how frequent do contractions need to be before going to the hospital?

Question

38 wks preg. started contractions yesterday but werent very frequent today they are a lot stronger and a little more frequent than yesterday. these arent braxton hicks i dont think since they are coming from my back. i was given an exam at wk 36 and hadnt dialated yet but was def thinning out. i am retaining a lot of water (and yes i have been drinking a lot) but im retaining a lot more than normal. i also feel really tired. every ounce of energy is drained, oh and i lost my mucus plug about 2 days ago.. could labor be coming soon?? i have an appt on Monday am, but i just want to know if i should wait till then or go in now?

Answer 1

Labor contractions are the periodic tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscle, the largest muscle in a woman's body. Something triggers the pituitary gland to release a hormone called oxytocin that stimulates the uterine tightening. It is difficult to predict when true labor contractions will begin.

Contractions are often described as a cramping or tightening sensation that starts in the back and moves around to the front in a wave-like manner. Others say the contraction feels like pressure in the back. During a contraction, the abdomen becomes hard to the touch. In the childbirth process, the work of labor is done through a series of contractions. These contractions cause the upper part of the uterus (fundus) to tighten and thicken while the cervix and lower portion of the uterus stretch and relax, helping the baby pass from inside the uterus and into the birth canal for delivery.

How Contractions are Timed


Contractions are intermittent, with a valuable rest period for you, your baby, and your uterus following each one. When timing contractions, start counting from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next.

The easiest way to time contractions is to write down on paper the time each contraction starts and its duration, or count the seconds the actual contraction lasts, as shown in the example below. Writing down the time and length of the contraction is extremely helpful for describing your contraction pattern to your physician, midwife or hospital labor and delivery personnel.

TIME CONTRACTION STARTS DURATION OF CONTRATION
10:00 45 seconds
10:10 45 seconds
10:15 60 seconds
10:20 55 seconds


What Contractions Feel Like


Many mothers describe contractions that occur in early labor as similar to menstrual cramps, or as severe gas pains, which may be confused with flu symptoms or intestinal disorders. Imagine your contractions as looking like a wave. Each contraction will gradually gain in intensity until the contraction peaks, then slowly subside and go away. As your body does the work of labor, it is likely that the time in between contractions will become shorter.

As the strength of each contraction increases, the peaks will come sooner and last longer. There should be some regularity or pattern when timed. Persistent contractions that have no rhythm but are five-to-seven minutes apart or less should be reported to your physician or midwife.

Try to visualize contractions as positive
Think of each contraction as something positive—it is bringing you that much closer to the birth of your baby. Visualize what the contractions are accomplishing, the thinning and opening of the cervix and the pushing of the baby downward. Try to work with your body rather than against it by staying as relaxed as possible during the contractions.

Typical Length or Duration
A typical labor for a first time mother is eight-to-fourteen hours, and is usually shorter for a second or subsequent birth. For many women, rocking in a chair or swaying during a contraction assists them with this relaxation.

Answer 2

You actually time your contractions from the beginning of one contraction til the beginning of the next.
Most docs say to go to the hospital when your contractions have been 4-5 min. apart for an hour or two.
Active labor is when your contractions continually get LONGER, stronger, and closer together over a period of 2 or more hours.
0 cm. dilated to 4 cm dilated is considered EARLY labor and can take from a few hours to several weeks. Active labor is from 4 cm to fully dilated (10 cm).

CALIFORNIA: NO....you don't have to deliver the baby within 24 hours after losing your mucous plug. You are thinking of the water breaking. Quite different from the mucous plug coming out. Just an FYI

Answer 3

Your doctor hasn't given you this information???
When mucus plug has passed usually a doctor wants to deliver the baby with in 24 hours.
You definatly need to call the doctor and head to the hospital when contractions are around 5 minutes apart. They might not be exact that. From what you say I have a feeling you need to get to the hospital. HOw far apart are the contractions?
There is always an OB doctor on call every night. So, Please don't worry about benig a bother. This is what OB doctors do.
Please call. Don't forget to tell the doctor about the loss of your mucus plug. I have a feeling you will be on your way very soon.

Good luck you are about to have the most amazing experience on the planet......delivering your little baby.

Answer 4

Look generally you shouldn't need to go to the hospital until your waters have brocken or our contractions are only about 5 minutes apart. But if you are worried about this then the baby could be feeling that stress so to calm yourself down and your baby go tot he hospital. No one is going to get mad or angry at you the doctors hav this happen all the time. And braxton hicks can come in the form of pain in the back so it may also be this. Goodluck with the birth and motherhood

Answer 5

Depends on what your doc told you, how far away from the hospital you are and your prior pregnancies.

For instance, my hospital serves a rural as well as suburban population. One in 10 women drives themselves to the hospital because there is nobody to do so. So, they might be told to wait until contractions are 8-10 minutes apart lasting 45 seconds or more. I was 2 blocks from the hospital so waited until they were 5 minutes apart and 45 seconds or longer and walked to the hospital. Of course, once I got there, they spaced further to 8 minutes apart.

Answer 6

It depends on how far from the hospital you are. You should go if the contractions are getting stronger and coming at regular intervals. If in doubt, call your dr or hospital and tell them the timing, etc., and see what they advise. My sister's first baby came in 90 minutes from the start of labor, so it's a good thing she didn't wait.

Answer 7

In general if you have a hard time talking/walking through the contractions it's time to go in. However the fact that you are having more water retention then usual for you would cause me to go in tonight. All women have some water retention but if you have a sudden increase in it there is usually a cause behind it. You could have developed Pregnancy Induced Hypertention or Pre-eclampsia. Either way you should go and get your blood pressure checked and possibly get monitored to see if you are in active labor.

Answer 8

regular, painful contractions that are 5 min apart and last for 30 sec or more each mean that labor is in full swing. Time from when the frist contraction ends to when the next starts.

Answer 9

It is up to you,although Braxton hicks can definitely be in your back as well as all over...

Your contractions should be really close together, not 5 minutes apart, but even if they are that close together, i would go anyways and have it checked, if you lost your plug it can be any day now.... Congratulations, and good luck.

Answer 10

I would put a call into the Dr on call at your OBGYN office. I was told to call first before going to the ER but anything 2-3 mins apart. Start timing them for a more concrete time because you dont want to go to early, only to be sent home but if it would comfort you more, please do, call your OB and go to the ER. Good luck and if no baby tonight or tomorrow try and get some rest. :)