Final answer:
A first time mother should head to the hospital when contractions are 5 minutes apart and lasting for about one minute, consistently for at least one hour, indicating the labor is making progress.
Step-by-step explanation:
When it comes to deciding when should you tell a first time mother to come to the hospital to prepare for labor, it is generally advised that she should come to the hospital when contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting for about one minute, and have been consistently at this pace for at least an hour. This pattern suggests that the labor is progressing and the cervix is dilating in preparation for birth.
The first stage of labor involves the thinning (effacement) and dilation of the cervix up to 10 cm to accommodate the passage of the baby's head. In the case of first time mothers the dilation stage can be longer often around 6-12 hours however this can vary widely. If labor does not progress naturally, interventions such as the administration of synthetic oxytocin (Pitocin) may be necessary to help continue and maintain labor.