Car journey in labour

[Notsure1234]

I was induced last time so never had to make the journey from home to hospital in labour. This is the thing I'm most worried about this time round!

In labour I went into a 'zone' and needed to stay in one position to cope. The worst bit of my labour by far was the wheelchair journey from the ward to delivery suite and that was only a few minutes! It was agony. How on earth will I cope with the car journey?!

[TippetyTapWriter]

Crikey, these stories are making me worried as I'm going to have to get a taxi as we have no car, and it's a 40 minute drive to the hospital. And dh might have to stay home with ds if mil can't get here in time. Eeek. Is that enough of a reason to ask for another section?! (Sort of being light hearted, but also not! Anyone laboured in a taxi??)

[lotusbomb]

I had to do two car journeys while I was in labour!

The first trip to the hospital they examined me and sent me home. They said I was defiantly in labour but wasn't dilating so the best place for me to be was at home. Spent the next 4 hours at home with contractions until they became completely unbearable and had to go back to the hospital. The worst part wasn't the car journey itself as it was about 1am and the hospital was about 15 minutes away. The worst part was the getting from the car to the birthing suite. I remember being hunched over a wall at one point while my mum was carrying all my stuff and my aunt was frantically looking for a wheelchair. Luckily a hospital porter saw me and was able to grab one for me. Once we actually made it to the birthing suite, everything all of a sudden felt very calm!

[BalloonDinosaur]

I had a TENS machine and found it really helped as I was dreading the journey too. Lots of speed bumps didn't help and I knew I couldn't face doing it twice so waited at home as long as possible.

It was January and thick fog so was more concerned about DP driving and had to take it pretty slowly, but it was definitely manageable.

[DarkFloodRises]

For one of my labours (DC2) I was in the car less than an hour before having the baby (15-20 min car journey and I gave birth 40 mins after arriving at the hospital). I don't remember it as being a problem except that I was worried about making it in time!

[Aebj]

My friend took me to hospital . I don't remember much apart from it raining. She told me after that I kept telling her to be quite!!! Speed humps in the car park at the maternity hospital was the worst experience I've ever had. I'm sure they were put there by men!!!
With ds 2 hubby had been home for just over 24 hours. He didn't know the way to the hospital so I had to give directions!!! Don't know how I managed!!!

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

Contractions all slowed down so much that if I hadn't been due to be induced anyway they might have sent me home. Soon kicked up a gear again though.

[cliffdiver]

I kind of kneeled on the seat facing towards the back of the car and was strapped in backwards iyswim.

Journey was approx 20 mins and went a lot quicker than I thought it would.

[Aliveinwanderland]

We live 50 minutes away from the hospital and it wasn't a pleasant car journey in. It was 5:30am and winter and I found winding the window down at each contraction and blasting myself with cold air helped.

[TheSleeperandTheSpindle]

I was on all fours on the back seat, which thinking back was really unsafe, as it was about 9am so lots of traffic about but I just couldn't be in any other position. I also had a wobble when my DH told me it was time to get into the car and just cried that I couldn't. He had to practically haul me into the car between contractions.

I was 10 cms when we arrived at hospital though so did leave it until the last minute. I also walked from the car into the hospital. I'll always remember having to stop by the entrance and leaning over a bench during one contraction, the man sitting on the bench probably wondered what the fuck was happening.

[AWaspOnAWindowInAHeatwave]

Could you perhaps drive halfway (or even closer) to maternity unit while you're still in the early stages, potter/go for a walk somewhere nice/visit the shops to occupy your mind till you think it's worth going in? That way if things progress quicker than you anticipated, you won't have a long journey to think about.

Good luck!

[trinitybleu]

20 min drive at 11pm and it was fine. Was 4cm, contractions every 7 mins and waters had gone at home. Tens was on and if I sat back in the seat it was too strong so just sat a bit upright. OH dropped me off at the door and I walked in to the unit which was a fair way. Don't worry!

