Re:How Will I Know When to Go to the Hospital?
Okay, maybe I’m not exactly the best person to answer this one – I’ve had two induced births and a c-section! But my understanding is that early labor may actually feel a lot like Braxton-Hicks contractions that we all have during that third trimester. If you’re really in labor, the contractions will get increasingly longer, more intense and closer together regardless of how long you lie down with your feet up.
At some point during your last trimester, your doctor or midwife will give you her guidelines for when to call and when to head to the hospital. Go ahead and ask her now if it will put your mind at ease. If you haven’t had any previous complications, your doctor will probably tell you to wait until your contractions last for about a minute, five minutes apart for about an hour.
If you’re not sure, you can always call the doctor. They’re used to it – it’s what they signed up for! And they always say that they can tell how far your labor has progressed just by the sound of your voice on the phone!
And if some concerning happens, don’t hesitate to call or just head for the hospital. If your water breaks, go. If you feel that your baby is suddenly not moving and you can’t seem to rouse him with noise or pats, call. If you’re bleeding (more than just “bloody show” which is mucus-y), go. If you’re having real contractions before about 37 weeks, call the doctor and head to the hospital for monitoring.
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