thread: Dumb Question

  1. #1
    Roudysmum Guest

    Red face Dumb Question

    How do you time a contraction?
    My waters broke last time and we went to the hospital so we never had to and i dont remember learning it at antinatal when i went with my first.

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Dec 2006
    Hervey Bay QLD
    90

    Hi there! Thats not a dumb question, thats a great question!! I'm wondering the same thing.....lol

  3. #3
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM

    Feb 2007
    Melbourne
    5,462

    You time contractions by noting how many minutes elapse between the start of one contraction and the start of the next. It's also a good idea to time how long your contraction lasts for. Good luck!

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Jan 2005
    Down by the ocean
    6,110

    You'll soon realise when you are getting the build up feelings. For me it was an increased heart rate just before the contraction starts. Start timing then

  5. #5
    Roudysmum Guest

    Thanks for that, I thought it would of been from the end of one till the start of the other.

  6. #6
    BellyBelly Professional Support Panel

    Nov 2005
    QLD
    3,068

    Trish is correct. From the start of one to the start of the next one. Also take not of how long each contraction lasts. If you do this over 5 contractions it will give you an idea of how things are going

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jan 2007
    Perth - NOR
    1,198

    thanks as well. I also thought it was the end of one, till the start of the next one.

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Add Evie76 on Facebook

    Jan 2007
    SA
    1,086

    Holy cow, mum2bee!!!!! You are STILL going!! You were posting when I was pregnant and I feel like my DS has been out for years......... you poor thing........ it feels like pregnancy goes on forever and then suddenly you're waking up in the wee hours feeding a little bundle, wondering where the heck that came from!! HAR, HAR.......

    You're due on my 31st birthday, so I hope everything goes well for you.

  9. #9
    Registered User
    Add Evie76 on Facebook

    Jan 2007
    SA
    1,086

    Sorry Roudysmum, just noticed mum2bee there......

    I wondered the same thing and then suddenly, there I was instinctively timing the contractions. Mine went from 20 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart in a half hour stint........ DS was born in 4 hours..... If you have any doubts, don't let anyone tell you you're wrong, your body knows best - listen to the little voice in your mind. I doubted myself (see Daniel's birth in Birth Debrief) and nearly gave birth in the car!!!

  10. #10
    Roudysmum Guest

    Thanks for that lestypuss i have a 2hr drive to the hospital so i will be dictating when things will be happening or DS and mil wont live through it.