At what point does labour become an emergency and what do you do?

[Dirtydishesmakemesad]

I have been reading alot of getting a taxi to the hospital threads lately in various places and im starting to have a good old worry about it.

I will be getting a taxi to the hospital either alone while dh waits for someone to sit with the older children(we do have popel to come and sit with them its just they will take a certain amount of time to arriv) or if we are lucky with time of day dh will be coming in the taxi with me.

I have had to pretty normal labours which were between 3 and 5 hours so not a huge amount of time but enough to realise whats happening and get to the hospital.

BUT and this is the part that scares me the last two labours have literally been, waters break with very little warning (maybe some BH for a while - but really i get these everyday exactly the same so it would be impossible to tell if it would be labour) then withint 10 minutes of the waters going i am pushing and the baby is appearing. I have been in hospital the twice that has happened (had been admitted anyway becasue if high blood pressure) and even though i was in the hospital i still didnt make it to the actual labour room/bed until the baby was actually coming out or had already been born.

So now i am in a panic about what if i am at home at what point is it "ok" to say call an ambulance - or do you call the midwife and they decide- i mean are you supposed to get a midwife to the house to deliver the baby instead of an ambulance - i have no idea!. I cant plan a homebirth which is what people always say because of my blood pressure and the fact it tends to shoot up during delivery,

I am really sensitive about wasting ambulance time because my mum died after waiting 20 mins for an abmbulance during a busy time (her heart had stopped the ambulance took 20 mins to arrive) so i really hate the idea of wasting an ambulance if you see what i mean.

Have you spoken to your mw about it? She should be able to advise you what is best with your past quick labours. I would have thought call ambulance if you suddenly need to push but am not sure. Hopefully someone else kore knowledgeable will come along soon!

Apologies as you've probably considered this but would you have a home birth?

I had a 2 hour labour with my first and planned a homebirth (with independent midwives) for my second. They spent an hour going through what to do if I had an even quicker birth and they couldn't get there in time (e.g. at rush hour).

They basically said the best position is kneel and lean on the sofa with towels underneath. Try to catch the baby but you are low down if you don't manage to.

They did say to phone an ambulance if at any point I felt I wasn't managing on my own because the ambulance could get there quicker.

It's definitely worth talking to your midwife about it if only to put your mind at rest.

p.s. after all that, she was lying back-to-back and I had a 20 hour labour , though she was born within 30 minutes of turning.

I am in a similar situation to you Dirtydishesmakememad. My last 2 labours were 1hr 10 mins and 50 mins with my waters breaking and baby delivering almost immediately.
My local birthing centre has closed due to cuts and my nearest hospitals are 45 mins in opposite directions on a good run that doesnt allow for peak time traffic. I have had a good pregnancy so far and to be honest the thought of 'what to do' if the baby is coming is my only major concern. I have been advised by my MW to call an ambulance when I want to push ....she suggested also to call the local midwife on call if I feel I am going into labour for her to check my cervix and ascertain if I am in labour ...not sure this would work. (Second labour I was 5 cm dilated without any pain )
I am also making my OH and son read up about emergency delivery lol !!!

i had 2 planned homebirths.
when i had my second (ds3) dp rang the delivery suite so they could contact the midwives to send them out.
they said they'd be about 45-60 minutes, and that if i needed to push then he should call an ambulance.
in the event neither the ambulance or the midwives got there in time

so i would say that in the event that you need to push you should stay put and call an ambulance

Sorry if this adds to your concerns, but have you checked with local taxi firms to see which will take you? I was in a similar position and was told that it was at the driver's discretion whether to take a woman in labour and most would apparently refuse.

I had a homebirth (appreciate this isn't an option for you) and had to transfer due to meconium in my water. I was transferred in an ambulance specifically for the local women's hospital - so I was less concerned about wasting ambulance resources - maybe it's the same in your area.

Are there people local to you who could be on a "drive to hospital list?"

I'd definitely talk to your midwife about your concerns.

I am not going to help you much but woman in labour calling an ambulance will get a priority paramedics do not generally want to deliver a baby, Is your GP local My DP [paramedic] has collected many a woman in labour from the GP's office they def get ambulance priority and medical aid is on hand.
My DD was born in an ambulance at 29.5 weeks DP did not believe I was i labour they were fab really great ok no gas and air but it was my first so had no expectations If I ever decide to have another DC I want the two lads to deliver it , they were calm out chatting and joking.
Talk to your midwife see what she suggests.

In your shoes, I would be planning a home birth (which you can do as a high risk woman) with the support of the Supervisor of Midwives, so that they can arrange a proper care plan with you - allowing you to factor in things like having an ambulance on standby for transfer to hospital in case your BP causes problems. Either that or see if they would arrange induction at perhaps 39 or 40 so that you could guarantee being in hospital when baby is born.

Surely that has to be safer than either being in a taxi on your own, or waiting at home with your DH for an ambulance to turn up and delivering quickly without midwifery support (given how you seem to have fast births!