How frequent are contractions at 5cm?

[MrsHBaby3]

I've been advised not to get into the birth pool until 5cm, but as I'm not planning on any vaginal examinations, I'm wondering how else to assess? Are contractions roughly 5mins apart at 5cm for example? Can you remember how frequent your contractions were if you had a VE at 5cm? Is there even a pattern at all?
Thanks ladies!

[RoxyLady]

No pattern! I went from 2 to 10 cm in 30 mins!
Every labor is completely different.
Why are you not wanting any vaginal examinations? They need to check you

[ThwartedbyMum]

I was having contractions only seconds apart at 3cm dialated! As Roxy says every labour is different.

[Midori1999]

I've had 6 babies and I couldn't tell you how dilated I am at any time, although I do recognise when I am in transition and ready to push. (I think most women recognise that) my contractions are very close together (1-2 minutes) from 2cm dilated and stay like that until delivery.

I think if everything is going well, you certainly don't need vaginal examinations. I had a midwife who usually worked in the home from home unit last time and I actually asked for an exam so I knew how far along I was, I suspect she wouldn't have given me one otherwise and she didn't do another, she and I knew when I was ready to push.

[beckie90]

Every labour is different, there's unfortunately no textbook way to it. I was contracting every 6 mins from 1-3cm then once I got to 3cm they was every 2 mins and it was like that for 10hr before reaching 4cm, they continued at every 2 mins after that til I was the full 10cm x

[floatyjosmum]

Mine were still every 15 mins and not painful at 5cm with dc1 and tbh it was only towards the end they appeared to gain any enthusiasm. I also did the last 5cm in under 2 hours so can honestly say all labours are different.

[shelly81]

I went from 5-10 in 20 mins with dc2 xx

[Thinkingof4]

I went from 5cm to fully in a single contraction with ds2 and ds3!! Midwives were not expecting that!!