1. "22 hours of labor" does NOT mean "22 hours straight of feeling contractions."
When I was in my early 20s, I thought laboring for a day meant not just contracting for that long but actually PUSHING that whole time. And a few young women I've spoken with have similar misconceptions. So set the record straight: Most moms time labor from when they feel the first contraction to when the baby arrives. And hours can go by without feeling a contraction in the early stages of labor. Even at 9.5 centimeters, you may not have a contraction a minute.
2. Your contractions may start out so slight, you won't know you're having them.
Descriptions of contractions range from period-like cramps to feeling as though your body is being ripped apart. But there are all kinds of sensations during pregnancy—round ligament pain, uncomfortable gas, a Lord of the Dance performer in your uterus—that a first-time mom might not realize those first contractions are indeed contractions. And that's a good thing! Because if you're not sure they're contractions, they're bearable.
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