I Still Cant tell.....im Ranting Agian

Here's a little test, have someone take your picture. If you smile for the picture, you're not ready yet. :) Also, the contrax should be less than 5 min apart and lasting for longer than a minute each. But, I think the picture taking exercise is a good barameter. Good luck!

make sure you're drinking enough water. if you are even slightly dehydrated it can cause the uterus to contract, and it can feel like a charlie horse! your urine should be a pale yellow or even seem clear if you are well hydrated.

as far as timing goes... i can't necessarily agree that this is fool proof. 1st baby - they were 5 min. apart for 3 days - yes... 3 days! (i was dehydrated...) 2nd baby, text book labor, they got progressively closer and stronger. 3rd baby, my contractions were kind of nagging in the morning, but by 5 pm they were strong, very strong, and never got closer than 10-12 min. apart. in fact, during delivery when they have you push with a contraction, i had to wait 10 minutes for the next push because they still were not closer than 10 minutes apart.

in the end, if you are unsure, go to the hosp. the worst that will happen is they will put you on the monitor to see how strong and close your contractions are... they'll give you an internal exam and if you are not dilated to 4 or 5 cm (this varies at different hospitals) they will send you home. no harm no foul. dont worry about feeling stupid... they see this every day.

i can tell you though, since this is your first baby, you are not very likely to have a short labor... you'll have plenty of time to go thru all the things that distinguish real from false labor.

congrats on your little boy! enjoy this time in your life :)

good luck and get lots of rest!

My way of telling was when I couldn't talk through them anymore and they were pretty consistent. That is not only 4-5 minutes apart but that way for at least an hour and 45 sec-1 min long. Stay at home as long as possible!!! Unless you want pain meds then by all means, go to the hospital but it's so much nicer to be at home. I just had my son 6 weeks ago and I went to the hospital when it got bad but then I was already 6 1/2 cm and had him 3 hours later. It was a great way to do it.
I had false labor 2 days before that because I slipped down my stairs. I think that's why anyway. But I went to bed that night and they stopped. My midwife told me that if you
relax, take a bath and have a glass of wine and that stops the contractions, then it's not labor, just contractions for no reason which is fine and not dangerous or anything.
Good luck.

HI. When I was about 38 weeks, I started to have major contractions and twice I thought it was labor but it stopped.
I finally went in and asked my Doc about it and he said I was having real labor pains, but she couldn't lock into position in the birth canal and she was just bobbing around down there so she'd float back up and the contractions would stop. I ended up with a c-section again. My first was also because after 4 HOURS of pushing he wouldn't come out. He was stuck in the canal. I thought I could v-bac with #2 but mine just can't get through.
Talk to your doctor. Your pain is real!! Maybe you could get induced when you go into that pain again! EPIDURAL ALL THE WAY!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

If you're wondering... then you're not. Don't go into the hospital until your ctx are 4-5 minutes apart, lasting at least 1 minute, and have been that way for at least an hour (that's the 4-1-1 rule).

Here's another test... take a warm bath and have a glass of wine (seriously). Do they start to slow down or go away? Then it's just prelabor. In that case do your best to get some rest. If they continue to pick up and become more intense, it's probably well on its way to becoming the real thing. Happy birthing!!

KM, take your time, take a breath! :-) It's normal to have those practice contractions. The way you can always tell if it's just testing your system or the real thing, if you drink a couple large glasses of water and it stops it's an irritable uterus (common, means you havent hydrated enough!). If it continues and they become regular or where you can't breathe between them, it's probably the real thing..

Good luck!

C

wait till there 5 mins apart 30 sec long for 2 hours then you will know your in good active labor

As a first time mom its really hard to tell. I had loads of contractions for a few weeks, but nothing that became really regular, or got to 5 min's apart. I didn't leave for the hospital till my water broke, and even then was told to "wait it will be a while because you're a First time mom." Thank g-d I didn't listen. I was only in labor for three hours, and it was at the time contributed to the amount of contractions I had during the prior week. Apparently it dialated and me enough that labor only took three hours. I only had one contraction the entire day before my water broke, and after that it went so fast I didn't even have the chance to get tired. One thing I kept hearing was that when it was really time I would know....and that was probably the most true statement I heard throughout my entire pregnancy. When my water broke, and the contx started I knew I had to move and fast...I don't know how, but I just did, and even though the doctors all said to stay home, boy were they shocked when I got to the hospital already dialated to a 6 1/2-7. A few weeks ago I was lying on the couch not feeling well and 33 weeks pregnant, putting up with the usual braxton hicks, when instinct told me to start timing, and thank g-d again, because i caught it in time to get to the hospital and they were able to stop labor before I reached 4cm's. Once your contractions are 5 min's apart, call and if your gut tells you to go, then listen to it. The real ones don't just bring tears, it brings sweat and major adrenaline along with your new found maternal instinct. Congratulations and lots of prayers for you to have an easy delivery.