Needing Some Reassurance When It Comes to Contractions and Dialating

Contractions do not have to be painful. You will feel your stomach hardening then gradually becoming softer. I have had 3 boys and each labor was very different. With my last son, my contractions never became regular, just more painful. I finally went to the hospital and was 9 1/2 cm dialated and had him 20 min later. If you want pain meds dont wait too long to get to the hospital. don't worry about your dr. someone will be there to deliver your baby. the nurses almost delivered mine. my dr. walked in just in time to deliver then went back home. i was embarresed to go to the hospital and have them send me home, but after natural birth, i wish i would have went much sooner. trust your instinct, noone will make fun of you and if they do tell them to shut-up. you are nervous and whether this is your first or twelth kid it doesnt make it easier on you. just to let you know, i was dialated at a 3 for two weeks before i finally had him and he was 2 weeks early. what i have learned is that my labors were all very fast so i hope yours is to. congrats and good luck with new baby. boys are the best!!!

If you didn't feel the contractions til the very end with your last one, you may be one of the lucky ones that has virtually pain-free labors. 3-4 cm with doc 2 1/2 hrs away & painless contractions is something!

Yes you'll "probably" feel them when it gets serious or at least notice a change. The consistent pattern is important.

Your water may not break until well into labor or even during pushing so you can't really go by that.

Have hubby do some reading on "emergency childbirth" just in case you don't make it to the doctor on time. Here's a website that covers some important basics (it's for planned unassisted homebirth but is good info for accidental car births too): www.birthandmotherhood.com

DO be reassured though because these car births practically always work out fine. When it goes really fast like that your body's working right - more than right - totally perfectly. It's the really long drawn out labors & births where you might be better off to have a doctor or skilled midwife in the room. But for the fast births, you can just let your body do what it knows how to do, and let go of any fear about it.

Another option of course is to go ahead & ask for an induction since you're so far away. I did that once. I always really fly through active & transition & it only takes 2 or 3 pushes to get baby all the way out. So once I know it's the real thing I've maybe got less than an hour - certainly less than 2 hours. But inductions are sometimes bad experiences. Mine usually were. It depends on your birth philosophy whether asking for an induction is the best idea or hoping you'll feel the contractions when it's the real thing is the best idea (many people would call you crazy for hoping for contractions that were more painful!) or if just trusting your body & the natural process is the best idea for you.

What general location are you in? I might know a doula or midwife near you. If it ends up that it looks like you won't make it to the doctor in time, it might be good if you already had somebody lined up you could call...

S.

I think that everyone is different. . . Had my first LO about a year ago . . . The day I lost my plug, my water broke about 12 hours later and 4 hours after I gave birth . . . as for contractions, my tummy just got hard (and felt like she was balling up) - didn't have any painful one's until we were already at the hospital . . . GOOD LUCK - wishing you a quick/easy/safe labor.

This is for me personally so it may not feel the same for you, but...At first my stomach just got really hard with some occasional pain. Then they started getting a little painful. Then a lot painful. I don't think you'll mistake them, though! If you feel different, just keep a log of what you think are contractions and if you notice a consistent pattern, call your doctor.

I had lost my plug in the morning and the whole day, my stomach just kinda felt weird every now and then and I didn't think that they were contractions. At 10pm since they still were continueing I went to the hosptial and I was having contractions, but they were not close together. The dr.said it could be a matter of hours or days. Since (like you) I was not close to the hospital they went ahead and broke my water and had the baby soon after.However, this was my third baby and I was not in labor for very long with the first 2, so they were afaird to send me home. Maybe you should call the dr. since you are a drive from him and see if he wants you to come in.