u have to dilate to 10 to be ready to push. getting from 1-3 can take days, even weeks. 50% means ur cervix is halfway thinned out. needs to be 100%. and -3 means ur baby is high inside you. +2 is about where ur baby will b at delivery time. it goes -3,-2,-1,0,+1,+2. that is the stages the head will be in