contractions, dilating....labor?

Question

So like 3 days ago I was having contractions every 20 minutes all night long but then they stopped in the morning. My midwife told me that I was right below where I would have to call or come in to the hospital since at the time I was only 32 weeks pregnant. Well, now she measured my uterus and I'm measuring 34 weeks..well now I'm almost 35 weeks. She said she didn't need to check to see if I was dilating because she figured I wasn't since I was every 20 minutes apart. When do they start to check to see if your dilating? Also, from when you first start to have contractions.....how long was it for you to go into active labor?

Okay....everyone acts like I'm freaking out......I'm not, I'm totally fine. I was just curious from one mother to another to see the difference of how long it takes when she starts to dilate to the time she has her baby. And to answer any questions.....my baby has flipped, dropped and gone into the birth canal.....she's slowly getting ready, which there is nothing wrong with that. Thanks to everyone though!

Answer 1

You may have started dialating already but they don't want to check to early because it can cause infection or further dialation. They only checked me at 32 weeks with my 2nd pregnancy because I'd just gotton out of the hospital with a kidney infection and was contracting every 9-12 minutes on the way home. (go figure and the hospital was 45 minutes away) They started checking me at 36 weeks with my first daughter and I was dialated to a 3 and remained there until I was induced at 41 weeks. So even if you are dialated it just means your body's getting ready and can't be used to accurately determine when you'll go into labor.

With all of my pregnancies (3) I had braxton hicks in or around the 5th month. My oldest was born at 41 weeks, middle and last were born at 36. I often had contractions every 20 minutes for a couple hours then they'd go away etc etc. Just depends on your body. You'll know when labor is getting closer because those contractions will start getting closer and closer and eventually more crampy feeling.

Not too much longer!!! Congrats!

Answer 2

You can have Braxton-Hicks contractions for weeks or months before actually going in to labor. (With my second child, I started having them at week 2... before a pregnancy test would show positive!) Braxton-Hicks contractions are just your muscles revving up for the main event. Dilation and effacing can happen starting any time, but will typically be in small increments until you get closer to your due date.

I know that's not what you want to hear... but your baby needs to bake a few more weeks before it's ready to be born. Lungs don't typically develop completely until 36-37 weeks, and the weight your baby will gain over the next few weeks is also important. They're fragile when they're born.. I know you're tired, but as long as everythings going well, the longer they stay in, the better.

The last month of pregnancy doctors check the cervix typically every week, but if they feel there's not a reason to, like if your baby hasn't "dropped" into the birth canal, they might not. No use bothering something that's doing okay on it's own.

Do yourself a huge favor. Take a deep breath... and trust your midwife. Take your cues for how to approach this whole birth-thing from her.

Answer 3

They didn't start checking me til I was about 36 weeks along and I am now 37 weeks. I have been having contractions for 6 days now varying from 5 minutes apart to 10 minutes apart. I am only dilated to 1 cm so they will not do anything until I dilate more. Just hang in there it could be a long road ahead but it all depends on the woman to. Every person and every pregnancy is different.

Answer 4

I've had two kids, and started having weekly internal exams at 36 wks with each pregnancy.

As for the contractions, they don't necessarily mean anything. I know women who were on bedrest because of pre-term labor, but were then taken off of bedrest at 36 weeks and ended up having to be induced at 41 wks!

My own experience was that with my first it was 23 hours from the first contraction to his birth. With my second I was up all night with contractions about 5-6 minutes apart but they stopped in the morning. Later that afternoon they started again while I was walking through the hospital lobby to be induced (I had pre-eclampsia) and my daughter was born less than 5 hours later. But I never had a single Braxton-Hicks contraction with either pregnancy. Some women can have contractions for days, weeks or even months before delivery.

If your midwife isn't concerned, and you're not still contracting, then I think you're fine. Good luck!