Many first-time parents go to the hospital too soon! They are excited or anxious – not realizing that the early stages of labor can last 12-24 hours, or longer in some cases. You see those viral videos of babies born in a car or in a parking lot and you think it’s more common than it really is, or that it’s more likely to happen to you than it actually is.
Going to the hospital too early can result in labor slowing down. Oxytocin, the love hormone also responsible for those amazing, cervix-opening contractions, is best produced in the dark where you feel safe and private and comfortable. When you arrive at the hospital, there are bright lights, lots of people around, papers to sign, and lots of questions to answer. It can really “zone you out”.
There’s also the possibility of hearing the nurse say those dreaded words: “You’re not really in active labor, go home!”
We want to find the sweet spot between having a baby in the parking lot and being sent home because you haven’t actually given birth yet.
(Obviously, as your doula, I personally guide you through these things when the time comes!)
I like the 4-1-1 “rule” for first-time parents. Contractions are 4 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for at least 1 hour. This is a good indicator of strong active labor in many cases.
Don’t start timing contractions until you don’t notice them anymore! Continue normal activities, eat, sleep, shower, read, etc. When you need to stop what you’re doing and breathe through contractions, that’s a good time to pull up your contraction timer app on your phone. You will psych yourself out if you are timing contractions before you are actually in labor.
If you ever feel your gut/intuition telling you to go, or you feel like you need to push/have pressure on your bottom, go ahead and go.
Ask your doctor when they recommend you go in, for your unique situation. If you have any risk factors they may want you to come in earlier for monitoring
What if I’m a second/third/fourth/twelfth time mom?
If it’s a subsequent baby, I don’t expect the process to take the same amount of time as the first birth because your body has done it before. I recommend more like 5-7 minutes apart for contractions as the process can easily take a turn for the worse!
What other situations are recommended to go into even if I’m not 4-1-1 yet?
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your water broke
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you have a high-risk pregnancy (your doctor may want to monitor you earlier in labor)
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you feel any pressure on your bottom or like you need to push
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you live far from the hospital
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you have genital bleeding, decreased fetal movement, or any other related/abnormal symptoms
