how far were you?

Question

hey everyone! i just wanted to ask you all how many centimeters dilated you were when you were admitted to the hospital. also for how long were you having contractions before you went to the hospital. i know you are supposed to wait until they are like five minutes apart, i just want to hear about other people's experiences. i am currently 39 weeks and 1 day, 2cm, and having contractions on and off every like half hour or so. thanks everyone!

Answer 1

I went into labor 39 weeks, 4 days. I was 100% effaced, and only dilated 3-ish cms. My water had broken 5 hours before, and my contractions were about 5 minutes apart. 4 hours later, they induced me because labor was not progressing and I had lost so much amniotic fluid. Baby born 4 hours after pitocin was started, 39 weeks 5 days (yep, I was in labor all night long, lol).

Answer 2

I was 40w2d pregnant and went to the hospital when my contractions were 3-4 mins apart and the pain had become too much to feel secure at home anymore. (I had been in established labour for only 4.5 hours plus some weird half hourly relatively painless contractions during the day)

I was 5cm dilated when arriving at the hospital but my contractions went back to 5-6mins apart for about an hour or 2 which the nurse said was really common because of the change or atmosphere. I was still admitted though.
But within 2 hours of arriving at the hospital the contractions started back up properly I kept dilating properly and delivered 5 hours after arriving there.

All in all I had 4.5 hours at home and got to 5cm and then another 5 hours at hospital until the delivery. Pretty quick and easy!! It was my second birth though, my first was induction that only took 8hours though.

you really just need to ring your birthing place at this time and let them know that you think things have started to happen but they are still 30mins apart now. They will more than likely tell you to stay at home for a while yet.

Once you get to the point where the pain just doesn't make you feel 'safe' being at home and the contractions are fairly close together and gathering in intensity and duration (like 60 to 90sec long) you should probably head in.
For some people that might be at 7mins apart and others like me was only 3mins apart. Everyone has their own pain threshold and that is usually what it comes down to.

Be prepared for things to slow down for a little bit during the ride and at the hospital. But remember to remain as active as possible by walking around as gravity will help bring the baby down which causes pressure on the cervix to dilate faster. Laying flat on your back with a monitor for hours will slow things down rather than speed it up. So keep those legs walking as long as you can do it, energy wise.

Best of luck and I hope that it speeds up and you have your baby in your arms soon!! And keep active now!!!

Answer 3

Well... I was 2 cm dilated but I was only 30 weeks. I had contractions through out an entire night. They stopped them and sent me home that afternoon. I was right back the next day. They gave me a prescription and sent me home. Wouldn't you know it? I was back the very next night... This time they shipped me to a hospital an hour away. There they kept me on IV for a week and a half before I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl at 32 weeks.... But that was me.
Congratulations!!! You must be pretty excited to meet the little one who's been kicking you. :) I'd go to the hospital. The worst they can do is send you home. At best you are admitted.

Answer 4

I know you can't wait! I really messed up when I went to the hospital with my last baby because I waited way too long, was at 8 but I had no idea I'd be that far, contractions were about 5 min apart and it just started getting real bad so I knew I was ready but when I got there they wouldn't give me and epidural so I was so mad, they said it was too late. I wanted to make sure I was far enough because with my daughter I went and they said I wasn't far enough along so they made me go home and I had to go back up there and go through checking in and all that all over again. Be glad you are starting to dialate early and slowly, they told me that's why I got to 8 without realizing it because I was at 2 or 3 for a while. Congratulations!!!

Answer 5

Most hospitals won't admit unless you are 3 cm and having contractions (regular) about 2 minutes apart but each hospital has its own policy. I was admitted at 3 cm dialated and 80% effaced but I was also in preterm labor. When i went into labor again at 36 wks I was 4 cm when i was admitted. I was told by the Dr that 3 cm is the common policy but even then there needs to be active labor happening with regular contractions.

Answer 6

I wasn't dilated at all, my water broke and thats why i had to go in. I didn't even have contractions until about 2-3 hours after they started the pitocin on me. Every woman is different, and has a different story to tell!! I know my Dr. had told be wait until the contractions were 5 minutes apart and you had to stop talking to get through them...unfortunately (or fortunately! lol) I never had to follow those directions! Good luck, I hope your labor and delivery go smoothly!

Answer 7

I was 3 cm dilated but my water broke so I had to go to the hospital, in 8 hours I only dilated 1 more cm and therefore had to have a c-section because I was losing so much fluid.

Answer 8

They changed my due date four times and none of them were correct. So since my due date bumped up 5 weeks with my first ultrasound, when they believed I was over 40 weeks (though I wasn't and I even explained that to them.. but some dummy decided to put on my paperwork that I was unsure of my last period even though I never said that) they started the non-stress testing and BPP's.

But finally after 3 days of that.. they were gonna induce me and scared me into labor.. I was only 3 cm.

Answer 9

dont listen to the idiot above me..the hospitals will usually admit you when your contractions are 5 minutes apart not 2