How in the heck...

How do I time my contractions? I’m very small and petite, so my stomach is extremely tight and stretched to its max at all times. Even when I’m relaxed it’s tightened. I can feel the pain from my contractions and some tightened or balling up, and even when the tightened goes away, the pain is still there because it’s sore.

So, my question is, how in the hell do I time my contractions when I’m constantly tight and in pain? My doctor told me to lay down and time them, but it hasn’t made much of a difference for me. With my first, my water broke, but this time around I’m so scared that I won’t know when I’m having beginning contractions. My hospital is 45 minutes away, and my boyfriend works 30 minutes from our house, so i don’t want to risk getting to the hospital when I’m falling over in pain. I just want to know sooner rather than later. Ugh!

Please don’t comment with, “You’ll know when it’s time.” Or the like. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, and didn’t get an epidural with my son until 7cm because I just wasn’t having pains. So, Indeed may not know. 😰