What's the best way to track ctx? 1st time mom

[aquarianmom]

Hello everyone!

I was just wondering if anyone had a "method" for monitoring contractions. I have been feeling them but until they get really strong I thought I'd try not to be too obsessive about timing them. However, I was wondering if you experienced moms kept a little notebook by the bed? What are the timings I'm looking for? Duration or numbers in an hour. This is obviously a rookie question... :

[CityGirl]

You can use any sheet of paper, the computer, or a journal that you keep for that specific purpose that you can use to keep a whole labor log. You can also create an actual chart, which I've seen some people use. A contraction is timed from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of another. So note what time it starts and what time the next one starts. That will tell you how far apart they are. Then start noting when each one ends. That will tell you how long they're lasting. (But don't start timing them from the end of one to the beginning of the next--always from the beginning of one to the beginning of the next.)

So if you have a contraction starting at 5:00, ending at 5:01, and another starting at 5:08, your contractions are 8 minutes apart, lasting one minute.

I hope that helps!

[mommyto2]

Perfect!


And don't get all excited until they are 2 minutes apart, you are unable to move & they last at least a full minute.... I called the midwife 24 hour early last time. She had been at a homebirth that lasted forever & had gotten no sleep! I dragged her out!! We finally called her when I was immobile & WAAAyy strong contrax. She said we waited too long to call :LOL !! I guess we are all screwy!!

Good luck!!

[Quindin]

In my case 2 minutes apart would have been too late last time. My midwife told me to call when they were regular, getting stronger, lasting one minute and at least 5 minutes apart.

[AnneCordelia]

I don't bother to time them...when they are too strong for me to walk, talk or smile through then I know it's time to call. With my last birth that happened around 5cm dilation...they contractions were 1min long and 3 minutes apart.

If I called when they were 5 minutes apart then I would have called last Saturday when they were 5 min apart for *9 HOURS*!!! Needless to say, I could still walk, talk and smile through them and they stopped.

Emily