re: Oh the lovely hospital - You might be in labor, but go home.

Quoting Jennybananna:" <blockquote><b>Quoting Lin Brown:</b>" they tried doing that with my SIL here, her ... [snip!] ... at 4cm with no contractions? Do they just induce you? I was 4cm for like two weeks no way would I of been induced at 37 weeks."

they offer it, but you don't have to take it. My water started leaking almost the second I lost my plug, they started me on the pitocin at 7cm because I wasn't progressing after that and once I got to a 9 and just stopped dilating and my cervix was starting to get swollen so they gave me the option to up the dosage on the pitocin and see what happens or to do a emergency c-section, the dr highly recommended the c-section because my daughter was already stessing, had pooped and the cord was wrapped around her neck. I was in labor for 10 hours and went under the knife. I didn't know they gave you an option to have a vaginal birth after you have had a c-section before.

Quoting KKanp:" See I thought with the contractions and blood and all the fun stuff that it wouldn't matter once ... [snip!] ... were that far - If i go in at 7cm are they going to send me home if I don't progress anymore in a certain amount of time? "

Usually, after you get to a certain number, they may start pitocin to speed things up but I would want to avoid that if I were you. Just walk, walk walk walk walk . Keep yourself upright. Let gravity do its thing.

Didn't mean for it to come out long, but oh well lol  
Reminds me of when I went to the hospital.
My biggest thing was I didn't want to get sent home. So I waited at home forever. (early labor started at 12:30am --I was 40 weeks, 6 days --, i was pissed because i couldn't sleep) I took a long hot shower til I was bored. Baked brownies and (homemade) cookies. I tried looking at videos of flowers blooming (trying to imagine myself 'opening up'). Looked up images of child birth Mandalas. Wanted fruit. Drove to town (I live 10 mins into the country, 30 mins from the hospital i delivered at -- with no traffic) unfortunately the only place really open was 7-11. So I got some fruit, a couple gallons of water, bag of ice (i liked chewing ice when i was preggo) came home, trolled facebook. Trolled baby gaga. My neighbors asked me about my contractions, i told them I wasn't marking them down because all the previous times they would get irregular. Thought about cleaning --nah. lol
My mom finally woke up and was like "ok, better pack" so we took our time packing.......we packed my brownies and cookies just incase i got hungry during my hospital delivery/stay. Left with my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart. I did not enjoy car ride. We stopped half way to the hospital at a bank. My mother took forever. I went pee at a starbucks, waddling/running then stopping in the middle of the coffee shop during a contraction then off waddling again.
Then left for hospital.
Waited in the parking lot for half an hour "waiting it out" until I had to pee again! (I didn't want to be hooked up to an IV so i was keeping myself hydrated) Went pee/had my bloody show. Got checked in (i was pre-register--thank god!)

This is the best part.....
THE NURSE. She was an older lady. Gave one look at me, seen I was a single 18 year old with my Mommy, Sissy, Auntie, and Cousin and decided not to take me seriously when I said I was in labor or that I didnt want an Epidural.....until the bitch check my cervix. 8 CM dilated, bitch! haha

Had DS at 11:53am -- all natural.

I hate bitchy nurses! I work with a ton haha but congrats!!!