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?

I remember being on my hands and knees having violent contractions in the back of the car whilst we prepared to drive the 2 minutes up the road to the hospital (yes, dh did seriously suggest at one point that we could maybe walk up there!). It was in the middle of the night, so I was in pyjamas and dressing gown.
Dh paused before letting off the handbrake and asked if I had any coins on me for the carpark. Yeah sure, like I always keep loose change in my dressing gown pocket.

My mum drove (as carefully as possible she says!) for the birth of her third child over 30 years ago as my Dad was very sick (tummy bug). She does say that when she arrived at the hospital she was thoroughly told off!!

Not unless she wants to put her life, her baby's life and other road user's lives at risk.

I did. It wasn't big or clever. But it did mean the car was handily at the hospital.

The likelihood it's happens that quick is slim.

There's usually some sort of pre warning.

I heard you could ring an ambulance but you are charged for it?

A million an one things could happen. She could be induced in which case she can drive in.

I could of with first two. Last one no way.

I was very very sick in goth my labours, had to have a bucket between my knees to throw up into all the way to the hospital. Considering the advice was that if you could hold a coherent conversation you weren't ready yet to go into the hospital I'm not sure that if you could drive you'd be allowed to stay

OP I'd say that it would definitely not be a sensible thing to plan to do. At all.

But equally, not all labours are the same (although, for some reason, lots of women seems to somehow think their experience is everyone's experience - except the ones who had the worst experience ever) so all the posters who just know no-one else could do/should do it or could have/should have done it because they themselves didn't/couldn't have/wouldn't have...lots of assumptions there.

I drove myself to hospital. Must admit it was difficult and silly but we got there ok :)

I did. I was on my way to an antenatal appointment (4 days over due). I had had a couple of contractions before setting off but they were pretty far apart (and I'd had lots of Braxton Hicks in previous weeks so convinced myself they could be more of the same). By the time I got to the hospital I was in full blown labour and abandonned my car in the Drs parking spot before hobbling into the maternity unit. He was born an hour and half later.

My best friend drove herself at 3 in the morning when she was pregnant with twins after her waters broke. No idea why. Idiot husband had decided to go on a lads trip 300 miles away but I was only 20 mins away. I think she may have been in a bit of shock which again is another reason she shouldn't have been driving.

Having said that. Not recommended and certainly not planned in either case.

I did but to be fair I d no pains (premie) and though I'd a kidney infection. (Waters not wee)
In fairness the smallest tinge and I wouldn't drive....I could kill someone or myself and the baby. Seriously she's not experienced labour yet (was my second)

Errr no, remember it like it was yesterday and there was no way whatsoever that I could have driven.

I've gotten a taxi all 3 times. The 1st time the driver made a joke, asking if he needed to "step on it" when i told him where. Luckily not. I also put a tena lady or 2 on incase waters go (they've always been late to break though)

I did

I went into hospital because my waters had gone and my time limit was up. No contractions at all. Journey time was about 35 minutes.

5 minutes from the hospital I had the biggest almighty contraction. Had I been driving I would probably have killed myself and several others round about me. Baby was born 15 minutes later (still almost fully dressed).

I put a potty training bed pad on the seat. And used a tena lady. No idea if it would have been enough, the midwife broke my water eventually.

Planning on driving yourself to hospital when in labour is a selfish idea. I would not appreciate being run over by a woman in labour any more than I would appreciate being run over by a drunk. Better to have the list of taxi numbers at the ready.

One of my friends is a single mother by choice (used a sperm donor service) and she drove herself to the hospital and gave birth "alone" i.e. no friends or family there. Her only family is a sister who lives about 1,000 miles away. She didn't seem to think it was difficult; she was very matter-of-fact about it. But it was probably early stages.

Really dangerous. Contractions can suddenly ramp up without warning. What if that happens halfway there?

It's a dreadful idea.

Yes, there's the potential that you could seriously harm yourself or someone else. And if your insurance is voided, that it'll cost you a heck of a lot of money.

But there's also the possibility that a contraction could cause you to have a minor shunt, and that will delay your arrival considerably, as you have to deal with the aftermath, get your car to somewhere where it is not causing an obstruction, then get a different form of transport to the hospital.

Much better to get a taxi in the first place, armed with a plastic sheet and a couple of old towels if you're worried about waters breaking, and some plastic bags if you feel nauseous.

Nobody ever knows for sure how their labour is going to go. If you don't have a better first resort in place than driving yourself to hospital when the time comes, then you are either selfish or have no friends.

With those contractions, the only thing I drove was OH's brain. Apparently my pain drove him crazy at the time (he says). I have not much recollection whatsoever. I could hardly sit still let alone actually focus on something as demanding as driving.

I did with 1 of mine. I had nothing but a feeling they were going to be born in the next couple of hours no pains no signs no nothing. I had no idea why I felt like I needed to get to the hospital I just needed to.

the midwife laughed at me refused to book me in or even examine me and sent me home I got as far as the doorway before my son was born.

I never ignore that feeling ever but I genuinely had no physical signs of being in labor

I think in theory it is possible, depending on how close and how severe the ctx are at that point and how far it is etc

However

it is not something you can in any way guarantee will be safe - that's if it's even possible. Labour is nothing if not unpredictable.

I could not have driven whilst in active labour. She needs at least to have a contingency plan.