Am I in Labor?

What will happen when you get to the hospital to give birth to your baby? What will they do? What will you do? I’ll give you the inside view from a nurse's perspective.  You might be a little surprised about what will happen. It usually isn’t as dramatic as what you see on tv. As a matter of fact, you might think you're in real labor when, in fact, you are not.  This blog is not intended to give you medical advice whatsoever. It is intended to help you understand what you will experience and how things work in the world of Labor and Delivery. These are just my opinions and if you have any questions regarding your own situation or have medical questions, please consult with your doctor.

I know how it goes.....you had a doctor's appointment today and your OB checked your cervix. You are so tired of being pregnant but you are only 38 weeks along. Don't beg for an induction! Please.... don't beg for an induction! You have a much greater chance of winding up with a cesarean section if you have an induction before  your body is ready.  It is also important to STAY pregnant for your baby's sake at this point. Babies should be fully 39 weeks before they are born. There are medical reasons to be induced but "tired of being pregnant" is not a one of them.

Here is a link to the March of Dimes website that explains the above information in depth. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/getready_atleast39weeks.html

So....being 9 months pregnant is miserable! I know! I remember! I did it too! I had 4 children that were all 41 plus weeks before I went into labor. I know how much it stinks to sleep, breath, and climb the stairs. It's miserable! But it's almost over! It will be over! And when it IS over you will not feel your baby moving inside of you and you will miss that part!

So......say you wake up one morning and you feel some uterine tightening. You think, "is it Braxton Hicks?" Seriously, forget about Braxton Hicks, contractions are contractions. The question is, are these contractions labor? The definition of labor is a change in your cervix. You have no way of knowing this. So forget about the contractions. Don't time them if they don't hurt. HURT matters! You don't do yourself any favors by timing them for an hour and heading to the hospital when they are five minutes apart for an hour. It probably hasn't been long enough or they aren't even strong enough to change your cervix. Instead, eat lightly (NO BIG MEALS! You will vomit in labor if you have a heavy meal in your stomach. You may vomit anyway but ice chips make for better puke than lasagna.), and take a bath (unless you think your water has broken, then no bath. If your water has broken just go to the hospital. Don't time your contractions, don't worry about the lack of pain, If your water is broken you must go to the hospital. End of story! Just go!).

OK....so, you're having contractions and they are starting to hurt. When you get to the hospital your nurse will ask you what your pain level is. On a scale of 0 to 10, 0 meaning no pain and 10 meaning the worst pain you could ever imagine (like someone chopping off your arm). I always say 3-4 means you feel like you need something for the pain. For example, when you have a headache and it's bad enough to take Tylenol, that would be 3-4. If you can talk and smile and walk during a contraction it is not pain yet! It is discomfort! There is a difference! So when you have contractions and you know you are having them but you can talk to your husband through the contraction, rate that a 1 or 2. Comprendo?

So, they are consistent and rated as 1-2? Is it ime to go to the hospital? No! You can go but you might get sent home. Once you go you're stuck on a monitor and you're most likely stuck in a labor bed. Your home environment is a much better environment for early labor, trust me! Seriously, the labor bed and the IV in your arm are not comfortable! You can't eat, you are hooked up to monitors that have only about 4 feet of cord and your baby is being scrutinized by labor nurses in the station.

If you DO go to the hospital during early labor, leave your belongings. Your suitcase, husband's snacks, music, and focal point should remain in the car! Don't drag all that stuff with you. First of all, even if you are in rip roaring labor, you don't need your boppy pillow, suitcase or baby clothes. Leave it! You are going to have to drag those things around. If you wind up with a c-section or when you transfer to postpartum your husband will look like a pack mule. Bring only what you need for labor. The kitchen sink is  not necessary for labor! Leave it home! Thanks.

Thanks for reading! I hope you keep following....I will try to put out a couple of blogs per week.
Enjoy this time with your baby moving inside of you, it is the BEST! :-)

Kathy, Labor and Delivery RN