Where are labor pains?

Hello,
I have already posted this over at "expecting twins" and then thought maybe this might be a better place because you all have already been through it.

I have read that labor pains feel like menstrual cramps, well I never have those. Where exactly (other than back) do you feel the pain? Is it the lower abdomen or the vagina? I had some twinges in my labia earlier and am just curious to know what I am supposed to be watching.

Thank you.
Jennifer
32 weeks with ID boys

 

My labor pains were ALL over my belly. They were like really bad menstral cramping. I didn't have any twinges like you have described. It was a much deeper internal pain.

 

I never had back pain. I had menstral like cramps.

 

This is my problem, I don't know what menstrual cramps feel like! I don't think that anything serious is going on with the twinges.

 

I'm trying to think of how to describe them. The closest thing I can think of that feels like them is like when you have a really bad stomach ache, like bad like you're going to have diarrhea. Its like a dull aching pain (at least for me) in your lower abdomen. With labor pains I could feel it all over because of the tightening, but it was that dull internal pain. I was really worried and kept asking the doctor how I would know. I had this fear that I wouldn't know and I would deliver my babies on the way to the hospital. Everyone including the doctor said you just know, its not something you can mistake and its not like BH contractions, its different. I still worried and can tell you now, YOU KNOW! There is a definite difference and you know when its the real thing.
I hope that helps a little bit.

 

I had the same worries, because I was sooo scared of preterm labor and not catching it in time. I always had all kinds of bowel and OB issues where I always felt crappy anyway, so I wasn't sure I would know the difference. (I also had those vaginal twinges you're referring to - both prepregnancy and during. I worried at the time, but I don't think they were anything serious). And I still don't know I would know for sure they were labor pains even if I had another baby now. I had contractions for 12 hours straight 2 nights before I delivered. It was different because they were consistent and I was able to time them - I was never able to do that before. But it was just severe tightening. Never any real pain - at least not more than what I was already used to with the endometriosis and IBS and everything else. It was real tight pressure though. You could see your whole stomach contracting. They were 4 minutes apart, but never got any closer or more severe and then it just stopped. Two days later I saw my OB and he checked and I hadn't started dilating yet. But I did get sent to the hospital to be checked for Pre-eclampsia. I ended up having that so I was checked in and scheduled for my C-section the next morning. I was hooked up to monitors and was told I was having contractions every couple minutes. I really didn't know it, it wasn't as bad or as strong as I felt the couple nights prior. Then they started getting worse and tightening more, but still no real pain - just real annoying pressure. They later found I was starting to dilate quickly, so they moved the c-section up. So the only way I kind of knew it was going on was that they were consistent.

 

Mine were not like menstral cramps at all. They were more at the top of my belly and made it feel very "tight" I didn't have the other ones until I was at the hospital and they broke my water, then let the back labor begin. It felt like someone was hitting my lower back with a board.

 

Yes menstral cramp like for sure. It was a low but constant feeling that my intestines were being squashed and squeezed, felt it more in my lower abdomen, but also had some tightening across my stomach in general. Another description sorry if TMI- kind of like I was having diarrhea cramps.

 

I had lots of pain during my pregnancy but TRUE labor is very different. I've gotten to 10 cm with two different pregnancies without medication and I don't think that active labor feels like menstrual cramps at all. Very early labor does feel something like that but as soon as I started having contractions every 2 mins it felt like all my organs were been squeezed. It seemed to take over my whole body. I have heard of a few people that had little pain but i think for most women you really will know when it's happening.

 

I had braxton hicks but never noticed it. After my water broke and I felt a little discomfort I thought to myself "all this time, that was a contraction". I would try not to worry, none of us first time moms knew what it felt like! When they kick in full force, you'll know then!! It's like full body pain, the worst pain I have ever felt in my entire life!! A contraction when you are in labor feels like the most intense pain - like every muscle in your body has a charlie horse at the same time! I was crying and screaming for the epi, I was in labor for 6 hours or so with nothing for pain, it took a few hours before the pains got really bad and very frequent though.

 

Mine was my whole belly just really bad pains like someone grabbing my whole stomach and just squeezing