When can I expect to begin having contractions?

I've heard a lot of ladies say they have had contractions since like 25 weeks. I am almost 25 weeks and dont think I've had any contractions, then again this is my first pregnancy so I really have no idea what they feel like.
Just wondering when you ladies first started getting contractions?

 

It's a very good thing you haven't had any contractions. I didn't ever have "real" contractions, but I did have braxton hicks contractions at 25 weeks {and on}. They felt like my stomach muscles were really tight. They didn't hurt me, just felt a little uncomfortable. My belly would get really hard for about a minute, or so. Luckily it never amounted to anything and me drinking water and laying down stopped them.

 

I had Braxton Hicks contractions starting from 26 weeks on. We were in Florida on vacation driving down to the Keys when I first had them. It was very scary!

 

Maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention, but I never felt a single contraction until after the second bag of pitosin during my induction (for PIH, IUGR, and early signs of pre-e) at 37 weeks despite being 3cm dilated on my own - so obviously I was having contractions, just never felt them. And to be honest until my water was broken the contractions were something I could have easily ignored if I wasn't waiting and watching for them on the monitor in L&D.

 

I didn't start having contractions until after my water broke (at 36 weeks 4 days). Even then it wasn't right away, they started slowly. They feel like menstrual cramps - only without pain medication they go from menstrual cramps to horrible entire body cramps/the worst pain I can imagine!

ETA - I was in labor for a good 6 hours or so before I got the epidural, so I felt full blown contractions that seemed to never stop before it kicked in. My babies were born about 2 hours after the epidural. They start off feeling like faint menstrual cramps, but definitely noticeable.

 

I've been experiencing the Braxton Hicks contractions since about the 26th week myself. My stomach [uterus] would tense up and I'd feel a lot of pressure and it'd often take my breath away. [I'd call it 'battle of the buldge' cause it sometimes looked like two mountain tops ] It didn't come with pain though. After about the 33rd wk, they started feeling a bit stronger and 'sometimes' come with pain/discomfort, but ends after about a min or so.

 

I think it really just depends. Each person is so different. I never had any BH, but was having contraction and didn't feel them.

 

QUOTE(summerfun @ Jun 28 2008, 09:01 PM) [snapback]851271[/snapback]
I think it really just depends. Each person is so different. I never had any BH, but was having contraction and didn't feel them.

Ditto when I went in for my scheduled c-section. I was having contractions, but couldn't feel them. I never had any BH. With Evan, I started having them on my due date.