Eleni

I took a 45 minute walk with Dimi and tried to time myself. I had contractions every 5 minutes (but couldn't count the length, probably less than one minute)...The last few however began at longer intervals, the first at six minutes, the second at 7 and the next at 8...What's up?
And is 5 minutes apart pretty close? They don't really hurt that much...

JenR

That sounds like me, early on on the day I had DS. All day I had them, between 5 and 10 minutes apart. I live 10 minutes from hospital, so my midwife said to come in when they're 2-3 minutes apart and you can't talk easily through them. Good luck!!! I hope it's soon! But maybe he could wait for the morning....that would be nice

mhurst

My bet is for tomorrow. Not to scare you but I went a two full days with contractions between 5-10 minutes apart. That sucked because they weren't terribly painful but uncomfortable.

Here's for a 10/4 baby!

Rubisca

On the other hand, don't necessarily wait for them to be regularly spaced! I never went through normal labor with DD#1 (I was induced with pitocin at the hospital so my contractions were controlled and regular) but with #2, my contractions began at about 10-15 minutes apart, then got closer, then spaced out (over the course of many hours)... then started getting closer together and more uncomfortable and spaced anywhere from 5 minutes to 8 minutes apart, but since they were not that regular I didn't think her birth was imminent. By the time I realized this was the real thing and left for the hospital, I was less than an hour from giving birth (and my water still hadn't broken). Just saying that if they don't lighten up or space out any more, then even if the time between them varies a bit, you could be progressing quite a bit.
Oooh, you're so close!

morgan27

I think the best way to tell is not necessarily the time but the intensity. If you need to stop and think about breathing and cant really talk through them - then thats the real thing and go to the hospital.

I had what you are talking about for most of the day before Gigi was born. They increased and increased but my doula didnt take me to the hospital until she could tell that I had to stop and concentrate to get through them. Gigi was born 4 hours later.

Hang in there - you are soooo close!