anyone else worried about when to go to hospital?

[madcatsazz]

This is my second pg and as I went to the hospital way too early last time, I'm fully inteding to 'labour' at home as long as possible. However, I live a good 45 minutes away from the hospital and I've started worrying about getting there on time. Anybody else thinking like this? 39+2 BTW.

I to had a good 45 min journey to the hospital with dd 2. Got there with loads of time to spare.Got there at 7am got pool filled, got in 20 min later was pushing she was born at 8.05 am. . Planning on leaving just a little more time with dc3 at Christmas this year. The midwife was getting a little edgey and had phoned our home as she didn't think we were going to make it. Good luck, just make sure you have a tens machine for the journey with a good boost

TENs ready, battery purchased, instructions read, boost button in box.....now how do you attach the thing again?....

I am terrified. Last time the 2 mile journey to hospital was absolute hell on earth, and that was quite early on in labour. This time I have a 16 mile journey down single track roads. I'm kind of hoping I go into labour early at work tbh.

my waters broke before any other signs of labout last time so I'm hoping they break at home - can't imagine the horror of it happening in the outside world!! I hate this waiting game.....!

I was v worried about this - I thought we were going in FAR too early but he was born 2.5 hours after arrival and if we'd waited until i felt in established labour I'd have ended up with an unassisted homebirth!

If I'd waited until waters had broken then wouldn't even have been time to call 999 for advice.

So we're all agreed then - it's a lottery to see if you can get there before it's too late but not so early you get sent away again....Arrgh!

Hi my DS2 is 3 weeks old & I was worried about this too. I ended up going in with period type pain and wasnt sure if my waters were broken or not. When I got there they said I could go home again or stay & have a walk around, and that my waters had gone! I chose to stay because I had a feeling things would happen very quickly (they did so go with your instincts!) You could always go for a wonder around so your not far away if you need to go back. I was dreading the car journey, and being in pain on the way there, but once I got there I was staying! Good luck

Yep I'm worried! I've got a 45 minute journey (across manhattan so I'd better not need to go in during rush hours!) and although they don't send you away over here, they DO get trigger happy with pitocyn and other synthetic contraction-boosters if you've been around a long time. I want to be home and comfy for the longest time possible, but do NOT want to be giving birth somewhere over or under the Hudson river... or stuck in a car in crosstown traffic!

I have no clue either. I think I'm going with the 'when you can't talk through contractions any more' rule, but I'm getting more info from my midwife at the 32wk check (am 28 wks today).

I think for a first baby you stay at home for as long as possible. Fot a second or subsequent baby you go in earlier but make it clear that if you are there early you want to be left alone. If you are planning to go in early worth calling to make sure there is space... less likely to be send home if they have lots of spare rooms!

They can try sending me home if they like...

Also, based on my experience the first time you do NOT want to be driving any distance at all, even a couple of miles, if you are anywhere close to being in established labour. That journey was utter hell, and I wasn't even 3cm when I got to hospital. That's why I am so so terrified this time around.

And my friend would have had her baby at home if she'd listened to the hospital's advice that they were too busy and she "probably wasn't even in labour" [hmm[.

I didn't mean I was actually driving btw.

I'm only 13 weeks and am already worrying about this. With DD, the midwives refused to believe I was in labour and sent me home TWICE. First time they said "latent phase, first baby, be days yet, home you go". Second time, at 4cm dilated and not really coping (in my mind) it was "latent phase, first baby, be days yet, home you go". Two hours later we were back again, this time it was "You were here two hours ago, what makes you think you're in labour this time then?". Was examined at this point, waters had gone, and I was 9cm dilated. I was totally demoralised by this time and it all stopped. Cue drips, two hours of pushing and talk of intervention.

I know someone who delivered his second son at home as the hospital (same one, actually) as they refused to believe his wife was in labour. Baby was born with cord around his neck, but is absolutely fine now.

I've already told my midwife if they try to send me home this time they will have to do so with the aid of security personnel.

These blardy hospitals need to learn that whilst it might not be convenient for us to be in labour while they're particularly busy, nature doesn't allow for staff shortages!