How do you judge how long your labour was?

[Arimeh]

I know, seems like a funny question. But if your labour was the "Building up" type - do you count the total time of labour from first contraction or when they started getting more regular and ouchy?

Like, I got my first contraction with DD2 at around 5am in bed, but didn't get another one for about an hour, and then every 7-14 minutes I would get a contraction, but they weren't particularly ouchie till about 1pm - and then she was born at 6.20pm (well her head was born at 6.15, but body at 6.20pm).

So do I count my labour as being 13.5 hours long - or 5.5 hours long?

[feeb]

First stage starts from regular rhymical contractions.

[Arimeh]

Hmm so would that be when they were like 7 minutes apart most of the time and still not that ouchy?

[feeb]

Yes, not everyone needs ouchy contractions to be in labour!

[Arimeh]

Yes, not everyone needs ouchy contractions to be in labour!

Ok I'll have to look through my notes and see when that was for sure...

Thanks

Teni - thats pretty short for a first time labour!!! You might deliver on your door step with the next one

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

According to my hossy notes, i was induced with gels (this was my only form of induction, no drip required), two lots, first lot put in at 3pm, 2nd lot at 10pm. - rolled over in bed at 12.50am and waters broke, active labour started at 1.00am (with contrax 5 mins apart from the get go) dd born at 8am, so 7 hour labour in total

[~clover~]

I count mine from the start. Waters breaking, first contraction. Established labour is 4cm or regular 5 minute apart contractions I think, but personally I was in pain well before then. Quite alot with DD2 even though my contractions were still 30 minutes apart. They got me to 7cm dialated, so I'm counting them!

ETA - Teni, my waters broke 1st with DD1, had ARM with DD2 on crowning & broke about an hour into contractions with DS, so different every time for me

[Arimeh]

Ok I just went over my birth story - and the more consistent ones were 6-7 minutes apart at around 12pm.

SO really it was a 6.5 hour labour I suppose?
Teni - mine didn't break until I had my internal and I was already 7-8 cms.

[MrsFabuloso]

With DD, I was induced, and I count labour from when I had the drip put in because from that stage until she was born 23 hours later, I had regular contractions, about 7mins apart. It hurt from go to woah.
With DS I have absolutely no idea how long I was actually in labour for. I had a really long pre labour with ouchy and often fairly regular braxton hicks for about 2 weeks before hand. They would tease me and come regularly about 10 or so mins apart, and when I would get excited and hopeful this was IT! they would die down and go away. When I got to hospital (fully expecting them to give me some panadine and telling me to come back when it got serious, I was 8cm dialated. OB broke my waters an hour after we arrived and DS was born about an hour after that.

[ShootingStar]

I count mine as the first sign of labour.. with DS was contraction (11 hours), DD my waters breaking (16.5 hours). But the hospital have it down as 4 hours (DS) and 6 hours (DD). DS's is a blur but at my counting 10.5 hours for DD was when i asked for an epidural. I was 6cm dilated and had been for the past 4 hours. So i have no idea how they calculate it.

[*Beema*]

I don't think we would even contemplate how many hours mine was prior to C-Sec with DD2 if we go on when the ctx started .... 8 weeks!

DD1 was when my waters broke, was the start of the first stage, the actual ctx starter 45min later at 5min appart.

[Party-of-five]

I count mine from when my contractions started

[TeniBear]

I count it from 3am, though I'd had peth and paracetomol earlier for light crampy feelings. But the ones starting at 3 were the ones that I couldn't sleep through - plus that's the only time I remember for certain. So I say my labour was 5 hours 52 minutes (gee that sounds really long now!) although technically it was longer, and the hospital says it was under an hour

But, obviously, I was induced, so I don't know what it would have been like if everything started on its own

ETA - 3am was when they got regular as well :$


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[TeniBear]

I'd like to know if my "normal" labours in the future will start with my waters breaking, or they'll be like last time and break right at the end (and that was with help!)

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[Lulu]

I'd like to know if my "normal" labours in the future will start with my waters breaking, or they'll be like last time and break right at the end (and that was with help!)

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None of my labours started with waters breaking.

I always thought it started with "active labour"?

[Epacris]

I always thought active labour was strong/painful regular contractions from 4cm dilation.

DS – Pre labour for about 2 weeks, then about an hour of regular contractions (that weren’t painful) before my waters broke, then active labour for about 2 ½ hours.

DD – Pre labour for about 3 weeks (I was 3cm dilated for all of that time too) then my waters broke (no regular non-painful contractions before hand, nothing) took a while (like 10 - 15 mins) for contractions to start after my waters broke, then active labour for about 40 mins.

[Iona Macca]

The hospital worked mine out to be from when they broke my waters (I was induced) - it added up being a 15-16hr labour from that but contractions didn't start till 12pm when they put the drip in and then I had Luke at 10:50pm

[Cassius2]

i count mine from the time that my waters broke as that was the only time that contractions were consistent in pattern and had a bit more length to them. prior to that they could be 1 min apart, or 15 min apart and only lasting max 30 secs but on average maybe 15-20 secs.

but my midwives have recorded labour as lasting 2.15 hours as they reckon that my contractions probably in the hour before DD2 was born were probably already established labour . they arrived after my waters broke though and to me, i only count the moment from when they broke as 'labour' as that was when it was all i could concentrate on lol. (sooo...1.15 hours).

HTH!