how do you count hours of labour?

[BunnyN]

It seems some women count from the first twinges. It seems like doctors only count it from when labour is 'established'. I have read that you start counting labour from having regular painful contractions 5 mins apart or something like that. I had a funny labour though as the contractions were all over the place. I never had regular contractions for more than about 20 mins, even when I was pushing they were not regular. From the first contractions that were like very strong and slightly painful BH I count 38 hours but counting from when there was no doupt at all that it was labour I'd say more like 32 hours. The midwife started by saying that the contractions were not regular enough to count but then she counted 27 hours offically which is from before I even saw her, I'm not sure where she got that number from, I think she just kind of picked one because she realised I was getting strong contractions for a long time they just never got regular. I think that is probably a fair guess as I'm not sure when to start counting myself but if I ccounted from when it started getting hard to speek through contractions it was about 29 hours.

 

[Chezza]

I count my labour length from the first proper contraction that I had - it was only a mild one - but to me it counts My labour from start to finish was 15 hours and about 40 mins! xx

 

[CARNAT22]

I started counting when they were coming regularly.

I had a bloody show at about 5pm and mild period pains, by 10pm that night they were definite contractions every 10 minutes. So I started logging them in a little note pad... I logged every single contractions lol

I never went down below every 6 minutes at home though and was 5cm when I went in. The only reason they let me come in was as my waters had partially gone....

I was dehydrated and hadn't eaten so I developed Ketosis. However had my waters not gone they'd have still let me stay at home despite the fact I'd been contracting every 6-10 minutes for 36 hours by the time I went in???

I had another 14 hours in hospital before baby came so all in it was 50 hours... That doesn't include my early twinges. This only counts when I felt sure they were labour pains ie: when they started to bloody well hurt.

I sadly threw out the notepad on which all my were contractions logged, wish I'd kept it but when I got home I was so tired and sore and shocked that I threw them out

xxxxxxxx

 

[l_maclean]

My labour was in two very very distinct parts - I basically had false labour that started off on Friday night with twinges type things, was having proper contractions on a reasonable regular ish pattern till tues, but still came and went a wee bit - got up to 3mins apart when out walking, but slowed down again if I stopped.

Then at 2am on the wed, after I attempted to get a wee bit of rest I woke up to almighty powerful things - really close together. That bit lasted less than 3hrs.


On my iPhone - so cant see tickers

 

[giz]

My notes say labour was 7 hours or something. Which was basically when I arrived at hospital. But I was 8cm on arrival.

I count it from the first contraction, so 22 hours.

----------------
baby giz born 6th Feb 2011
next one due 12th Aug 2013

 

[Zazu]

I count it from when I believe I was in established labour, 15 hours with my first and 2.5hours with my second x

 

[Lettie]

I counted from 3/5 minutely contractions. That was 53hrs. 42hrs of which were at home and I was 5/6cm when I went in. Hoping this one is substantially shorter! Lol

 

[lauralou]

I was having non stop contractions every 5-10mins from the Monday at 1am til I gave birth at 7.30pm on the Friday night! they literally did not stop at all, but as I wasn't dilating the hospital just told me to ride it out at home.

I went up to the labour ward every night, adamant that I must be dilating with each day that passed, but they checked and said I was still only 2cm! on the Thursday night I went back in as I just needed some help and was so exhausted, and that was at 11pm, I was left to bounce on a ball in the waiting area for 7 hours!!!! and then they finally checked me and said I was 4cm so could stay! YAY!!! biggest celebration of my life haha!

but I think if I added it up itd be something like 117 hours of non stop contractions! haha longest labour ever! but the cheeky sods in my notes put 13hours as they started it from the time they admitted me, which they said would have been earlier if they weren't as busy..... grrrrrrr!

so im just hoping this time its got to be the total opposite! haha x

 

[CARNAT22]

Wow Laura, that was epic!!!

It really pissed me off that I would have been left to wait at home had my water not gone (it never fully went either)

The moment they got me in I was told to eat and drink [I managed a cuppa and a slice of toast] and within a few hours I was hooked up to a saline drip as I was dehydrated and fooked from 36 hours of no sleep and no food!! How long would they have left me in that state had I not had some waters go?

I guess they would have had me in for an assessment at some point?

