Contractions at 2 am for 2 hours at 6 minutes apart.

leap_frog

2 am this morning: 2 hours of contractions 6 minutes apart. 2 hours! I wasn't sure what to do. Was this it? Should I go to the hospital? or maybe I'll just lay here and time them.

Then I fell back asleep. and now there's no more contractions.
‪#‎ComeBack‬ 

Life is Exciting

Come back, contractions!

I've been reading about the 5-1-1 rule.  5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each for a full hour.  Some OBs & Midwives are using the 4-1-1 rule instead.  I guess if I were you, I'd decide based on how far the hospital is.  If it's just up the road, maybe wait until contractions are 4 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute for an hour.  If it's 40 minutes away, maybe the 5-1-1 rule would be better?

Get some sleep if you can while you wait for the contractions to come back. You'll be happy to be well-rested for labor

BBEA2006

I've had this for weeks.  Even Tuesday, after a sweep, I had contractions that were 2 to 4/5 mins apart from about 7:30pm to 3:30am and then nothing.  I was so close to calling but glad I didn't.  It is really emotionally and physically exhausting.  I just knew though that they weren't painful enough to be true labor contractions.

mrockensock

How ironic! Last night at 1:30a I woke up to period like cramps coming in waves about 2 min apart and it went on for a while and then stopped. I was like, "Is this it?" Unfortunately no. It was exciting to feel some progress tho even tho like pp said it may still be a little ways out. 

OrangeFox

I was also told the 5-1-1 rule. but if I would have waited for that I wouldn't have made it to the birth center, and we only live 10 minutes away. My contractions were never one minute long. And they weren't that close together until I was pushing (which only lasted a few minutes). BUT they were REALLY REALLY REALLY painful. I made DH call my midwife and tell her that we were coming in. She definitely didn't think I was that far along when we told her that they were only 30 to 45 seconds and still six to seven minutes apart. But I wasn't even at the birth center for two hours before I was holding my baby....

of course this time around I'm not having any signs yet and every little twinge makes me think, "should I call? What if I have a super fast labor again?"

Grassieta

With my first I had contractions for an hour and 15 min, 15min apart, 6 total, before jumping in the car. And I'm so glad I left then because my hospital is 40min away and by the time I got there I was 8cm dilated (yes, two hours after my first contraction) and labor lasted 1h35m after that with no intervention at all.
This time, considering second babies usually come faster and I have to wait for someone to come stay with my oldest, I'll be calling as soon as I think it's happening because as cool of as story as it would make, I'd rather not give birth in my car.

Life is Exciting

Wow @OrangeFox and @Grassieta!  I was planning to labor at home for as long as possible before getting in the car and taking the 40 minute drive to the hospital, but your stories are definitely making me want to rethink that!

Ebiejay

I've heard the 5-1-1 rule, though my Dr said call when they're 3 minutes apart. After reading some of your stories that freaks me out! At least the hospital is only 10 minutes away. 

OrangeFox

I think the 511 rule is probably safe to follow for most people. But if the intensity of the contractions starts to scare you you can probably rethink that idea and make your way to the hospital. That's where I was.

Karenin

Life is Exciting said:

Wow @OrangeFox and @Grassieta!  I was planning to labor at home for as long as possible before getting in the car and taking the 40 minute drive to the hospital, but your stories are definitely making me want to rethink that!

Yeah a 40 minute drive I would not wait- with both of my other two my labor progressed really fast. With DD I got to the hospital 1.5 hours after my first contraction (they were quite intense) and I was at 8.5 already.  

clabgust

Well yesterday I had lost my mucus plug and was having contractions for a couple hours 5 mins apart. Called my midwife and she said "this is baby #4 I want you to come in"
We went did the whole gown, monitors and iv thing, I contracted 5 mins apart for about 9 hours total yesterday, I'm dilated a 3 his head is low... But he is content staying in. They sent me home with something to relax me and help me sleep. Well contractions stopped and I slept! No baby just turned 39 weeks today. Trying to be patient!

BBEA2006

clabgust said:

Well yesterday I had lost my mucus plug and was having contractions for a couple hours 5 mins apart. Called my midwife and she said "this is baby #4 I want you to come in" We went did the whole gown, monitors and iv thing, I contracted 5 mins apart for about 9 hours total yesterday, I'm dilated a 3 his head is low... But he is content staying in. They sent me home with something to relax me and help me sleep. Well contractions stopped and I slept! No baby just turned 39 weeks today. Trying to be patient!

Oh wow...that is why I didn't want to go in for fear of going through all of that and being sent home.  Better safe than sorry though.  Hopefully soon for you!