Is it safe to drive whilst in labour?

[Mishapen]

Obviously not if you're at pushing stage , but a the start, if you hae little/no choice?

Good piece of advice Lollypop. I should have suggested that instead of getting all hett up and fighty - again I apologise for the ott previous post. It's just the consequences of driving are potentially so awful - to others as well as yourself, my mum's death screwed my life up pretty massively.

Mishapen just wanted to say hello, and that I'd also been wondering the same thing. Don't feel daft for asking :)

Sorry to hear that Poppet. Your post was understandable.

I had wondered about the legal implications lollipop.

I guess I really have forgotton what labour is like. Possibly a good thing

I'm thinking of perhaps going to stay at a friends when in early stages, she's alot closer to the hospital. Failing that I'll just make sure baby puts in an appearance at the weekend

and thank you PipPipPip... I was starting to feel a bit stupid

Sounds daft. You might think you're fine early on, but what if you get hit with a "can't-move-or-do-anything" ctx whilst driving? You'd crash. So dangerous for you, the baby and anyone near you.

I think I'd stay at home until things are definitely moving (to avoid a false alarm) and if you think they're then going too fast for your DH to pick you up, call an ambulance. I was worried about a similar situation and was told by my MW that a woman in established labour on her own with no transport constituted an emergency so calling an ambulance was a legitimate solution. In the end I got blue-lighted in with PE, but that's not the point!

Hi Mishapen, I was thinking about this. I know £30 for a taxi is a lot of money, but I think labour is one time in your life where you can justify 'splashing out'.

Perhaps you could phone a couple of taxi firms, get quotes and then put the money in an envelope so you have it ready-to-go?

If a cab takes 40 minutes to arrive, you should still have plenty of time if you phone them in early labour.

Or another idea - do you have a friend or relative who lives nearby, who has a driving license? You could possibly add them to your car insurance, and ask them to drive you to the hospital if required. You could pay for their cab home. But at least that way you'd have your car at the hospital with you.

Have you considered a home birth?

Don't assume that the third will be the same as nos 1 and 2: I was 48h with no1, 27h with no2, and 2h with no3. I ended up calling 999 because everything suddenly speeded up so much.

If labour is advanced enough for you to go to hospital, then you will be completely unable to drive.

Call your dh when you are ready to go to the hospital. If you think the baby will arrive before he does, or something happens to worry you, then call an ambulance.

I was wondering this myself (1st baby, DH is away for 10 days when I'm 37 weeks) and came to the conclusion that it would probably be exceedingly silly, but like you it's a huge wait for a cab and 30 minutes to the hospital, planning a HB isn't an option so I don't know what to do if all my friends/neighbours are busy!

No. Absolutely not.

I was told a story (can't verify it though) about a labouring woman deciding to drive herself to hospital.
In the time it took her to drive, things progressed and it wasn't easy to concentrate.
She had a crash and both she and the baby died.

Having experienced the way that I could only focus on the contraction and nothing else, I would not have been able to drive.

No - absolutely not. You'd endanger yourself, your baby and other road users.

Taxi? Or wait for DH ... you're not expecting to produce a baby within an hour, surely ...

I drove myself to hospital in labour with my 2nd baby, and drove us home again the next day.

I was ok, but the hospital is only a 10-minute drive away. It's probably not adviseable!

I can't believe anyone would even consider driving themselves to hospital whilst in labour. I found it hard enough being a passenger in a car in labour, and couldn't begin to imagine actually driving myself.

Frakk, you can get an ambulance. Look up the names of ambulance firms in the phone book, phone and talk to them about it in advance, and then have some numbers handy. It should be reimbursed by your mutuelle. And TBH, even if it's not, it's a small price to pay for knowing you will get there safely.

I drove around all day with niggling tummy ache when I was having DD. Took D'S to nursery, did the shopping, went to the midwife, drove to the bottle bank. I'd woken up that morning with tummy ache, had it on and off all day, had several large 'braxton hicks' contractions, 2 of them while driving. I got home from the midwife who told me 'anytime this week', was suddenly having really regular contractions, rang DH who drove me to the hosp and DD was born a few hours later. I wouldn't have do e it knowing I was in labour though.

I took an ambulance to hospital with DC1.
I am under the impression that NO TAXI driver will knowingly transport a woman in labour.

tbh, I would think about driving if I thought I was in early labour, too. The hours of persistent niggles. Except that I wouldn't want to go in until in established labour, at which point I wouldn't be safe to drive, either. So taxi & ambulance only choices, really.

You should call your DH, and then if for some reason he is held up and things are moving quickly then call an ambulance.

Please don't try and drive in labour.

My first labour was relatively short (8hrs from first twinge to delivery). By the time I was sure what was happening (after 1.5hrs), I was in no fit state to drive.

Second time around, the first tiny niggle occurred at 6:30am, and DS1 was born at about 8:15. There is no way I could have driven. In fact, I'm lucky he wasn't born in the car or car park.

No, it isn't safe. But I'm guessing that you have realised that by now. :)

I would not be at all worried about calling your DH over "false alarms". I've never heard of anyone having a false alarm for a second or third baby - quite the opposite!

I doubt you would be insured. Don't even consider it.

Besides, what if you ended up have a C section? You wouldn't be able drive for several weeks afterwards.

Just to add to the chorus: no no no.

Don't your hospital insist on you not turning up until contractions are 3 mins apart and lasting a minute? Or similar? In which case you really won't be up to driving. In fact, if you are up to driving, then you almost certainly won't be in established labour and therefore shouldn't be going to the hospital.

How fast were your first two labours? To be honest, if your DH is only 30 mins away, and the hospital another 30-40 mins, you will almost certainly have enough time to wait for him. And you can ring him at the very first signs of labour starting, or if something starts in the evening or night he won't be going to work anyway. Or even if something starts early morning he might be able to work from home?