How far apart should contractions be before you go to the hospital?

How far apart should contractions be before you go to the hospital?

The contractions become more regular until they are less than 5 minutes apart. Active labor (the time you should come into the hospital) is usually characterized by strong contractions that last 45 to 60 seconds and occur three to four minutes apart.

What is the 5 1 1 rule for contractions?

You may hear about the “5-1-1” rule, which recommends that women go to the hospital when contractions are five minutes apart, last for one minute, and have been that patternfor one hour.

How do I know if Im having contractions?

If you touch your abdomen, it feels hard during a contraction. You can tell that you're in true labor when the contractions are evenly spaced (for example, five minutes apart), and the time between them gets shorter and shorter (three minutes apart, then two minutes, then one).

How do contractions feel when they first start?

For you, early contractions may feel quite painless or mild, or they may feel very strong and intense. Typically, real labor contractions feel like a pain or pressure that starts in the back and moves to the front of your lower abdomen.