50% effaced and almost 1cm dilated..?

i was 1 cm for almost a week before i actually went into labor. you will know when it is time because your contractions will be very painful and you will be able to time them. I was in labor for about 40 hours with my first daughter. (most of which i was home for bc the hospital sent me home to dialate more). once it became extremely painful, i went back in and was still only 5 cm dialated.