how dilated can you be before active labour starts?

[sept2010]

I also labour abnormally. I hve strong contractions. Transition type pains. Literally unbearable. They progress from period pains to that yet i dont dilate. Then i get to 10 really quick.
I think hospitals should assess each woman individually as opposed to using numbers to say when a woman is in labour. Having this sort of labour meant i was havin horrible pain and im not really one for exaggeraing pain. And wasnt allowed pain relief as i wasnt dilated enough to be on delivery suite. So i was stuck on labour/antenatal ward with other women calmly sat on der beds and me in absolute agony. I ended up with tachycardia and baby in distress and i believe it was due to stress and anxiety about the pain i was having and thinking they are not gonna give me anything for it and it was only gettin worse!

 

[dairymomma]

With DS, my contractions were regular every 5-7 minutes and lasting 60-90 secs for 4 hours when we went in. I was told I was a 1cm but in 'active labor' since my contractions were so strong and regular and they admitted me. Once I was admitted, I started progressing about 1cm every 1-2 hours and had DS 19 hours after my first contraction.

With DD, I had my first contraction and then irregular contractions for 13 hours. We went in an hour later because they had gotten stronger, were every 5-6 minutes, and I couldn't stand through them anymore. I was at a 3cm and the monitors wouldn't pick up my contractions so I was like, "Oh crap, they're going to send me home." The nurses said No, we're keeping you because we can see you are contracting (I was hunching up when one would hit and couldn't talk very well through them). DD was born 5 hours later. They said I was in active, established labor at admission even if the contractions weren't being picked up because an hour later, I had made regular progress (went from 3cm to 4cm).

 

[wamommy]

With #2 I had NO early labor, and pain started at 9cm like a TRAIN.

#3 I had totally manageable contractions 10 minutes apart and went to the hospital where they said I was already 7 cm! I think it's different for every woman, honestly.

I know that this time the first tiny twinge I feel I'm heading straight to the hospital.

 

[Dolly84]

I laboured all day after my waters went at home, went to hospital at midnight as mum thought my contractions were getting closer together and was told I was 3cm. We went back home as I could breath through them. Got to 3am and we went back as they were more painful and was told I was a 7-8cm an ds was born at 5am, so I went from 3cm-ds born in 5 hours. And this was my first labour, didn't think it would happen so quick, but every body's different. I havnt a clue when to class my labour as active?

 

[JenStar1976]

6-7cm for me. x

 

[x Helen x]

pfffft I hate all of these silly hospital rules!! The hospital I had my daughter at considers active labour to be 4cm, they usually will not admit you or give you pain relief before this point. I went in with regular (and bloody painful) contractions only to be told I was 1cm!! They wouldn't officially admit me and refused me gas and air, luckily another midwife took pity on me when she witnessed me being sick all over the floor and let me go into the bath (birthing pool) for a while to ease the pain. Fast forward one hour and midwives are telling me I need to get out of the pool now and either go home or go to the antenatal ward as I "wasn't in labour" (yeah.... right) and low and behold about 30 seconds after that I told the midwives I was pushing. They said not to be ridiculous and stop it... I said "I can't". lol! about a minute later my daughter popped out! Much to the surprise of the midwives! I was very much an "I told you so" moment.

So basically the rule book is a load of tosh. You know yourself better than anyone and if you feel like things are happening then be sure to stand your ground! I went from 1cm to birth in the space of about an hour.

 

[emicakess]

I get so confused because I was told 5 days ago I am 4 1/2 cm and 80% effaced, and I had a sweep done. Now 5 days later I am just crampy every day and have a few irregular painful contractions but nothing I would consider labor. Most of the day I feel fine. I guess I am in early labor. I dont even understand how to time contractions because its just cramping. I am a FTM too

 

[Tigermom]

With #2 I had NO early labor, and pain started at 9cm like a TRAIN.

#3 I had totally manageable contractions 10 minutes apart and went to the hospital where they said I was already 7 cm! I think it's different for every woman, honestly.

I know that this time the first tiny twinge I feel I'm heading straight to the hospital.

This was right out of my story! Regular BH the day before, but they didn't hurt one bit. Nothing, then 9cm BAM! I was bent over in agony.

 

[Perplexed]

Ohhh!! I think as another poster said I also only had the urge to push a little bit at the beginning when I first reached 10cm...but then nothing for like an hour. No urge or anything...and I remember the OB telling my mom that we are just waiting for baby's head to come down a bit. They actually left me alone for a while and came back later.

For me active labor was 3cm...that's when regular contractions started. I was in for induction anyway but they offer gas and air even before that point. I thought active labor was 4cm but it didn't seem to matter when my contractions were regular.