When to go to hospital with 2nd.

[jcp123]

I'm looking for advice and/or experiences about when to go to hospital once labour has started with DC2.

My first labour started with very strong regular contractions, 5 minutes apart lasting 60 seconds. I could not even talk through the first one. Though I was 40+10 I had no prior warning, no plug, no BH, no show etc. My labour lasted 19hrs and ended in a circus show of forceps, epidural etc.

I'm 40wks today with DC2 and given that second labours seem to be substantially shorter, I'm wondering how long to leave it before going to the hospital. I live 40 minutes drive away and will have to save time to organise childcare for DS1, and DH may be at work when it starts.

I don't want to go too early then labour for hours and hours at hospital when I could have been at home, likewise I don't fancy giving bith in a car park or, worse, in front of the MIL.

Every birth is so different, so its hard to say, my experience was this, 1st baby, had to be induced as i was 17 days late, 19 hour long drawn out labour, she was back to back, tore badly. 2nd baby, went into labour naturally at 5 days late, waters broke in the car on the way to hospital, 30 min drive away, arrived at hospital, offered water birth, wonderful text book birth, 2 hours 45 mins from start to finish, tore slighly so didn't need stitches. 3rd baby, 5 days late, opted for a home birth, very long 18 hour labour, back to back baby, tore slightly so didnt want stitches.

Basically its very hard to predict what kind of labour you will have, mine were like chalk and cheese, what i did with my second as the hospital was half hour away was the minuite i had first few contractions, i rang them just to inform them, they said keep ringing every 15 mins or so to see how my progress was, it was only when i couldn't speak to the midwife during one of the contractions that she said right get to hospital now, she said fold up some towels and sit on them in case my waters broke which i did thank goodness as they did, any way, i was so worried myself that i would end up giving birth in the car, i was thinking my hub was driving slow and telling him to get a move on, but he was convincing me he was doing over 100 but to me it felt like about 40. anyway, i would just say, sometimes 2nd babies do come quicker so just be on the ball and ring the hospital asap that you start to get the contractions to see what they think, anyway, i really hope things go well and you get to hospital in good time, do your midwives know you live so far away also, as they may suggest coming in sooner if they know, so make sure when your contractions start to tell them that as well. any way, it will all go well i am sure. and i hope this advice is of some help.