"Established labour???"

[Beatlesfan]

I went to look round the maternity unit yesterday with my partner. The midwife there said not to come in unless women were in "established labour" which is 4 cm dilated. How would I know?

My midwife (on an ante natal app. a few weeks ago) said not to come in until my contractions were 5 minutes apart and 1 minute in duration so I guess I will go by that. So does that mean if I have a show, my waters break and I am having contractions with longer than 5 minutes between them, I just stay at home??

If I think things are movign quickly or am unsure should I just go in (well, maybe phone first) and they would check my cervix and maybe send me home if need be??

Feel very naive but was a bit embarassed to ask yesterday with all the other couples there. Any advice ladies? Thanks. I have 3 and half weeks to my due date.

Also, got another question about nursing bras but I'll post seperately.

BF x

 

[Kylie1007]

I've been told that I have to ring the delivery suite when my contractions are 5 mins apart and last one minute. Then they send a midwife to my house to check if it is proper labour - the midwife then will follow my hubby and I to the hospital (in case we have to divert in to Sainsbos carpark or breakdown etc.).

 

[Beatlesfan]

Thanks Kylie, that is reassuring to know you have been advised the same. There has been no mention of a midwife coming round, but I would be happy if they did, just to confirm.

BF x

 

[lisa&alex]

i think its a good idea to go in when u cant handle the pain anymore.. and they are comming more than 5 mins appart.. its a good time to head to hospital then...

 

[rachie29]

my hospital have said you should always contact them and go in if your waters break.. even if they send you home again they need to check you as there is a greater risk of infection the longer you leave it after they break.... otherwise to hang on at home as long as possible and to speak to them yourself rather than have your partner do it as they can tell more if they speak to you..

 

[babydust]

sorry for butting in here but i just wanted to say, hospitals tell you to wait till nearly the last min b4 coming in, i dont want to scare you but when i was in labour with my little girl i had contractions every 10 min they wernt actually painful, but regular i called the hospital and they said its probabally not labour if i wasnt in pain but i managed to talk them into letting me come in, i had my little girl about half an hour after arriving, i actually put a complaint into the hospital as i nearly had her at home, i think if you think labour is starting just go in and at the end of the day if they need to they can always send you back home.

 

[mayday]

I had my waters break after 24 hrs of contractions but the hospital didn't want to know because they weren't over a minute long. I went in anyway and they were surprised to find I was 7cm dilated. If I'd waited for them to be over a minute long I think I'd still be waiting now!

 

[Rosieroo]

Both mine were born when the pain was just about getting unbearable and both times by the time I saw a midwife I was fully dilated and ready to push. With DD they put me off of going to hospital even though my contractions were 5 mins apart and I was having lots of bloody shows when I went to the loo, in the end my husband insisted that they let us come down and when I got there it was 1.15am, DD was born at 2.02am! They left me waiting on the hospital bed until my midwife arrived after bluelighting a woman in prem labour to a different hospital, by that time I was in a lot of pain. She was very surprised to find me ready to push when she eventually got there and examined me.
With DS I was having contractions every 4 minutes and I went down to my doctors to see the midwife to see if I was in labour, when she examined me she said I wasn't in established labour as I was 2cm dilated and to go home and rest. However two hours later DS was born! A midwife arrived at my house with 10 mins to spare and he was 4 weeks early, but thankfully was ok.

Moral of the story is that you shouldn't leave it too late if you want a hospital birth (I'd never have another unless my baby was at risk, home birth all the way for me!), but don't get in at the first contraction because you could be in for a loooooong wait and often getting into hospital too soon makes your labour longer as it often slows down. Keep active when you go into labour and try to use things at home to help with pain, like the bath, a tens machine, even just rocking your hips back and forth.

Good luck! It's exciting the last few weeks This time of year is my fave time to be pregnant, I loved being heavily pregnant in Nov/Dec with DD, it was really special