If I had a dollar for every time someone asks me “Am I in labour?” I would be a very rich doula.
I was at a very busy birthing centre in Montreal the other morning and had stepped out of the room for a moment. I was sitting in the triage area, where new parents come in when they believe it’s time to give birth. A man came through the doors pushing his smiling partner in a wheelchair. I helped them navigate into the room, we exchanged a few words about how silly it was to not have automatic doors, we sat for a few minutes while he walked around looking for someone to talk to and finally, I watched as they spoke to the triage nurse.
“Why are you here this morning?” she asked them. “We’re having a baby!” the man announced. The nurse looked skeptical. “What do you mean, you’re having a baby?”
The “labouring” woman looked up from her phone and said, “tell her about the contractions. They’re like every 10 minutes now.” Then she went back to checking her phone.
I smiled to myself and bit my tongue. From where I was sitting it looked pretty clear to me that this baby was not making an appearance any time soon. This couple, unless there was a medical reason to be arriving at the hospital so early, had come WAY too soon. This is a really common mistake that expectant parents make! But, how do you know if you’re really in labour?
Signs You’re NOT in Active Labour
1) You’re REALLY Excited and Happy to Drive to the Hospital
If you can happily grab your bags, decide what shoes to put on and easily and comfortably make your way to the hospital, chances are it’s way too early. Your car ride should be uncomfortable and something you are NOT looking forward to doing.
2) You Can Talk Through Your Contractions
Active labour requires active coping. If you can micro manage your partner and sing or talk through your contractions, it’s not active labour yet. You might be in labour, but it’s still time to chill out at home.
3) You Can Fall Asleep
Do NOT worry about going to sleep in early labour. It won’t stop your labour if it’s the real thing. You won’t wake up with a baby in your bed. In fact, what you most need before you’re really in labour is LOTS and LOTS of sleep! So, get yourself snuggled into bed and try to rest and relax.
So, how do you avoid going to the hospital too early? As a doula, I help my clients decide when they should head in and when they should stay home.
Encouraging distraction, rest and coping techniques is the key. Timing contractions only when you think they are 5 minutes or less and in a good pattern for a long period of time is a great way to go to the hospital at the right time. Being able to talk and answer questions easily during a contraction generally means that you’re still good to hang out at home longer. No more asking “Am I in labour?”
Have more questions like this and want real answers? I work with expecting couples and do mini-sessions called Birth Plan Consultations.
During this time you get an experienced doula in your home to talk about your questions, plan out your birth preferences and figure out what to do when the big day comes. It’s a great way to prepare in a realistic and grounded way. Sound interesting? Contact me and let’s set something up!
