second time labour... how long, trying to make a child care plan, your experiances please!

[mrswee]

Hi

I'm 31 weeks now with my second. I'm trying to make a few childcare plans for my 3yo DD. I am wondering realistically how long I might have from first contractions to needing to get to hospital having, got someone to look after DD. We don't have family near by so it will have to be friends and different plans depending on the day of the week and froends commitments they have and what time of day it is AND how long I might have before I need to be in the hospital.
My last labour was VERY long, latent fase lasted 5 days from first contrations, then 28 hours in hospital with a back to back baby... but the consultant has said there is no reason time why I won't have a simple quick second birth.
I am wondering what other experiances were of how long they had from start of contractions to full blown labour and birth.
thanks

Hmmm, another worried reader. I'm not pregnant yet with DC2, but labour with DD was just over 6hrs from waking with broken waters til birth. The MW told us to get to hospital straight away if we have another baby as second babies are often much quicker. In-laws are about 30mins away, depending on traffic, and are our only option really for looking after DD. You have all scared me with your tales of DC2 being an unexpected homebirth due to lack of time to sort out childcare and get to hospital. We need to make good friends with the neighbours (some of whom also have young children) before DC2 just in case.

I was really worried but it all worked out fine. I was adamant I didn't want a homebirth and because I had already spent a lot of time in hospital with threatened preterm labour I was very worried about not making it on time.

But the ambulance staff were amazing, just as good at keeping me calm and focused as the midwives who were with me when I had DS1.

We don't have any family nearby either, except SIL. She made it to our place very quickly but I wasn't in a state where I felt that I could make it to the hospital, even then. She was able to sit outside DS1's room while his brother was being born (he didn't wake up thank goodness).

In my experience at least, people are generally more than willing to help you out and feel honoured that you would ask them for help when they need to get to the hospital so if it comes down to asking neighbours to help out then I think that's okay.

I was worried about leaving DS1 too, but DH came to the hospital with me when they transferred us, was there a few hours while we settled and then went back home and spent the rest of the day with DS1 until they came and picked us up. So it was a lot more straightforward and less stressful than I thought it would be.