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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Did anyone travel to hospital in the back of the car on all-fours?

44 replies

BrilloSolar · 04/05/2021 20:02

I don't know if this is really random or not!

My first birth was a homebirth. Had some pains all day and at a few points during the day I had to stand up as they hurt so much more sitting down.

Full on contractions escalated very quickly in the evening: midwife had told me to try to sleep around 9pm, by 10pm I couldn't sit/ lie down as it was just too painful. Made it downstairs and onto all-fours as waters broke and midwife arrived 15 minutes later and by then I was absolutely desperate for gas and air!

Due day now and I just can't imagine the 50 minute drive to the hospital sitting down! (Not able to have a homebirth this time unfortunately). Hopefully, we'll be able to go in plenty of time, but if it's a quick labour (plus DC1's care to sort first) I'm really thinking I'll end up kneeling up on the seat or on the back seat. But it just seems so dangerous. But the pain sitting down last time was SO intense, I don't think I could do a 50 minute journey like that.

So am I insane, or has anyone else had to travel to hospital sprawled out on the back seat?!

OP posts:
Poppins2016 · 05/05/2021 00:39

@jenn88

I was in established labour on our car journey to hospital! I sat in passenger seat.... my toes were curling, I was pushing myself up off the seat!! I didn't even think to get on the back seat!!!! I had laboured up until this point on all fours! Do what makes you comfortable!!!
I did this too, had gone through transition at home and was at the start of needing to push. Didn't even consider anything else except strapping myself into the passenger seat and curling my toes... think I'll be doing something different next time based on that "longest ever" 15 minute drive (I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant with my second child)!
NameChange30 · 05/05/2021 07:27

If you transition at home and you're ready to push, why not stay there, why rush to the hospital?

Not criticising just trying to understand. At that point getting in the car was the absolute last thing I wanted to do!

Kinsters · 05/05/2021 07:38

Yep, on my knees on the back seat holding onto the headrest. It's only a ten minute drive though and on slow roads so didn't feel too risky.

Muststopeating · 05/05/2021 07:55

I feel your pain OP. We are an hour away from the hospital (if no traffic). Childcare is 40 mins away (not including time it would take them to get organised, in the car etc).

Luckily I called mum very early on for DC2. We did make it to the hospital with just over an hour to spare (journey was not fun but managable). I transistioned as waters broke (in the pool) and baby was born 4 mins later.

I am pregnant with number 3 and am very worried about this (and no renting nearer the hospital is absolutely not an option Grin), but am trying to be calmed by the fact that number 3 can be stop and start. Shall be going to hang out at the hospital earlier than I probably would have done though and they shall not be sending me home again!

SinkGirl · 05/05/2021 07:58

I’m guessing it would be safer to kneel on the floor of the car and lean over the seat than on all fours on the seat? Depends how big your car is though - definitely wouldn’t have managed that in our Polo when I was pregnant with twins 😂

Redtartanshoes · 05/05/2021 08:02

I was on the front seat facing backwards. Not such a good idea... threw up everywhere 😂

Hardbackwriter · 05/05/2021 08:06

I was (I now know - at the time I believed the midwife on the phone who told me I wasn't in established labour and who told me off for coming in when I arrived, until they actually checked me and realised I was getting close to crowning) through transition and pushing when driving to hospital for DS1. If I'd known I'd have stayed at home, it was a 15 minute drive and it was absolute agony and probably pretty unsafe to have DH driving while I writhed and screamed in the front seat! I did manage to stay strapped in but I don't know how.

With a 50 minute journey and a second birth I would go in as early as you can, don't wait until you think you need to go. I found that with my second they were much less insistent that I stay home until I was absolutely sure it was established labour (though I had also been quite vocal about what happened with DS1, which might have been why...)

tiredanddangerous · 05/05/2021 08:08

My BIL had to phone an ambulance for DSIS in similar circumstances. She was contracting every couple of minutes and wouldn't sit properly in the car. As the hospital involved 20 mins on the motorway BIL decided it wasn't safe to take her. Definitely gave BIL a few extra grey hairs.

Scotabroad24 · 05/05/2021 10:36

Yep. We are 45 mins from the hospital, I was 6cm by the time we went in and was in so much pain with back to back baby.
I vaguely remember being on all 4's in the back of the car, the police were stopping everyone at a roundabout and let us through the minute they looked at me Grin

8monthsinandcranky · 05/05/2021 19:19

The more I’ve thought about this thread the more hysterically ‘typically MN’ it’s become Grin

For what normal family about to have a baby is renting a second property an actual financial option?
In our city a studio apartment on short term rent for 4 weeks runs you £3k without parking charges. Who would actually throw 3k away for the sake of sitting in a crappy studio waiting to go into labour for weeks? Madness!

Original poster
BrilloSolar · 06/05/2021 03:25

Update: phoned MIL to come to us as soon as I had contractions. Got stuff in car, headed out to hospital in front seat saying 'I hope we're not going in too early'.

Got 3 minutes down the road and had to get out and in the back. Got seatbelt some way around me and kind of twisted /knelt up a bit during contractions. Another ten minutes in and I was on all fours with my head in the car seat!

Got to hospital about 40 minutes before DC2 was born.

Replies here really helped me to know that my back seat set up wasn't a completely crazy idea. Thanks all.

OP posts:
Bythemillpond · 06/05/2021 03:34

I drove myself to hospital.
Dh had been out and I had told him not to drink as I was way overdue. But he did.
Tbh I think I was so overdue that I think he thought that I would be pregnant forever.

I didn’t expect dd to arrive that night. I had felt fine and thought there would have been some warning.
As it was I was in labour for 54 hours before they had to go in and get her out by CS.

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 06/05/2021 06:02

Congratulations OP, what did you have?

joystir59 · 06/05/2021 06:43

Congratulations Flowers the

May2311 · 06/05/2021 09:16

I was backwards on my knees in front seat! We have speed bumps near our hospital so it was awful once we got close! Journey is only 10 minutes though so didn't have to get through it for 50 min! X

Girlmama3 · 06/05/2021 11:57

The minute you feel a twinge, go! I'd rather be early, or have a false drive then risk it.

I had a long drive for dd1s labour and was OK. I had music on I liked and she was born 2 hours later!

What about buying a ring cushion you could sit on to relive the pressure??

GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 06/05/2021 12:11

@Girlmama3

The minute you feel a twinge, go! I'd rather be early, or have a false drive then risk it.

I had a long drive for dd1s labour and was OK. I had music on I liked and she was born 2 hours later!

What about buying a ring cushion you could sit on to relive the pressure??

OP has updated with the news of the arrival this morning
Girlmama3 · 06/05/2021 12:20

Omg!!! Congratulations 🎉

somersetsinger · 07/05/2021 22:53

Congratulations! I'm glad it worked out well and you made it to hospital.

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