Length of labour

[Angel]

When talking about Kynan people invariably ask how how long I was in labour for. When I asked the midwife about this when he was born she said you go by 'established' labour and that for me it was 3.5 hours (going from when I was 4-5cm dilated & ARM). However just about everyone else I know goes by when they started the 1st stage or even prelabour... when they had their first contraction or when they had the induction gel in etc. So is there an official way to measure the length of labour?

[Astrolady]

I think both of mine were from established labour.

Love

[sushee]

I was told to count length of labour from 4-5cm dilation too. So even though I started contractions with Ariani 4 days beforehand, it was only 28 hours in labour, Shay was 11 and a half, and Zaki was 3 hours.

love
sushee

[Liz]

My OB said it was established labour.. ie the contractions are regular and actually doing something. Which makes my official labour 5 1/2 hours. Even tho my waters broke the night before, and had had niggling contractions for a day and a half before that.

[BellyBelly]

Yep active or established labour, which is from 4cms. But I aint going to measure when I am 4cms dilated and I don't want to know, so I just say from the start of labour contractions when I had to concentrate through them and didn't want to talk or listen during them

[bruky]

Wow I never knew that...my labours are too fast I dont even know when I would be at 5cms?? (I did with Katie tho as I was 5cm when I got to the hospital...next minute she was born...seriously...lol)

4hrs 17, 1 hr 5 and 1hr 27

[BellyBelly]

It's not often the time between them but the length of them that you want. 30 second contractions aren't going to be as effective as 60-90 second long contractions. This doesn't apply to all; I missed a labour a few months ago who had 30 sec contrax for the whole two hours she was in labour for, but generally you want length. 60-90 secs are great contractions.

[Angel]

Thanks for the replies everyone