When Should You Head to the Hospital?
You’ve waited 40 (ish) weeks for the grand finale of your pregnancy: your labor & delivery! If you are planning to deliver at the hospital, you may be wondering how to know when it’s really “go time”. Here are a couple of things that might help you determine when to head out.
Your water breaks: This is actually pretty uncommon! Only about 15% of labors begin with the amniotic sac breaking. And an even smaller percentage of people have their water break in the dramatic “gush” that you often see in the movies (it’s usually more of a trickle- like, “did I just pee myself?”). If you water breaks, you should call your provider and see what they want you to do. Some providers want you to come right in, and some will let you wait until contractions begin. There is some risk of infection if you wait too long since the amniotic sac is what protects your baby from bacteria.
The 5/1/1 rule: This is a general rule of thumb that many practitioners follow. It means that you are having contractions every 5 minutes, lasting one minute long, for one hour. Now, there is certainly some wiggle room with this. I have had three labors, and I don’t know that my contractions ever lasted a full minute long, even at the very end. Most of my contractions were about 45 seconds long. So that being said, don’t get TOO hung up on the exact timing of your contractions!
Any warning signs that you may need medical attention:
You have bleeding (more than pink/brown tinges in your discharge)
Foul smell to your amniotic fluid if your water breaks
Green/Brown color to your amniotic fluid if your water breaks
You haven't felt the baby move for a while. (10 movements in 2 hours is ideal)
Another thing to consider: do you want to labor at the hospital?
Some people know that they will feel safer and more at peace when they just “get where they’re going”, and the thought of transitioning from one place to another in intense labor can be nerve-wracking. Other people know that they really don’t love hospitals and would rather labor at home as long as possible.
Regardless of which of these camps you find yourself in, it’s important to have a go plan. Make sure your bag is packed, carseat is installed, and any other plans (childcare, pet care, etc) are in place at the first sign of your labor beginning so when you feel ready, you can get going!
Know that showing up to the hospital whether you are 1cm or 8cm will likely change your labor patterns, even briefly. Your mind and body will react to the change in environment and may slow your contractions down until you get back in the zone.
Lastly: if you show up to the hospital thinking you’re in active labor and your provider sends you home- it’s okay! My most recent labor (remember, I am a doula, childbirth educator, and this was my third birth!) started with me showing up to the hospital not once, but TWICE and ending up back at home! It can be discouraging to be “sent home”, but it happens to the best of us 😛
