Towards the end of pregnancy and during labor, women experience contractions: spasms and rhythmic distension of the uterine muscle that lead to childbirth. Determining the frequency of contractions is a good way to determine how long it is to deliver. Read on to find out how to do it.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Knowing When to Start Calculating Frequency
Step 1. Recognize the contractions
Many women describe them as pain that begins in the kidney area and moves towards the abdomen, similar to a menstrual cramp or congestion. With each contraction the pain is initially mild, peaks and then subsides.
- During contractions, the abdomen hardens.
- In some women, the pain is localized only in the back. Contractions are different from woman to woman.
- At the beginning of labor, the contractions last 60-90 seconds and have a frequency of 15-20 minutes. As the birth approaches, they increase in frequency but are shorter.
Step 2. Start timing when you hear a couple of them in a row
It is common to feel a contraction every now and then in the last months of pregnancy. Your body is "practicing" for the big event, don't be alarmed. As your due date approaches and you feel several contractions following a specific pattern or rhythm, take the time to figure out how far away you are from birth.
Method 2 of 3: Calculate the Frequency
Step 1. Decide which instrument to use for counting
It can be a stopwatch, a clock with a second hand, or an online clock that helps you track the frequency and duration of your contractions. Have a pen and paper handy to write down data and recognize a repetitive pattern.
- Use an accurate clock rather than a digital one without the seconds. Since the contractions can last less than a minute it is important to know the seconds.
- Make a table to help you write down the data. Make a column of "Contractions", one of the "Start Time" and a third with the "End Time." Also enter a fourth column called "Duration" to calculate how long the contractions are and a fifth column "Time Between Contractions" to find out how much time passes between contractions.
Step 2. Start calculating from when the contraction starts
Don't start in the middle or the end. If you're in the middle of the contraction, wait for the next one to start timing.
Step 3. Write the time when the contraction begins
When you feel that the abdomen contracts, start the stopwatch or look at the clock and write the time in the "Start Time" column. The more precise you are, the better it will be. For example, instead of writing "22", write "22:03:30". If the contraction starts exactly at 10pm, write "10pm".
Step 4. Write the time when the contraction ends
When the pain subsides and the contraction releases, mark the exact time it ends. Again, be as accurate as possible.
- Now that the first contraction has passed you can fill in the "Duration" column. For example, if the contraction started at 10:03:30 PM and ended at 10:04:20 PM, the duration is 50 seconds.
- Write down other information, at what point the contraction started, how it felt like you, and so on. It may be helpful during contractions to identify a pattern.
Step 5. Write when the next contraction begins
Subtract the start time of the previous one from this hour and you will know how much time passes between one pain and the next. For example, if the previous one started at 22:03:30 and the next one at 22:13:30, the time between them is exactly 10 minutes.
Method 3 of 3: Understanding When You Are Going into Labor
Step 1. Recognize the symptoms of labor
In some cases, women have a series of contractions before entering actual labor. These are called "false contractions," or Braxton Hicks contractions. Recognizing the difference will help you understand the next steps.
- The labor pains are frequent and of short duration with the passage of time, while the "false contractions" do not follow a precise pattern.
- During labor, labor continues regardless of which position you assume, false ones can calm down if you move.
- Labor becomes stronger and more painful, false contractions tend to weaken.
Step 2. Recognize other symptoms of labor
In addition to regular contractions, there are other symptoms that indicate labor. Here they are:
- The waters break.
- The child "lowers," or descends towards the cervix.
- The mucus plug comes out.
- The cervix dilates.
Step 3. Understand when to prepare for delivery
It's time to go to the hospital or have a midwife available to deliver the baby when the "actual birth" is imminent. This happens when there are strong contractions lasting 45-60 seconds every 3-4 minutes.
Advice
Always contact your gynecologist for specific instructions
Related wikiHows
- How to Identify Braxton Hicks Contractions
- How to induce labor with natural methods
