Contractions?

What do contractions feel like exactly? Are they like spasms? Do they feel the same if you have them in your back? How long are they suppose to last? Don't mind the stupid questions, imma pregnancy noob  
TIA!

We have the same due dates! Hehe   I'm sure I'm not much help but I found it helpful to google all of my questions about labor and contractions, but that's just me.. I'm a new mom too.   I'm sure the BTDT mom's will have some good answers for ya!

For me they felt like flu cramps and lasted 50 seconds

They're a lot similar to period cramps, but more intense. Back labor can be constant back pain, or it can tighten and release. Sometimes you don't even feel either one and it feels like you have to poop really really bad. That's probably a sign to get to the hospital asap.

I've been induced everytime so i'm not sure if it's the same as going into labor by yourself. Mine feel like horrible charlie horses around my belly and back sometimes continuous sometimes timable. Always feel like I need to sit on the toilet.

Bad period cramps + the urge to smurf. If they are increasing in intensity and are timeable, I'd say they're the real deal. Good luck! I know you don't want to be induced,I hope you go into labor on your own  

Quoting Elena Dawn's mommy:" Bad period cramps + the urge to smurf. If they are increasing in intensity and are timeable, I'd say they're ... [snip!] ... timeable, I'd say they're the real deal. Good luck! I know you don't want to be induced,I hope you go into labor on your own  "

Well, i took some tylenol and went to sleep, and the pain doesn't seem to be as bad

so contractions feel different at different stages of labor. In the beginning you may just feel like you are having period cramps. The contraction its self will be like your belly turning into a rock and remaining that way. it will happen consistently and start to get closer together with more pain as time goes on.

As you progress you will start to feel more pain and less period like cramping. The pain may start twords your back and sort of wrap around into your belly area as your belly tightens into that rock. You may even feel it going down your legs into your thigh area. The pain may be a sharp type with sort of a warm burn to it as well.

As your contractions really intensify you may notice you feel your contraction harden up in sort of pulses as the contraction peaks to its worst. That always happened for me when I was in the transition phase and pain was at its highest. It was sort of a welcome feeling, that last pulsing bit of hardening because I knew it was peaking and would be heading back down again soon! At that point, however, the end of one contraction was just the start of the next with in like seconds so the relief was short lived....but also a welcome thing as each contraction was one closer to the end!

I had full out back labor with my second child (I am pregnant with my 7th now!). I still felt the hardening uterus the same but instead of most of the pain being more in my belly area, it was in my back, but pretty much the same sort of pain I would say. The pressure of the contraction would radiate into my spine, however, and sort of feel like someone had stuck their fist inside of me and was trying to push my spine out through my skin on my back.

Even without back labor, some of my labors really made my back sore. The best way to avoid that is to change positions frequently and stand as much as possible and walk. I was induced for some and unable to do that and thats when my back was most achy.

Quoting Chelsea Dawns Mama:" What do contractions feel like exactly? Are they like spasms? Do they feel the same if you have them ... [snip!] ... if you have them in your back? How long are they suppose to last? Don't mind the stupid questions, imma pregnancy noob   TIA!"

Everyones different! But my contractions felt like the first time I started my period (cramps) but 1000000 times worse lol I BEGGED for the epidural lol