Length of labour from first contraction or first REAL contraction??

[Visitor7]

That's a good question Jac. I was already 3cm dilated prior to going into labour (with me second). And when the first contraction started, it was pretty full on. So when would 'active labour' have started for me then?

ETA: 4 contractions in a minute?!! A contraction usually lasts between 30-60 seconds.

[BekZ]

I thought they counted labour from when your contractions become regular as in 3 good contractions over a 20 min period or some thing like that.

My first labour was 10 hours (7 hours first stage, 30mins transition and 1.5 hours second stage pushing). Second labour was 3 hours (2.5 hours regular contractions and 15 mins of sheer pain (2 pushs and she flew out)).

Not all labours are the same just like no two babies are the same. BTW a quick labour doesn't mean less painful either. I much prefered my first labour.

All the best and wishing you a wonderful birthing experience

[*Beema*]

Interesting.....

Waters broke (PPROM) @ 8pm (while driving)
1st contraction 8:30-8:40pm, were 5 min appart straight away, got to see the start of The Farmer wants a Wife (first episode!!)
Arrived at hospital, they asked we said 5 min (well were when we left home and forgot to time going in to hospital), but MW said 3min when we got to admission, got taken to delivery and internal done 9:40pm 8cm dialated, very full on from that point.
Nakita born 10:37pm

Was recorded on Nakita's Transfer summary sheet as:
1st Stage 2hr 05min
2nd Stage 17min
3rd Stage 3 min

[Trillian]

From about 4cm onwards is considered active labour. Often when women have weeks/days of pre-labour or early labour, they can have a reasonably short labour if all the hard work (where the cervix thins and effaces and dilates to 4cm) is already done. But again, there are no rules in birth, it happens as it happens. Baby's position, somestimes also their size and how active the labour is can all affect the overall length of it.

[Visitor3]

my first contractions were at 3pm on a friday, and she was born at 11.01pm on the saturday.... holy crap does that add up to 32 hours???

my first painful contractions were around 8pm, so that would make it 27 hours...

am hoping it goes ALOT quicker the next time

Oh my lord Emma you're a trooper !!!

[loulabelle]

That's a hard one! both answers are correct I think.
From my first contraction to the birth of my Son my labour was 51.5 hours.I always say that.Although the contractions didn't become intense until about 10 hours later, so 41.5 hours? Hopefully my next is faster!!
Goodluck with Hypnobirthing.x

[Nadine]

Hmmm...

From the first "period like" pains (at 1am) my labour was 32 hours.

But the pains I had to concentrate on and breathe through started at 2pm, so that would make it 19hrs.

I wasn't 3cm dialated untill about 10pm , and DD was born at 9:15am.

So who knows LOL. For me it was long anyway.

[lestyrox]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Seems like its quite a hard question. I guess all i can do is go into my next labour with a positive attitude and a clear head (i'm using hypnobirthing to try and get over my fears of going through labour again)
I've heard that you're classified as being in real labour when active labour begins but it seems its a little unclear as to when that happens. I know at 6pm i started finding it hard to talk through contractions and they started getting really intense and painful but i didn't reach 4cm dialated untill about 10pm (thats when i asked for the epidural, the thought of having to go through hours of pain to get to 10cm when i was already in excrusiating pain scared the hell outa me!) So i think i was definitly in REAL labour before 4cm. I'd been getting regular contractions since about lunchtime that day so maybe thats when 'real' labour started?? Who knows
Looking back on it now i think with all the intervention my body didn't have a chance to relax and just do what its meant to do. I know relaxing made a BIG difference because when i had the epidural i went from 4cm to birthing my boy in 2hours 45mins. I'm not a fan of epidurals but i think that it gave me a chance to get on top of things. I'm really hoping to use my hypnobirthing this time round and go el natural!
Thanks again for the responses, i'll let you know how long this labour was in a few months!