[HeddaGarbled]

Oh dear, are all these scare stories helpful, do you think? I went in earlier and it was fine in terms of pain management though obviously we were both terrified! It meant I spent longer in the maternity unit rather than at home and they did threaten to send H home at one point but thankfully things speeded up so that didn't happen.

[Crispmonster1]

I ended up squatting in the back seat with my last one. I felt every bump in the road. It was not good. Make sure the back seat of your car is clear....

[NC1nightstand]

Ds2 was actually born in the car on the way to the hospital! First baby took so long to come out that dp was convinced it would be the same with ds2. I knew it was different. It is still the stand out experience of my whole life. There was a point when I realized I was just going to have to go through it and once I got to that point my body just took over. Sounds a bit crunchy but I don't know how else to explain. It was amazing. The fact that we had to pull over in heavy morning rush hour traffic didn't phase me in the slightest.
Obviously I wouldn't advise it but my point is OP, you will be ok. You will be ok. Those babies come out when they're ready, they're not bothered about where we are. All the luck in world to you, have a wonderful birth!

[Highmaintenancefemalestuff]

My hospital was a 20 minute drive. It was the longest 20 minutes of my fucking life! I felt every bump and every corner.
Throughout both my labours I was already starting to push when we made the journey so I do know if that made any difference.
Probably not what you want to hear but I preferred the pain of the journey to the thought of being in hospital for hours before delivery.

My advice would be to tilt to the side, so sitting on one bum cheek. Hold the door handle tight and breathe. Don't try and get in the back of a three door but if you have a five door get in the back and find a good position.

[Bluefrog26]

DP took a different route to save time as contractions were getting closer and closer but forgot about the road full of speed bumps. Had DD1 in the back of the car so couldn't even swear😡🤐.

[tararabumdeay]

We got an offside puncture so DH lying in the middle of an A road while I was clinging to the handle and bearing down wondering what to do if he got run over. Middle of nowhere, no mobile phones.

Made it the last 10 miles to the hospital on a space saver tyre; couldn't move when I got out of the car. DS born 2hrs later.

I had insisted that I stayed with DS1 until Eastenders finished though I knew I was in Labour the day before.

In hindsight I'd check the tyres, jack, wheelbrace and order a couple of mates to be motorcycle outriders.

[MadeForThis]

Tens machine helped massively. Gave something to focus on and made me feel like I had some control over the pain. Was 7cm when we arrived and DD was back to back.

[kel1493]

I'd had a sweep in the afternoon, and my waters hadn't broken, so contractions weren't too strong by the time I went to the birth centre. I was fine in the car. I walked to the delivery suite and sat waiting to see a triage midwife. Then I walked to the birth centre. I didn't need a wheelchair at all. I just kept taking deep breaths and trying to breathe with the contractions.

[RJnomore1]

I remember it well. I punched the car door while dh bit his tongue and broke the speed limit. It was midnight so quiet roads.

I couldn't actually sit, I had to kinda stand and bend at the knees to lean on the chair as my torso was rigid.

We got there though, my advice get in early and don't faff about with the tens at that point.

[PacificDogwod]

Don't leave it too late to get going to the hospital, is my advice.

I very seriously thought I'd deliver in the car when DS4 was on his way - he did appear within 10 min of arriving on the labour ward.

[Notsure1234]

I'm hoping I get that same tunnel vision Mother of just focusing on getting to the hospital and not stopping

[Notsure1234]

I do plan on hiring a TENS machine so hopefully it'll prove useful in the car. I'm already feeling sorry for dh as I know I'm not going to be pleasent company

[annlee3817]

I went straight into active labour, and the car journey thankfully was only fifteen minutes. I refused to sit on the seat with the belt on, my husband tried to argue and got a polite F Off. I kneeled in the footwear and laid my head on his lap, my Dad drove. I couldn't give a care about safety at the the, also as it was 3am the roads were thankfully quiet. Just go with what feels comfortable

[Pisghetti]

A TENS machine? Not everyone likes them but I found one pretty good during my last labour and it gives you a focus during the contractions as you control the strength in relation to the intensity of the contraction (ramping up to max and back down again as the contraction peaks and falls again)