Patient's question:
I was 24 weeks pregnant when I felt a small lump on my stomach, about the size of a ping pong ball. At first, I thought it was the baby's head. Suddenly, my stomach felt a bit painful, similar to the bloating pain during menstruation. Later, I learned it was false labor contractions, but there was no pain.What kind of help do I need: What does a false labor contraction feel like?
Doctor's answer:
Based on your description, false labor contractions in the late stages of pregnancy are characterized by a hard abdomen, but without accompanied by abdominal pain, which is what false labor contractions are. Your current symptoms are likely due to the baby engaging into the pelvis. If you are already full-term, these symptoms are normal. The lower abdominal pressure and pain should be ruled out to determine if they are caused by true labor contractions.