Intro and labor question

micmash

Hi everyone! I'm just now finding this board. My due date is actually coming up on Thursday the 28th. Eeek! 

I'm having a really hard time with contractions and knownin when and what to time. This is my 2nd baby but my first experience was very different. With my 1st my water broke at 38 weeks. being GBS positive I was induced that evening and never had a contraction on my own.

This time around I was 3 cm and 70 percent effaced at my 39 week appt. A jump from 1 and 40 two weeks prior. Since Tuesday I've been feeling sporadic menstrual like cramps and this weekend I lost my mucus plug. Yesterday my cramps were more consistent thoughout the day but not intense and would go away for hours at a time. Last night I felt them pick up a little and was convinced we would be headed to the hospital overnight. But alas here I am at home. Lol

I guess my question is how do I really know it's a contraction. I'm struggling to know where it begins and ends. Whether it's baby kicking me, a stomach ache or cramping. It's making me very anxious that I won't know and will wait to long to get to hospital. We have a friend coming to stay with our daughter but waiting for her will be 30-45 mins and then we have a 10-15 min drive to hospital. 

This is a lot if rambling but I'm hoping some of you have thoughts or advice. Thanks in advance  

gparr126

From everything I keep reading it is the consistency that tells you whether or not... if they get longer and stronger they are the real thing...

But I've also read that is not the case at all for some people... 100 different people may give you 100 different answers. "You'll just know" is the only answer I'm depending on at this point..  if not, maybe we'd all end up going into labor at home on our sofas.

sarahufl

Again, "people say" but true contractions tend to be difficult to walk and talk through. I was also GBS+ and had some distance to go to the hospital. 

My doctor said when they are 3-5 min apart, consistently for one hour, and last around 1 minute each. Can you call the doctor and explain what you are feeling? I did that a few times during the FORTY HOURS I was in labor and she advised when I should/should not come in.

I knew, without a doubt, that I was having real contractions. But I also delivered a 9lb 5oz baby who was sunny side up, making the contractions much more intense. I found an app for my phone (I think it was called "contraction timer") that was really helpful when it came to timing out the contractions so I could talk to my doctor about it.

K&Elizabeth

Like @sarahufl I had a sunny side up baby and there was no denying that it was go time. What first made me notice the difference was the way my hips felt. I had contractions for a week before actual labor, but with these. There was no comfortable position I could find. My hips felt like they were splitting. It's not helpful, but, you'll know the difference when you feel a good contraction.