I had a prenatal appointment today and the midwife began it by asking me some questions one of which was, "Have you started having contractions yet?" I responded that I didn't think so. I never got the tightening sensation, but I had been getting crampy in the evenings and at night but that I wasn't sure if it was just part of my normal aches and pains or something more. She said it could be Braxton Hicks, but wasn't necessarily so.
Later, as she was doing my abdominal exam, she said, "You're having a contraction right now. Do you feel how hard it is there?"
I said, "I thought that was just the baby pushing against the wall of my stomach."
She said, "No, those are contractions."
I started laughing and said, "Well, in that case, yes, I have contractions all the time."
What a dummy! Who doesn't know they're having contractions? Hopefully this means an easy labor.
I don't think this is weird at all! I'm at 37 weeks and if my doc asks next week if I'm getting contractions, I would probably say no because I have no idea what they are supposed to feel like.....now you have me wondering if I've had contractions yet....hah!
ReplyDeleteYou are precious! :-) So excited for you!
ReplyDeleteThere's just so much we don't know the first time around! It wasn't until I was full-term that I realized I'd been having Braxton Hicks since around week 16! :) I will say that my REAL contractions felt identical to period cramps right up to the point that I was dilated to 7 cms...then, of course, they turned into something words cannot describe ;)
ReplyDeleteHey chick, Haven't been on in a long time - congrats on the pregnancy (I can't remember if I commented on your announcement so long ago - I did know you were pregnant and I have been following it a little on my reader)...this completely floored me - you can have contractions and not know? Does this mean the baby is coming?! (educate this non-Mommy please!!)
ReplyDeleteShoot sorry - commented with the wrong email addy (sorry) previous comment was me!!
ReplyDeleteWith my first daughter, I never knew I had/was having contractions, not even when I was hooked up to the monitor waiting for my c-section and they were right there on the printout. However, with my 2nd, once they started, I knew exactly what they were and that this baby was coming NOW.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Well, yeah, I hope this does mean an easy labor for you! :)
ReplyDeleteSerena, It's common to have contractions before you go into labor. They're warm ups to help your uterus prepare for real labor. They can last for months, so it doesn't necessarily mean birth is immenent. And if you're relaxed (meaning not afraid or tense) they aren't necessarily painful; your brain is what interprets a sensation as painful or not.
ReplyDelete