Despite them attempting to get things moving 'naturally' for me, I needed to syntocinon drip to help me along in the end and was lucky to deliver naturally as they were on stand by for an assisted delivery / section.

xxxxxxxxx

 

[BunnyN]

I have trouble knowing when to count from because I have no idea when established labour started. My contractions were all over the place. They would be every 8 mins for a few contractions then every 3 mins then every 15 mins. Sometimes they were super long and strong, sometimes short and weak and it was like that until she was born. I had some painful contractions right from the start but I had painful BH weeks before labour started so it's hard to judge what a real contraction is by pain. I would be inclined to start counting from when I decided there was no way it was false labour which was about 32 hrs but from a medical point of view I think the midwifes guess of 27 hours is close enough. I thought it was a long labour but sounds like nothing compared to some of you girls!

 

[diane]

My contractions were strong and regular from the start. As soon as they first woke me at 1am Monday I knew it was labour as they were painful and regular. I had a very long painful labour and she was born 9.28am on the Tuesday so I count 32 1/2 hours. I was also in hospital all that time as she wasn't moving at all! They kept asking if I needed to push cos the trace was at 100% from the get go

 

[CARNAT22]

I personally wouldn't count from established labour, as that means you are at least 4cm. It took me a long time and lot of pain to even get to being in established labour

Obviously hospitals encourage you to stay away until you are 4cm + so they only count from 'established labour' anyway. Mine was 14 hours... But I def count the 36h at home before too.

I wish my labour was shorter but the fact is it went on for days, and made me ill so I couldn't have to birth I wanted.... It wold be silly of me not to count it? I am not trying to win a competition or anything this is just how things went for me

xxxxxx

 

[Lynds77]

I started getting sore-ish contractions about 11am. Got my waters broken at 5pm and they became very painful after that. Was fully dilated by 11pm and baby was here at 4am.

so I say I was in labour for 17hrs.

but i had got a pessary inserted 11 hours before that, and had had some mild irregular contractions in that time. I dont count it though.

 

[kat1988]

I was induced by drip (the second time) and was in established labour within 5mins so we just count from when the drip was turned on, I'd count from when it hurts enough to complain about, for some people that's established labour but not for everyone, I'd be actually quite annoyed if it took several hours to get to established labour and anyone told me it doesn't really count!!!

 

[Pudds86]

I counted mine from my first contraction which was 5 hours. Geez fully established would have been an hour! Xx

Tapatalking :-D Can't see tickers...

 

[Loula]

I count mine rrom when my waters went at 8pm. My contractions didnt start til midnight and by 2am was 4cm. 10cm by 5am and birthed at 837am. 12.5 hrs x

 

[MrsT2011]

This is a tough one. I first noticed signs on the Friday, started timing painless contractions about 5am on the Saturday. Hospital counted from established labour but I was 8cm when I went in so no idea when I would of been 4cm, so written on my notes is 6 hours 52 minutes. But if I counted it from a painful contraction it would of only been about 1 hour 15 minutes.
I think if I had been in discomfort at the start I would of counted from then but I usually tell people the hospitals time.

 

[CARNAT22]

I am no wimp but it astounds me some ladies feel very little pain during labour.

I felt like I was going to die for 50 hours

xxxxxxx

 

[kat1988]

I am no wimp but it astounds me some ladies feel very little pain during labour.

I felt like I was going to die for 50 hours

xxxxxxx

I think it's just one of those things, everyone's different! I am a bit of a wimp with pain, but I was fine, by no means comfortable, but it was manageable untill I was 9cm, I didnt have any pain relief at all untill I was 9cm! but then I was in so much constant pain while pregnant, labour 1. didnt seem that bad 2. was actually mostly less painful and 3. kind of a relief that it would finally be over!

it also helped that I was also induced the day before lo was born, contractions went into overdrive but dr took ages to come see me, so I basically had one long contraction...for about 8 hours...with no pain relief...and no food

 

[MrsT2011]

I just think labour is different for everyone and has no bearings on your pain threshold.

I am the biggest wimp in the world and will cry over a splinter but I honestly had no pain and even the midwives said it was a silent labour.

I planned an epidural as I knew I wouldn't handle labour but I didn't need one, things could be different next time and I will have no shame in begging for drugs if I need them! X