol).

I started to notice that it was happening every 10-15 minutes where I felt like I had to pee terribly. That's how I knew they were contractions.

They started to get closer together. But EVERY time I had one, I felt like if I didn't run to the bathroom I was going to pee on myself. It got down to about every 7-8 minutes and one of the bathroom runs I saw a lot of light pink blood in the slime. That's when I left for the hospital.

When I got to the hospital, they were 6 minutes apart (the lady checking us in actually was timing me because I had to keep running to the bathroom every time I had one!). They actually didn't hurt bad at all still at that point. But the urge to pee was CRAZY!

I was already 5 cm and 100% effaced. DD was born less than 3 1/2 hours later (no pain meds -- on purpose lol). I went from 5 cm to 9 cm in one hour, much to the surprise of the nurse.

What I'm saying is... you're going to know. Don't worry about it. You're not giving birth in your kitchen or anything. The waiting at the end and wondering "when" is probably the hardest part of the entire pregnancy IMHO.

Message edited 7/23/2011 9:20:09 PM.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

i've been cramping like that for the past 2 weeks, my doctor told me those are braxton hicks, but i'd call your doctor just to make sure!

eta: oops sorry not btdt.

Message edited 7/23/2011 10:09:36 PM.

Re: BTDT Moms: Do Cramps = Contractions? HELP!

Thank you ALL for your insight! I guess I can chalk it up to either:

Gas
False labor
Or warning signs that labor is on its way, so get your butt in gear!

I know it wasn't just me imagining things based on the doc saying I could go any day b/c it woke me out of my sleep. And it felt just like period cramps... Especially my back!

I get Braxton Hicks all the time, so I know it wasn't those. That's usually just my belly getting really hard and heavy... Not so much the period cramping.

I'm saving this post for the next time I feel cramps or contractions so I know what to look out for! Thank you!!!