When does your hospital say you are in established labour?

[nappyaddict]

Mine says 4cm and so does the NHS pregnancy book. However I have heard of some hospitals saying it is 5cm and there was that lady who got sent home on OBEM even though she was 4cm.

4cm counts as 'established labour' ie not likely to stop until the baby gets out one way or the other.
My hospital wouldn't let me get in the pool until I was 4cm. By then I was unable to move dammit!

I thought it was 3cm I think that's what my hosp said with my first ds

When I say so.

It was written in my birth plan that I am in active labour when I say so. No-one is allowed to disagree with me and no vaginal examinations, and to be offered gas and air on arrival.

4cm and fully effaced. The OBEM wasn't fully effaced & then her contractions slowed.

When I got to hospital with DD2 I was contracting every 3 mins but found I was only 4cm. I was gutted as thought that made it too early for an epidural in case it stalled labour. The midwife said nothing would stall my labour as my cervix was totally effaced and my contractions were v strong. I got my epi and DD2 was born 5 hours later.

I took mylf to labourward after starting with contractions- told I was 4 cm. Was sent home 3 times over the next coupleof days being old I was not in active labour- felt pretty active to me! Emergency C section 4 days after being told 'baby will be here soon'!!!

I arrived at the labour ward and they told me to push straight away before even booking me in.

I only just made it into the delivery room.

Hadn't even got my knickers off my ankles.

Labour was recorded as 25 minutes.

Just made it there in rush hour traffic.

Labour was definitely established.

The first time I turned up at hospital screaming my head off at not being able to take any more pain. I was 2cm.

I was in active labour. I couldn't have BEEN any more active with my screaming and wriggling and clawing at the bed.

They wouldn't have been able to send me home if they had tried. The journey there was the worst half hour of my life wrt the sheer agony.

In fact, they were as surprised as I was that I was 2cm because they thought I was in transition and told me that going from my behaviour the baby would be out within the hour. In fact it was another 11 hours.

4 cm

In my hospital I was moved to the labour ward at 3cms so I take it that that is when I was considered to be in established labour. Mind you it took another day and a half of contractions before DS was born by EMCS! OP baby!

4cm and then you are allowed gas and air lol.

I gave birth at the Princecess Anne which is the hospital on OBEM. With ds1 I had a midwife come and examine me at home who told me I was 3cms and in active labour. She told me to stay at home until the contractions lasting 45sec or more and I couldn't talk through them.

Did this but was still only 4cms when I got to the hospital. They said I was in established labour, but left me another 1hr or so before they wheeled in the gas and air.

With ds2 waters broke but contractions didn't really start. Ended up going into be induced. Midwife that examined me said I was 5cms (contractions didn't feel very strong and were very spcaed out), but even at 5cms it didn't feel like I was in active labour.

I went in for a 2nd sweep when i was 2-3cm's and due for induction. As I had been contracting on my own for 2 days they chose not to induce (11 days over due at this point)and instead wait it out. When i went back the next morning after the most evil contractions overnight (8 mins apart but crippling until waters broke) I was sent for a walk before they would check me. They thought i was having them on i think.

They checked and I was 5cm and they apologised and offered pain relief immediately! So i assume 4cm plus...?

ALittleBitConfused - I like your style. So, so, so wish I'd thought to put that in my birth plan.......!

What does fully effaced mean?