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?

You know how it isn't a good idea to use your mobile while you are driving because it is distracting? Ditto having contractions. Get some one else to do the driving.

I drove myself to hospital when in labour.

It was early stages though, and not something I would recommend.

I'd woken up to find my waters leaking and told DH, but he and I didn't think much of it and he went off to work. I had an appointment at the antenatal dept to discuss being induced later that week, so just went. As I got ready I started to have pains, but nothing too bad and not too frequent.

I certainly wouldn't recommend it, it was probably a dangerous thing to do, to be honest as with every pain I couldn't concentrate as well. It was definitely the longest traffic jam I've ever been in and the longest walk from the arse end of the car park to the ante natal dept.

With DD2 I was in fast and furious labour and there's no chance I'd have been able to have driven.

I did with DC2...so it seems plenty of us do. EXH was so unpleasant the first time that it seemed the better option. Turned out to be a right pain though as DC was early and we were in hospital for a week or two and my car was stuck at the hospital which was miles from home racking up parking fees. I don't think it was the best idea in the world - not ideal and probably not to be recommended, so I got a neighbour to drive me for subsequent DCs.

I did but then i was in very early laboir when i wad supposed to be having a section a few days later so needed to get in at first sign of labour. Theres no way i would have driven of id been at the point of labour that the hospital wouldnt jist turn you away to let it progress naturally.

I did call an ambulance for my 3rd labour because I have very fast labours.
The drive to hospital is 20 minutes. My labour lasted 45 minutes from the first contraction to delivery.
The paramedics were lovely and very understanding.

I definitely think it is not safe to drive yourself to hospital when in labour - anything could go wrong.

she makes advance arrangements with a taxi firm, giving them time to prepare the plastic sheeting. Then when the time comes, she calls them and off they go. The cost of the taxi will be the least of her worries with a kid to bring up.

unless there is an emergency she does NOT call an ambulance.

By the time I was ready to go to hospital I was in no fit state to drive, i could barely sit still, and struggled to give my mum directions! There's also a parking issue at our hospital, I'm not that rich . Enquired with MW beforehand as I too have a non-driving husband and she advised ringing for Ambulance, now this was quite some time ago and I understand that this is now really discouraged. Second time round DM was already staying, drove me, in my car, we'd put her on the insurance for a month (at no extra cost). She then drove back home to mind DC1 and DH joined me at hospital.

I think it's a really irresponsible thing to do.

I called a taxi as we had no car at the time. I had been considering taking the bus!

I rang a couple of taxi companies during the pregnancy to ask if they would take a woman in labour. One said something about it being dangerous so I struck them off the list! The guy who took is was very unperturbed and pleasantly excited for us :)

With my second, I had to navigate as OH drove. I was annoyed that I couldn't just focus on my labour so definitely glad I didn't have to drive.

Lots of taxi firms won't take women in labour.

Can tell it's her first if this seems like a logical thing to be planning!

You could drive in early labour, but you'll get sent home.

Active labour? Forget it. I couldn't even sit down in between contractions. Driving would have been impossible (and very VERY dangerous).

Hospital is the same one I was in so the list of taxis I gave her is the one they gave me.

I'm not sure this thread will convince her so I'm going to mention the invalid insurance point.

She'd call me before she called an ambulance. Worst case scenario we'd have a sleepy confused toddler with us but it'd only be til DH could take over.

Hopefully when the date gets closer her DH will think a bit more realistically about his work trip commitments. It's only for a few weeks after all.

Yanbu! If you can drive, it's too early and they will send you home.

I was only 3cm but waters flooding and v painful contractions - no way I could have driven myself. Could barely walk let alone drive. was sent home and returned on morning. it was over 24h til dd was born.

When it came for the time for me to go to hospital I had already been contracting for 24 hours plus and was utterly beside myself ( for Ds1&2). I wouldn't have been in a position to take myself anywhere. I think she needs a plan B ASAP.

I'm pressed by anyone that can park in the 'CM's to spare', spaces, which new hospital parking seems to be, whilst in Labour.

As well as negotiating the machine, then waddling in.

I wouldn't want to go into hospital so early, especially on my own.

It's the type of thing you say when your childless, without thinking it through, like the other threads that have been about Women worrying that they'll have nothing to do whilst on ML.

On the maternataxi point, I gather the call handlers now refuse to send an ambulance for standard labour (whatever that is). That is the right thing to do imo. If I was having a heart attack I would like to think the ambulance was abailable for genuine emergencies.

Where's she going to park? And more importantly. has she arranged a mortgage to pay the parking fees?

I did too.

Insurance wouldn't cover her

Very common to take a taxi where I live (big city, many people don't have cars).

I took a cab with both of my labours. Sat on an incontinence pad for the bed just in case. Both times the drivers were unfazed and were both fathers who mentioned their own children. They also both did their best to get me as close as possible to the door I needed to be at.

Only if she is going in to be induced.

I did with dc1, but I didn't realise I was in labour when I started and managed to remain in denial until I arrived. It was only a 15 minute drive but in that time I went from zero to full on labour. I had called the ward to say I wasn't sure if my waters had gone and they advised me to come in for a check. About half way there I started to feel really sick and was praying for the traffic lights to stay red but by the time they went green I was fine again so I thought nothing of it. With hindsight it was a contraction. I parked at the hospital still feeling okay but by the time I walked through the hospital doors - about 30 seconds - I couldn't walk. DC arrived 30 mins later. I think my brain somehow held off on the full blown contractions until I was in a safe situation.

DH can't drive so I was pretty paranoid about how to get to hospital with DC2 as I thought it would be another quick labour (it was) and there was no way I was going to risk driving myself again. The midwife advised me to call an ambulance. I opted for waking up a friend (pre-agreed) and she drove me and dh.

I did with DS2 but mainly cos I didn't realise I was in labour (34 weeks and bleeding). No pain but was apparently 10cns and he was born 10 mins later. So it is possible but definitely advise calling a taxi

I remember years ago a story in our local paper. A very pregnant woman had driven and crashed, killing her and the baby. They reckoned she'd been in labour. I had contractions on and off (mostly off) from the Monday, baby born on Saturday. By the Wednesday I didn't drive as they were unpredictable but not something I could concentrate through.