Inducing Labor: What to Expect at 37 Weeks

Question
Im 17.  Im 37 weeks and 3 days pregnant ,this is my first pregancy .I have been experiancing a lot of braxton hicks contractions ,so i told my doctor at my checkup yesterday they gave me a stress test and said i had a few minor contractions my doctor checked my cervix im only at 1 centimeter so she stimulated my cervix a little bit and told me to walk around for an hour and come back well i went home and walked about 3 blocks i still dont feel any different is there any way i could possibly do something to speed up the process im already starting to dilate but i havent made any progress in weeks help me please?

Answer
You can remain at 1-2 cm for weeks. Usually, for the first baby, you will not go into labor until you reach your due date in two and 1/2 weeks. Soon you will start to get contractions at the level of your belly button. When you have contractions coming every 3 minutes (from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next contraction) and each contraction remains hard for a full minute, and this continues for a full hour, then you should again be checked. When you are more than 3-4cm dilated, you will be admitted to the hospital. Until you are having contractions every 3 minutes, we do not consider you to be in labor. Be patient. It will happen. Just continue to walk around alot.