Hey guys, this is baby number 3 and I’m confused as to what I’m looking for.

Baby number 1 was a preemie and I had a PPROM. I wasn’t dilating and was maxed out on pitocin. I was either zero pain or bone breaking that never went away. With baby number 2, I had a PPROM again, but I was already 7-7.5 cm dilated and delivered my second preemie within 4 hours of being at the hospital. They grabbed pitocin again because I was not regularly contracting, so I declined pitocin until I had an epidural.

Now, baby number 3 is my first term baby and I’m confused. Everyone keeps telling me to look for contractions and even when I tell them I do not know what a contraction is, no one will explain to me what I’m looking for. Minus some back pain with baby number 1, I only knew something wasn’t right because my stomach felt like a rock on and off. Baby number 2 had zero symptoms that I was contracting. This pregnancy has been the most painful pregnancy yet, but I’m not dilating. I’m a 1 right now with pain in my stomach, back, and vaginal area (dr said maybe due to swelling from pressure of baby’s head?). My question is how and when do I know to go to L&D if I can’t understand contractions? Do I just give in and schedule an induction? I know this baby should be good to go… but after having nicu babies, I don’t want to have a baby at home.

It was easy going to L&D with my other two as preemies do not need you to be in active labor let alone the fact that they ruptured my water. I’m so confused.