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When I discovered I was pregnant, a flood of questions rushed to my mind. Was I ready for motherhood? Could I still indulge in sushi? What about my beloved iced tea? And was exercise still on the table?
Naturally, I had more serious concerns as well: How much weight should I gain? Is my blood pressure acceptable? What about my blood sugar? But the question that lingered most in my thoughts — the one I frequently Googled — was, “What does labor actually feel like?”
I was intrigued but, after being told time and again by my doctors, fellow parents, and countless online sources that I would “just know,” I eventually stopped asking. I ended my internet searches, which ultimately led to me being in labor twice without any awareness or warning. I was having contractions every 90 seconds and was completely oblivious to it.
I can already hear the disbelief: How could that be possible? Contractions are typically painful, right? They involve discomfort, cramping, and pressure. Yet, my experience was anything but ordinary. I didn’t have the expected aches or a bloody show. My contractions were neither regular nor debilitating. I could walk, breathe, and even run through each one (more on that later). Instead, I felt a strange sensation starting around 3 PM.
My abdomen began to tighten and relax, similar to the feeling of straining to use the bathroom. It felt like I was a human rubber band, and when I placed my hand on my belly, it felt hard, almost like a basketball. I monitored this sensation for about an hour, but it was sporadic and erratic. I brushed it off as Braxton Hicks contractions.
I went for a run, enjoyed dinner with buffalo wings and fries, and then headed to the movies with my husband. Just before the trailers began, I experienced a minor fluid leak, prompting a visit to the hospital at my doctor’s urging. That’s when I discovered I was in labor — already at 4 cm and swiftly moved from the ER to the appropriate ward.
The next several hours passed uneventfully. I observed the contraction monitor moving rhythmically but felt nothing. There was still no pain. I walked the halls in hopes of accelerating labor, played video games with my husband, and the nurses frequently checked in. “You don’t feel that?” they asked. I was a complete anomaly.
However, after stalling without making medical progress, my doctor and I agreed that it was time for intervention. He administered pitocin, and wow, did that change everything. The painless contractions I had experienced suddenly transformed into intense pain, like someone was hammering on my spine. In that moment, I thought, this is the pain I had expected from labor.
From there, my experience aligned more closely with the typical labor journey. I focused on my breathing and muttered curses at my husband under my breath. I quickly abandoned my “natural birthing” mindset and requested an epidural, moving rapidly from 6 cm to 9 cm. Before I knew it, it was time to push, and after 36 hours of labor, I welcomed a beautiful, healthy baby girl into the world.
But remember when I mentioned earlier that I experienced phantom labor twice? Well, the same scenario occurred with my son five years later. I went an entire day before realizing that the sensations I was feeling were consistent and persistent. Once again, I discovered that my contractions were just minutes apart.
While most individuals will experience “normal” labor with the typical sensations, if you find something feels off, trust your instincts. Labor isn’t always as depicted in movies. It’s always wise to seek a checkup, because it could lead to more than you think. For even more insights on home insemination and pregnancy, check out this informative post.