In active labor, the contractions are less than 5 minutes apart, lasting 45-60 seconds and the cervix is dilated three centimeters or more. In the event you are in early labor and sent home, it's common to feel disappointed, maybe even embarrassed.
During early labor: Contractions are five to 15 minutes apart and last for about a minute each. Go to the hospital once they're five minutes apart for one hour or more. Your vaginal discharge might be clear, light pink or bloody.
However, if the contractions begin happening at very regular intervals under 5 minutes apart, they last for longer than 1 minute each, and this happens consecutively for over 1 hour, it may be time to call your healthcare provider.
Active phase
Contractions are three to five minutes apart, last from 50 to 60 seconds and feel very strong. Vaginal discharge increases. Your water may break if it hasn't yet. You may feel tired and sleepy between contractions, less aware of distractions and less able to make decisions.
When you have regular, painful contractions lasting one minute each and occurring at least every five minutes for more than two hours, it's time to go to the hospital.
Contractions are intermittent, with a valuable rest period for you, your baby, and your uterus following each one. When timing contractions, start counting from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next.
It usually takes from 15 minutes to an hour for the cervix to dilate from 8 to 10 centimeters. Contractions are 2 to 3 minutes apart and last about 1 minute.
Other ways to recognize labor:
The 5-1-1 Rule: The contractions come every 5 minutes, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour.
When your baby is ready to begin the journey through the birth canal, your cervix dilates from fully closed to 10 centimeters. This process can take hours, days, or even weeks. But once you hit active labor – about 6 cm dilated – it's usually just a matter of hours before you reach full dilation.
Contractions will occur between five and three minutes apart and will last longer than 60 seconds. As the cervix gets closer to full dilation, the contractions will be around two minutes apart and last around 90 seconds. Active labour is usually shorted than the earlier stage, lasting around five to six hours.
During early labor: You may feel mild contractions that come every 5 to 15 minutes and last 60 to 90 seconds.
Can Braxton Hicks be every 5 minutes? Yes, Braxton Hicks contractions can come every five minutes. However, Braxton Hicks are irregular and don't get closer together between contractions. So you might have contractions every five minutes, but if they never get painful or come and go, it's probably Braxton Hicks.
For you, early contractions may feel quite painless or mild, or they may feel very strong and intense. The pain you feel can also differ from one pregnancy to the next, so if you've been in labor before you might experience something quite different this time around.
Labor contractions cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Some women might also feel pain in their sides and thighs. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps, while others describe them as strong waves that feel like diarrhea cramps.
Many women stay at home during early labour. This is often the longest part of the birthing process. It may last up to 2 to 3 days. Contractions are mild to moderate and shorter (about 30 to 45 seconds).
Getting up and moving around may help speed dilation by increasing blood flow. Walking around the room, doing simple movements in bed or chair, or even changing positions may encourage dilation. This is because the weight of the baby applies pressure to the cervix.
If your water (aka “amniotic sac,” “bag of waters” or “membranes”) hasn't broken on its own when you arrive at the hospital, and you're five or more centimeters dilated, your OB might recommend bursting the bag by hand—especially if your cervix seems to be making slow (or no) progress.
Try being upright
One of your biggest allies is gravity. When you are upright—standing, sitting or kneeling—the weight of your baby presses on the cervix, encouraging it to open. An upright position may also help get your baby into the best position for birth.
So does it hurt when they check for dilation? If you have a care provider that cares about your comfort and wellbeing, then it should not hurt when they check for dilation and many people don't experience pain during their exam.
Our general rule is to sleep as long as possible if you're starting to feel contractions at night. Most of the time you can lay down and rest during early labor. If you wake up in the middle of the night and notice contractions, get up and use the bathroom, drink some water, and GO BACK TO BED.
During active labor, your cervix dilates to about 7 to 8 centimeters. Contractions will be more evenly spaced, intense, and frequent, coming about every three to four minutes apart. Active labor usually lasts from two to three-and-a-half hours (with a wide range of what's considered normal).
A contraction is when the muscles of your uterus tighten up like a fist and then relax. Contractions help push your baby out. When you're in true labor, your contractions last about 30 to 70 seconds and come about 5 to 10 minutes apart. They're so strong that you can't walk or talk during them.
Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis. Contractions move in a wave-like motion from the top of the uterus to the bottom. Some women describe contractions as strong menstrual cramps.
Lying on your back in labour
In addition to this, when you're on your back, you're not working with gravity – you're working against it. So your surges (contractions) are having to work so much harder (and therefore labour could take longer - and that's not something you want either, is it?).