When to go to the hospital for contractions?

Question

I’m 37 weeks & having contractions every 4-5 minutes since about 8 this morning. I can feel my belly getting really hard and it’s painful but not unbearable. When should I go to L&D? Am I supposed to wait until they are really really painful? Or closer together?

Answer

Go get checked, it's better to be safe than sorry. Also I know everyone advocates for the 5-1-1 or the 4-1-1 rule but that doesn't apply to everyone. Like me 🤷🏻‍♀️ my contractions didn't get normal, even with pitocin, until transition. I'm to be seen sooner rather than later for semi regular contractions. Meaning even if I'm going 5 minutes, 7 minutes, 10 minutes, 2 minutes etc I get checked and monitored because it could be false labor but it could also be real labor.

Answer

I would go in now. So they can monitor it but also check if you're dilated . They might try to stop it since a baby is not ready until 39 weeks. But if you're in labor & the contractions won't stop after they tried to then you will be kept . Keep us updated

Answer

I would go in just to be checked and see what’s going on.  When I was in preterm labor with my twins at 32 weeks, my husband and I were timing my contractions about 5-7 minutes apart, and he brought me in just to be safe and see what was going on.  When we got there, I was 2cm dilated and my contractions were actually every 1-2 minutes (I didn’t feel a lot of them so I had no idea).  They told me I was in active labor and admitted me to labor & delivery.  
Never hurts to go be checked!  Worst that can happen is they send you home and say it’s not time.  Good luck, mama! ❤️

Answer

So you want them to be 4-5 minutes apart, lasting for 1 minute each, for 1 hour. L&D may tell you to drink some water and take a bath to see if that makes the contractions stop. If you go that route and they didn’t stop, I’d call L&D and ask what they would like!

Answer

411 rule. 4 minutes apart, lasting at least 1 minute for at least 1 hour.

When to go to the hospital for contractions?

Let's Glow!

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey