to think you can't drive yourself to hospital when you're in labour?

[Flingingmelon]

Would have put this in Pregnancy but wanted opinions from people who have already had kids.

Good friend due with her first next month. Her DH works away a lot and she doesn't have a lot of close support - who can drop everything if required.

She seems to think that when she needs to go to hospital (to have the baby) she can drive herself.

There was no way I could have driven myself in, but has anyone managed to do it?

I think she's in denial a bit and obvs I have sent her suitable taxi company numbers, but am I just being soft?

I'm not am I?

No, that is nuts! (Unless it's a planned section or something and she is not actually in labour...)

NB she shouldn't call an ambulance/maternataxi either.... DBIL is a paramedic so it's a sore point.

I wouldn't want to go so early that I could drive.
But I could have got a taxi.

i probably could have, (premature labour, wasn't in a great deal of pain) however don't think it would have been sensible, and not sure where you would stand on an insurance point of view?

YANBU. When I went into the hospital there is no way I could safely have driven myself.

Eight years ago today I was in labour, the first thing I did after phoning the parents to tell them (if was a surrogate pregnancy) was to drive myself to the supermarket to stock up but that was early labour, baby was born 5 hours later.

It's not a good idea to drive in late labour and it's also not great to be at the hospital too early. A taxi is far better.

Round here they would send you home again if you were capable of driving!

YANBU. Very irresponsible. She could kill herself, the baby, anyone else who happens to be on the road at the time...gotta stump up for the taxi fare really, sorry.

But surely a taxi would charge you if there was any soiling?!

You can, and I did, also drove myself home 14hrs after the birth. I do realise I'm an exception and it's not the best advice.

Most people wouldn't be safe. My second labour was 2 hours of manageable pain and well spaced contractions then a sudden switch I minutes to uncontrollably giving birth before anyone was ready including me.

I was on way for planned induction for liver problem so not in full blown labour. That would be silly.

My SIL did with her second and third babies. Completely out of order and unsafe if you ask me. Drove herself home after a 6hr discharge too. Her partner doesn't drive but we'd have given them a lift if they asked.

I could just about to get into the car (contractions 4mins apart) when I wasn't having a contraction!

There was a woman who asked this question at my anti-natal class - the midwife said that for every class there is always one new mum who asks them if they could drive there themselves.

I did, waters had broken (gushed everywhere) and contractions were just like mild period pain.

It's not something I would plan to do though!

I might be wrong but I swear I remember hearing you're legally not allowed to drive if you're in labour? Probably rubbish.

As PP said surely it depends on the circumstances? Planned induction then yes but established labour, no. I don't think I would have been capable!

I'm sure you could if early enough but you'd be sent home again if less than 4-5cm.

There is no way you could ever predict as each lean our is different even for the same person.

No way could I have with my first but I could have with my second, she was a home birth and I was running around doing household chores to make the place respectable for the midwife and when she was arrived I was 8cm.

DSIL did - she went into labour at 34 weeks and my DB had had a couple of beers so would have been over the drink driving limit.

I could have with the first one as I got to 5cms dilated with no pains and they were going to send me home as I was so calm, until they did an internal and went "OK so, you're staying here then!" . The second one, no way, baby arrived 5 mins after I got to the hospital!

I walked to hospital, whilst in Labour, and got a thorough telling off after I almost gave birth on a zebra crossing (ended up making it just in time to hospital for baby to come out

It was all GO GO GO

Cannot imagine having been driving with all this!

It can go very quickly

Hope your friend comes to her senses.

For second baby I went in a taxi, but if you say you are in labour some taxis will not actually turn up, as they are worried of your waters breaking/bleeding/birthing over their upholstered interior...

In my next life I will get a DH who can drive

Absolutely stark raving bonkers

My friend did. She was at the midwife's clinic when her waters broke and they told her to drive to hospital. She was in such a state she didn't argue, just did it, didn't realise until afterwards what shocking treatment that was. They could at least have called her a taxi.

If you have an accident, your insurance may be void.