When to go in?

BananaPancake

I am new to the whole labor thing, and my OB thinks I'll go into labor before my 38w section. I am having lots of contractions, but they only started about 2 hours ago, and have a lot of pain down my legs, but am not sure what the "guidelines" are for labor with twins. I really don't want to go in to L&D only to be sent home. Can anyone help me out with this? 

rinascita

My thoughts would be to at least call if not go in to L&D when in doubt...

I know that probably isn't what you wanted to hear though. 

millerlm

My doctor told me to call them when I have had contractions that are about 7 mins apart consistently for an hour...I am 30 to 40 mins from hospital. To make sure it isn't false labor, I am supposed to walk or take a bath or shower to make sure contractions stay consistent. So far each time I get them and take a bath, they disappear. So that has been a great way to tell false labor for me. Good luck!!

LadyNikon

3 to 5 mins apart is what I was told.  If you have an iphone or android mobile you can get an app to help you track them.

hayleydeee

Are they regular? Do they hurt? And did you try the old stand-by of drinking water and laying down (to see if that stops them)? 

It's tough to say. When I went into preterm labor I was having a lot of (what I thought were) BH contractions, but then within an hour or two it quickly shifted to active labor. So, lean toward being too cautious. 

To me labor contactions start off feeling a lot like period cramps, but with regularity and predictability. Time a few (duration and time apart) and call if you see a pattern. 

JenScott-4-09

I don't have experience with this yet. With my son, my water broke first. But for this pregnancy, my MFM said that anytime the contractions are timeable and/or different from the braxton hicks that I have been feeling, I am supposed to go in. I would at least call.

myheromyworld89

I went into L&D once at 35 weeks with contractions and was sent home.  My contractions were all over the place.  10 min apart then 2, then 5, then 16, then 3...and this went on for a couple hours.  But nothing was really timeable. 

I have a high pain tolerance but I was in tears when I was actually starting to labor, I had bad back labor.  (I think I was partially crying out of frustration because I was soo tired, we were just laying down to go to bed).  I was 37 weeks, exactly 1 week before my schedualed c/s. The nurse said if I was in tears then it wouldn't be a bad idea to come in and get checked out.  I was getting this stabbing pain in my back about every 5 minutes.  But I really didn't think I was in labor.  I just though it was my sciatic acting up again.  But I wanted someone to fix it so I wanted to go to the hospital.  When we got there I could barely walk across the parking lot.  I was shaking (I thought it was just adrenaline but the nurse said thats a sign of labor).  They hooked me up and my contractions were 2 minutes apart and were measuring up 106 on the chart.  I was only 1cm dialated though and 50%, thank goodness I opted for the c/s or that could have been a really long labor. 

I would guess you'll go before 38w but listen to your body.  If you feel you need to go in and get checked out then its better to be safe then sorry.  Now if you're bouncing into OB all giddy thinking you're in labor, I'm going to guess you're not (thats how I was the first time) But you know your body.  Don't be afraid to go into L&D.  They get false alarms all the time, you won't be the first.