If you have had a normal and uncomplicated pregnancy, you should go to your hospital or birthing centre when you are experiencing contractions every 3 to 5 minutes, or when you are no longer coping at home.
When you have regular, painful contractions lasting one minute each and occurring at least every five minutes for more than two hours, it's time to go to the hospital. This is the transition from early to active labor.
When you're in true labor, your contractions last about 30 to 70 seconds and come about 5 to 10 minutes apart. They're so strong that you can't walk or talk during them. They get stronger and closer together over time. You feel pain in your belly and lower back.
Go to hospital when:
your contractions are 5 minutes apart and are getting stronger (you may need to go to hospital sooner if you live a long distance away) your baby is not moving as much as usual. your waters break or release. you are bleeding from your vagina.
Other ways to recognize labor:
The 5-1-1 Rule: The contractions come every 5 minutes, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour. Fluids and other signs: You might notice amniotic fluid from the sac that holds the baby. This doesn't always mean you're in labor, but could mean it's coming.
You may want to start timing your contractions when you think labor has started to see if there is a pattern. You may also want to time contractions for a bit after there has been a change in how the contractions feel. That can give you a better idea of how much time you have to rest between each contraction.
Also known as “false” labor, Braxton-Hicks contractions last anywhere from less than 30 seconds to more than 2 minutes . They can feel like a wide belt tightening around the front of the abdomen.
Our general rule is to sleep as long as possible if you're starting to feel contractions at night. Most of the time you can lay down and rest during early labor. If you wake up in the middle of the night and notice contractions, get up and use the bathroom, drink some water, and GO BACK TO BED.
If you came to the hospital while in early labor, your doctor may ask you to labor at home until your contractions are stronger. Many women stay at home during early labor. This is often the longest part of the birthing process. It may last up to 2 to 3 days.
During early labor: You may feel mild contractions that come every 5 to 15 minutes and last 60 to 90 seconds.
Other, early signs labor is close (anywhere from a month to mere hours away from active labor) include: Baby drops. Cervix begins to dilate. Cramps and increased back pain.
Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps.
These tightenings are called Braxton Hicks contractions and are usually painless. Your contractions tend to become longer, stronger and more frequent as your labour progresses. During a contraction, the muscles tighten and the pain increases.
As labour progresses, you'll shift from early labour to active labour. During this time, contractions get more intense. They occur more often, about every 2 to 3 minutes. They also last longer, about 50 to 70 seconds.
Every woman hits active labour at a different point, but it typically happens when the cervix has dilated to between four and six centimetres. At this stage, the contractions are exceptionally strong and your cervix should dilate progressively every few hours (usually by about one centimetre an hour) until you deliver.
In active labor, the contractions are less than 5 minutes apart, lasting 45-60 seconds and the cervix is dilated three centimeters or more.
It's OK to lie down in labour. Lie down on one side, with your lower leg straight, and bend your upper knee as much as possible. Rest it on a pillow. This is another position to open your pelvis and encourage your baby to rotate and descend.
Taking walks during active labor (breaking for contractions) can help ease the intensity of labor and can help keep your labor progressing by moving your pelvic bones, which helps position baby appropriately for (potentially) a shorter and easier overall birth.
Typically, after your water breaks at term, labor soon follows — if it hasn't already begun. Sometimes, however, labor doesn't start. If you experience prelabor rupture of membranes, your doctor might stimulate uterine contractions before labor begins on its own (labor induction).
Different hospitals have different definitions of 'slow labour', but the main way to spot the signs of slow labour is to measure the rate at which your cervix dilates. If this is less than 0.5cm per hour over a four-hour period, Mother Nature might need a helping hand.
Breathing too quickly (which looks a lot like hyperventilating) and holding your breath can increase your pain, not to mention also make you feel lightheaded.
Spending most of your time in bed, especially lying on your back, or sitting up at a small angle, interferes with labor progress: Gravity works against you, and the baby might be more likely to settle into a posterior position. Pain might increase, especially back pain.
Early dilation often feels like menstrual cramps as the cervical changes cause pain and cramping noticed in the lower part of the uterus. It is the same sensation and location as menstrual cramps. Active labor tends to be felt in a larger area but can be a similar sensation as cramping (with more intensity of course).
Some women will have backache and cramps or have bouts of contractions that may last a few hours which then stop and start up again the next day. This is perfectly normal. The duration of the latent phase of labour can be variable. It may last for 24 hours or more and can be tiring for you.