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

[~clover~]

Lestyrox - My discharge paper were in the clear pocket at the back of my blue book.
(Back for the new folders, inside front for old books)
Your cervix should open a bit easier this time as it should already ba open about 2cm, but that doesn't guaruntee it will be easier.

[meow]

I had a show at 11am followed by dull pain. I think I was probably having contractions within an hour or so later but I was certain that I was in labour with painful, regular contractions by 2pm. So I usually say I had 3 hours prelabour and then 17 hours labour as my baby was born at 7.30am the next day.
I didn't have any internal exams so I don't know how dilated I was at any stage. My birth notes from the hospital are useless- they say my waters broke at 6pm (where they plucked that time from I'm not sure- we were at home then) when they actually didn't break at all.

[Jaycee]

I was induced, had the gels at 3pm and started to get dull period type cramps right up until 1am that night. At 1am i felt a pop and that's when the ouchy pain started, contractions came hard and fast and my son was born at 4am. So my labour from first real contraction was only 2.5 hours, my labour is noted as 2 hours 5 minutes on my papers as i didnt call the midwife for half an hour as i didn't believe i was actually in labour!

[lestyrox]

Thanks adkins, thats really interesting- so it seems they measured your labour from the onset of your strong/painful contractions... hmmmm maybe mine was only 6-7hours. If you don't mind me asking, how dialated were you when you called the midwives?

[lestyrox]

Just saw this while surfing the net for info at Speeding up labour
This is an impossible question to answer. Mothers generally time labour from when they feel the first contraction, or their waters break. However, midwives and doctors calculate the length of labour from when the cervix is three to four centimetres dilated. This is considered to be the start of the "active phase" of labour. By this point, you might have been having quite painful tightening for some hours. Perhaps you've been awake all night. To you, it feels as though labour has been "active" for quite a long while already!
So i guess that answers a few questions- but if thats correct then technically my labour was 2hours 45mins! Gee i dunno

[Lolli]

Bah it's all just so confusing. I was in early labour for 24 hours, apparentley, and i didn't feel a thing. I was bleeding everywhere so i was terrified but apparentley that was just a show, according to the ob. Actually started getting pains at 10:30pm, I was 3cm dilated. Contactions went from nothing to 3minutes apart within the space of 10 minuted. They checked me again at 11pm and I was 4cm dilated but on my discharge papers it says labour went for 3.5 hours. Ds was born at 3:24am, so they started timing from midnight. I had assumed they timed from 5 or 6 cm because of that (I don't remember anyone saying anything about dilation after the 4cm mark, the whole thing is one painful blur).
So, after all that ramble, it's still very confusing!!

[New Dawn]

I alway time mine from active labour ( when I am 4 cm )

I too was induced for my 1st due to high BP , got jell at 9.30 pm they told BHL to go home at 11.30 even though I was in pain already and couldnt sit still, I was told I wasnt in labour and wouldnt be until they put the drip in so was given pain relef and sleeping tablets and told to go to sleep... after shift change ( thank GOD ) my saviour walked in to check on me couldnt believe I was still up after the sleeping pill... Told her I couldnt sleep with the pain I was in at 12.30 she took me to have a bath to ease the pain as they were quite that night while running the bath she notices that I was in regualer pain told me to hope onto the bed to check me out... If I could have taken a photo of her face it would have been priceless as I was 6 cm with just jell had to ring BHL to get back he came in at 1.30am they broke my water( which landed all over BHL ) and baby came with in half hour... If it wasnt for shift change I would have had that baby on my own as I didnt want to bother the nurse again.... so 4.5 hrs for my 1st

the girls were about the same dd1 4hr and DD2 3.5 so for us it hasnt made a difference been induced or natual all have been quick... Plus I have never brocken my water myself aways need help...once it goes baby is always out within the hour after they move that annoying lip I aways get....

[lestyrox]

Thanks Bjrose, Just had a look in the blue book and i've got a blue piece of paper with the labour and birth details (been there for 2 years and i didn't even know lol) but it doesn't say how long my labour was I just looked at the part where it says the position the bub was in when born and it says vertex?? What does that mean?
Thanks!

[~clover~]

Thats what all mine say. Crown first I think. Rather than face first, or breech.