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We did not follow the 5-1-1 rule. When my water broke (no contractions before that), contractions started at 2 minutes apart. We were convinced they were turning contractions (DD had not been in a great position earlier that week, and our doula had warned us that getting her to turn might lead to lots of painful contractions) and so we stayed home.

When the doula and midwife finally said we should come to the hospital, I was already 10CM dilated and didn't know it. I had DD a little over 2 hours after arriving.

The second time around, I didn't time contractions closely. They weren't consistent when they started at the bouncy castle. While we fed our toddler, got him packed, got us packed, they became more consistent. I probably would have had him sooner, but they stalled my labor to get the antibiotics for GBS in my system. As one of the nurses said during labor "your second labor is faster as a reward for your first being long." My first labor was 14 hours. My second was 8 hours.

Until it was so painful I could barely think. Glad I didn't wait any longer. I had my son only 2 hours after I got to the hospital.

Well, I was at work when I started period like cramping. Waited 30 minutes or so to see if they were "real". Since I have a long commute home, I finally left work. (thank goodness). Shit got real on my drive home. I got home just in time to get my hospital bags and go to the hospital.

Baby was born 20 minutes after I arrived at the hospital; first 10 minutes was checking in.

Contractions were probably 2 minutes apart when we left for the hospital and were every 30 seconds or so by the time we drove the .75 of a mile to the hospital.

Bradley told us 3-1-1. However, I had to get antibiotics for GBS. I labored at home and then made it just in time- 4-5 hours before delivery, I was dilated to a 6 when I got to the hospital. I was plenty miserable at that point and had been in labor 12 or more hours.

I called at 5-1-1 when contractions were suuuuper painful. The on call doctor said to wait until 2-3 minutes apart and call back. I did and told them I couldn't take it and was coming in. Good thing I waited because I was still only 3cm at that time.

I waited for the 5-1-1 rule, but contractions weren't very painful at all. but I was GBS+ and midwife wanted me to come in once i hit the 5-1-1. When I checked in I was 5 cm. I had a long labor though, 18 hours, and 1.5-2 hours of pushing. Next time I definitely plan on waiting longer to go into the hospital.

My contractions never got consistently close enough together. I stayed home for the first 24 hours. We went in when it got so painful that I was crying during each contraction and could find no relief with our counting/breathing/massage techniques that we had learned. I was only about 2-3 cm when I showed up. They let me stay because I was supposed to check in 6 hours later for a scheduled induction anyway. Once I had the epidural I dilated quickly. I think I was clenching from the pain and not dilating as a result!

First time, I started having mild contractions at 6am? Finally got sick of waiting around (I was overdue) and went to hospital at 5pm. They were sporadically 5-1-1, but I was still walking/talking through them. They admitted me because I was 3cm and overdue.

Second time, my water broke at 530am. I only went to the hospital at 11:30 because of their insistence on getting checked for infections/etc. (I was fine). Ended up having DS less than two hours later, so I'm glad I went!

I was the same as your friend. I was so afraid of getting sent home or being given pitocin that I waited too long! We got to the hospital at 8:50am and LO was born at 9:11am

@LuLu Mom: My contractions never lasted a full minute. I went in when they were 6 minutes apart and each was 30 seconds. I was probably borderline but they let me stay because I had an induction scheduled for that afternoon which I didnt end up needing!

I had painful, Braxton hicks/early labor contractions for weeks before labor. When I was 40 +2, my contractions all evening had felt normal, less painful or frequent than the few days prior. Water broke just after 2am, contractions picked up about an hour later. I was gbs positive and hate having an iv, so I wanted to labor at home as long as possible. By 6, I knew it was time to go. We got to the hospital just before 7, baby was born just after 9. Next time, I'll go straight to the hospital, in case labor progresses even faster.

I waited until I had to breathe through a contraction/ could not talk / had to hold on to something.

I didn't follow the 5-1-1 rule. The first time (actually the second since I was induced the first) I waited until I was in so much pain I could hardly move. I think they were around 2 minutes apart. I was dilated to a 7 when I checked in.

The second time (third baby) I had a placental abruption (although I didn't know it at the time) so my contractions didn't follow a regular pattern. I had tetonic contractions which meant it was basically one constant sheet of unending pain. I also waited until I thought I couldn't go on any longer. In hindsight, I wish I would've gone in sooner because maybe they could have detected the abruption sooner.

I had a home birth, so, there was no "heading to the hospital". I just looked back at the data in my contraction timer app, I and I had met the 5-1-1 "rule" 26 hours before he was ultimately born, and 3-1-1 for about 20 hours. My total labor from first clear contractions to baby out was about 42 hours.

@lilyofthewest: holy long labor! Wow!

I definitely didn't wait long enough especially when I was able to compare how strong the contractions fit later. However, I delivered at the hospital that I worked at and I felt safe and comfortable laboring there. I did a lot of walking around, with the nurse checking me every 1-2 hours. I wasn't formally admitted until my water broke a few hours after being at the hospital. They did give me the choice to go home earlier but instead I elected to get in the jacuzzi tub which was sooooo helpful and my water broke in there. It was clear all along that I was in early labor but progressing so they never made me go home. Next time I'll likely be able to stay home much longer now that I know exactly how the contractions would ramp up. No regrets though- my hospital is great and they just let me keep walking around until I could t anymore. My contractions became painful around 8pm and we went to the hospital at midnight.

We followed the 5-1-1 rule and called the midwives when contractions were getting really intense. I also started throwing up, so I knew I was in active labor. We called maybe around midnight and the midwives and the doula told us to go to the hospital in the morning. Around 1 AM, I felt panicky and anxious about being home, so we went to the hospital (got there @2 AM). I was 4 CM, and was admitted. I delivered by 7:55 AM after an hour of pushing.

I'm glad I followed my instinct, because it would have been crazy to wait until morning!