Painful contractions for 35 hours, should the ob resident be telling us to stay home?

No: When to see the ob/gyn, and or go to labor and delivery. In my community hospital setting, I have patients contact me or l&d and often get an evaluation. Mid-trimester discomforts, "round ligament pain", versus pre-term or term labor can usually be sorted out with a brief history, and physical. However, patients with recurrent painful contractions need to be seen.