How long from a curled up closed cervix to less then one cm and soft to labour did you wait?

[roundligament]

I know IABU to ask but I just want some ideas
It seems to be a bit of a case of how long is a piece of string

Nobody can give me answers
I'm having painful tightenings but have not had any loss or discharge until last night
I'm 36 weeks and they want to keep the baby in as long as possible before c section

If there was an answer we’d be millionaires. It differs from person to person, pregnancy to pregnancy. Could be hours, days or weeks. Keep an eye on it and keep the hospital informed of changes in your tightenings. They could also be Braxton Hicks. You definitely need to inform your hospital if there’s any change in movement, any pain, if you suspect your waters have gone or anything else that doesn’t feel “right”.

Mine was "oh sorry you're only 3cm, not in active labour, we can't even give you gas and air" then baby arrived NINE MINUTES later (third baby).

48 hours in my case, from fully closed during sweep to DD in my arms.

@TheBrilloPad omg! That sounds extreme
Thank you everyone else for the answers
I was shut long and tight on friday but short and soft yesterday
It's been hurting a lot
I've had some steroids as my son is really small this time again. He's below the 5th centile
I'm so afraid of being left in pain I just feel paranoid x

Stay positive in that there is definite progress then. Things are starting to move. Don’t be worried about being left in pain, you don’t have to be in pain in the latent phase. You can take paracetamol and some units give codydramol to take the edge off the tightenings. Ask questions!

I've been sent home with tramadol in case they want to take the baby out quickly So that his breathing isn't affected
It still hurt after 60mg of codeine yesterday
They said they think it hurts because he's under my last c section scar
I don't know I wish I could just read inside my body
It feels like a long wait I'm finding it hard to cope with :( I think it's because it's sore and I'm a bit apprehensive and then also there is someone doing the flooring in the house who has taken over 3 weeks to do 3 bedrooms upstairs and the hall way which has seriously interfered with my nesting
Reached the moaning stage I think also and heart burn which I never have

So sorry for the whinging I appreciate the answers

You have every right to be as worried/grumpy/annoyed as you like at this stage.
Just hang on and ride the pain if you can, the longer the steroids get to work the better.
It won't be that long before you get those lovely newborn snuggles.
You're doing an amazing thing.

Don’t be sorry!
This is far easier said than done but I can’t stress it enough...please try to relax! Stress hormones inhibit labour, love hormones encourage labour. Can you go out for a nice long walk, have lunch out with a friend? Anything you can do to try and relax yourself?
Are you having an elective section?

I'm just miserable more then stressed if it makes sense
It's raining here as well, it's pretty sore when I walk . I feels like period
I have been walking so much the whole pregnancy it's my one saving grace being with my husband and son in the forest but on Saturday and Sunday I tried a walk and contracted every minute and a half
I had monitoring on Friday and I had 27 contractions in 1 hr 12 minutes
Yesterday I had 30 in an hour
They aren't amounting to anything at the moment just some of them very painful and others not so i know I have some way to go
I've gotten frustrated with that floorer now and I've locked the front door. He can ring the bell as I want to nap. He would frighten me if he just came in.
So much for coming in the morning

Exercise ball is a really good help but I wonder what else I can do
Husband said no more sex now in case it gives me problems
I have been having loads of sex with him it's been nice to be close before the c section
I've got a c section booked for the 1st of July but the consultant said the baby is too small so if the Doppler scan is no good on Monday he wants to deliver or if the growth hasn't picked up the Monday after then he wants to deliver

All so vague