I am one of those people who like to soak up as much information as possible and even tho we are not currently trying I have a question for all you mum's who have recently given birth (only because your more likely to remember I suspect but anyone who has and remembered is welcome to answer too!)

Basically I was wondering what the pain is like when your having contractions, how do you know it is contractions and not just a bad tummy ache?

For example, what is the pain like? is it like a sharp stabbing pain? a dull ache? feel a little bit like when you ate something dodgy and you really need to go the loo and it's pushing it's way thru? (sorry that sounds so dodgy but only way I can describe it)

Where is the pain? Is it in your lower tummy? up high? is there pressure on your 'bits'? etc etc. The only thing I know currently is that it is in waves and the contractions come, peak and then go down again.

Sorry for the million questions but the reason I am asking is because I always always have had bad tummy's, ever since I was little. And they very often are 'wave like' tummy aches just like people describe pregnancy contractions. Now I do not think that it will be anything like these when I actually do give birth but I was worried that I might not realise it is contractions early on or perhaps I think it is and it's just a dodgy tummy! haha.

Any experiences and info would be much appreciated and thank you to anyone who has indeed read this far, I do babble on!

its like extreame period pain......trust me u will just know im lucky i ad a epi and section cos he wudnt come out so only had contractions for 3hr x

You can't really describe it, and its different for everyone!

For me it was a tingly, wattery sensation that washed over me from my bump out swiftly followed by building, painful tension from my uterus and in my thighs.

Ever had that feeling where you get a surge of adrenaline? Thats what it felt like to me, but with pain. Not an 'Ive hurt myself' pain, a different type of pain.

My baby was posterior, so my strongest sensation was intense, burning pain all across my lower back. I wasn't really conscious of pain in the front at all. It was definitely around my sacrum. Which is in fact where my son's skull was pushing, so no wonder it hurt!

Thanks guys for your experiences! angelstardust - I forgot to add actually that I'm aware it's diff for everyone so that's why I'm asking, my theory is if I ask as many people as poss then I may get a general gist! haha.

I had a "dodgy tummy feeling" in my early labour. I think MOST women don't know when labour starts. I was feeling lethargic and restless and generally pretty "down". If I had a breeding bitch who was behaving like that, I would at least suspect that labour had started, or was about to, but I had no idea when I went through it myself.

The onset of labour can be very subtle. But there comes a point when you DO just know. The contractions become more obvious, or your waters break.... Don't worry about it. It's too hard to describe, because it is different for everyone!

Well all 3 of mine were induced so i knew the pain was definitely contractions as i was hooked up to a drip to cause them! lol. Its a strange 'wave' of pain and one you wont have experienced before - nothing like braxton hicks i found. It gradualy builds up and although you dont feel pain everywhere the contraction takes over your whole body. My pain was all concentrated in my tummy and i had no pain or pressure down below until i was ready to push (just gas & air i had for pain relief). Its a bizarre pain as you know there is a point o it and its not like an 'ive broke a bone' pain. The beginning and end of a contarction is bearable its the peak of each that you have to decide if you can bear or not. I also found in between each contarction i had no pain at all and was happily chatting away till the next one came and i just breathed well on the gas and air and concentrated on not panicking or letting the pain take over. I was lucky though as my babies were born in 4 hours, 2 hours and 3 1/2 hours. I can honestly say with my 3rd i really enjoyed labour and can remember every bit of it.

mine was in my back and i cant really describe the pain, i just knew that it was labour... it wasnt really like back ache, it was more... i dunno cant explain it -

when my waters broke and the pain moved round to the front i didnt get tightenings that i can remember it was just sharp stabbing excruciating period pain, i dont even think it was like period pain - i dont know!lol.... you will certainly know your in labour thats for sure!

I did the same as you "but what does it actually feeeeeel like" and everyone said "you cant explain it but you'll know"

oh hell i definitely knew! lol

I was worried myself but when it happens you will know. It was like the worse period pain for me, that got worse each time and i had to put up with them for nearly 2 days.

mine was in my back with my first, never felt it in my belly at all. with ds it was slight twinges in my belly which i wasn't sure what they were at first but gradually got stronger so i knew what they were.