You should go to the hospital when your contractions meet the following criteria:
- If this is your first baby, go to the hospital when your contractions are about 3 to 4 minutes apart, each lasting 45 to 60 seconds, and this pattern has continued for at least 2 hours
. Other sources suggest coming when contractions are every 3 to 5 minutes for about an hour
- If you've had a baby before, go when contractions are about 5 minutes apart for at least 1 hour
This timing corresponds to active labor, when contractions become longer, stronger, and closer together, typically lasting about 60 seconds and occurring every 3 to 5 minutes
. The "5-1-1 rule" is commonly recommended: contractions every 5 minutes, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour
. This helps ensure you arrive at the hospital with enough time for interventions like an epidural if desired, but not too early during early labor when contractions are milder and further apart (5-7 minutes apart, about 30 seconds long)
. If contractions are irregular, mild, or far apart (e.g., 15-20 minutes apart), you can usually stay home and rest until they become more regular and intense
. Always call your healthcare provider if your water breaks, you have heavy bleeding, or if you have any concerns about your contractions or labor progression
. In summary, the typical guidance is to head to the hospital when contractions are about 3 to 5 minutes apart, lasting about a minute each, and this pattern continues for at least an hour (the 5-1-1 or 4-1-1 rule), with some variation depending on whether it is your first baby or not
