My first labour was just 2.5 hours from first contraction to delivering my son. I made it to the hospital with just one hour to spare, and my mid-wife advised me next time to head for hospital as soon as I feel the first contraction.
I'm concerned with my next baby that I won't make it to hospital in time. As homebirth has been taken from me as an option, do I call an ambulance or run the risk of not making it in time. Has any had a similar problem and found a compromise?
my first labour was 4 hours and my second was 45 minutes, luckily I was in being induced both times...
However with my third I went in as soon as my waters broke. I had no contractions but wanted to be checked.
Lucky I did after about 20 minutes of nothing I was sent home. I had to go to the loo first and sure enough I went into full blown labour
Bub was born 55 minutes later.
I dont have any real advise, hope all goes well for you regardless of what choice you make.
my friend is in the same situation as you at the moment. tho she did have a midwife tell her that a couple of weeks before her due date they would bring some equipment around to her house to leave there jic. maybe have a chat with your midwife/ob too. its not illegal if you do happen to birth at home with a midwife there and there is no way the midwife can move you in time ie the head is crowning!. my friend has 3 children already and with her 3rd, she just made it into the birthing suite when DS decided that he was coming out knickers on or not! needless to say the poor midwife was not prepared for him sliding out and down to the floor!!!
We have found it is quicker too jump in the car as soon as things start happening and drive to the hospital, rather then wait for an ambulance. FWIW - my last I made it to hospital 30mins before DS2 was born.
Teresa's option sounds good, would you be happy with that?
If I were to have another I would have a homebirth because even though I labour fast (last one was 2ish hours, so not AS fast as you!), the stress of worrying if every niggle is the real thing and the subsequent RACE to the hospital really sucks.
I realise you say you have been 'ruled out' for a planned homebirth, but I do think it would pay for you to prepare for an unplanned homebirth. Oh dear does that make any sense?
So if you do go super quick, in your head you will be at peace/confident about everything happening at home jic it does xoxoxo
Farm Girl I was just about to post the exact same post. My DS was 2.5 hours and my DD was about 40 mins (you can read her birth story if you click on “DD” in my signature). My head is swimming with possibilities:
What if I’m at the shops?
What if I’m driving? By myself, with the kids?
What if both kids are with me and I can’t find someone to watch them?
What if DH is, I dunno, on the toilet at work? ( OK so that’s a really stupid one but that’s where I’m at)
I went private with my DS and DD and I know my ob said he would really like me to have an ARM at about 39 weeks, if my cervix was favourable. But I just can’t stand the thought of any intervention. But am I being stupid? Am I putting myself and my baby at risk by leaving it to chance? Argh!!! I dunno???
Anyway, I'm sorry I haven't helped at all (I hope I haven't worried you more).
Hi,
I have fast labours also... the first I thought was a fluke. Under two hours from the first contraction, made it to the hospital but was a HORRIBLE car ride. THis labour began with double peaked contractions 2 minutes apart and was fast and furious was in transition after a few contractions
THe second baby the doctor told me to get ready to deliver at home or on side of the road. I thought my fast labour was a fluke, but I took his advice and had towels and blankets in the car and towels and blankets at home. When labour began it was softer and slower but I rang the hospital and said I was coming they LAUGHED at me as I had only had two contractions when I rang. 50 Minutes after my FIRST contraction I was holding my daughter, I had my head down on the floor of the car and my bottom up trying to stop her coming out in the car, it was uncomfortable and stressful, despite having the towels etc in the car my partner did not want to stop!!!!
When the doctor arrived well after the baby was born, he said that I dilate without any contractions so when it's labour time, I have a few contractions transition and then baby.
When I got pregnant with my last daughter, I knew for certain that I did not want to ever have a car ride in pushing labour like that. I hired a homebirth midwife who lived an hour and a half from my place. She was so supportive and helped me have everything in place to be ready to quickly deliver my third baby. We had some plans in place to slow down the labour so that she might make it and so that I did not go into shock like I did the last two births. So when I went into labour I stayed laying down for as long as I could, my partner quickly filled the pool, and I began the holding on until midwife arrives!! We rang her whilst I was having my first contraction, i stayed in bed, I felt the pressure within a few contractions, and all the typical transition signs. I got into the water and again I was holding on, but nothing like the first two labours. Midwife arrived, I asked if I could push and she said I already had been!!! Baby arrived 2 hours after first contraction, my longest yet with the help of water and laying down!!!! It was a beautiful "slow" birth and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!! THe flip side to these quick labours is the afterpain, that lasts for up to three days and is more intense because of how quickly the baby comes out!
Whatever you chose be prepared, stay close to home perhaps? Personally I would stay home and ring the ambo's it's full on being in the car in that state and stressful for your partner too...
Goodluck with the birth, feel free to ask me any questions!!!
I have just gone through this. Dd2 was born in 45 minutes after my waters were broken. This time my ob asked me to go to the hospital once labour was established. I went on the Saturday when the ctx were three minutes apart. They got stronger and then stopped, so after a night in hospital they sent me home. The ctx restarted but were not strong and were random. At about 5pm I had a couple of strong ones before I got a swift punch and my waters broke. We decided to drive to the hospital and take the girls with us instead of waiting for my mil to get to our house.
We got to the hospital in 20 minutes, my ctx were now a minute apart and getting stronger, I had three just getting to the birthing suite. Mil picked up the girls and the midwives started to admit me, when 15 minutes later I needed to push, ds was born in another 15 minutes.
It's part of the reason I think we have finished having children. With all three I have had signs of early labour and with two fast labours I don't think I could deal with having to worry from 34 weeks about going into labour and being near a hospital.
I should mention that my friend lives 10 mins from the hospital and her waters broke half way there. The midwife didn't believe she was in labour until she came to her house and did an internal to find her waters bulging. My friend was wheeled up to the birthing suite, got out of the chair went to lean on the bed which had no brakes on, DH went to grab her and as he did DS came out!
I would think that as soon as you feel a ctx head straight for the hospital regardless of what they may say.
Mine were all spontaneous. Not a single sign before the first two babies. With my last baby I felt here moving 'down' the day before but had no other signs she was on her way. MY mum laboured the same for her 6 babies, but she would have a show indicating her baby would be there within the next 24hours so she would go and sit and wait at the hospital!
Thanks everyone for your great ideas and personal accounts.
I'm about a 20-30 min drive to the hospital, assuming labour starts in the middle of the night again and I con convince my husband to spead and run red lights. Many of you have touched on additional issues with fast labours, including what to do with DS, what if I'm alone at home, peak hour traffic (eeekkk!!!), or simply unable to move in time.
It will definetly come up in discussions with my care providers, and I may have to do some heavy reading on birth just in case we are alone. It's a long way off yet, but I'll be sure to let everyone know how I progress through my blog.
If you have an advanced labour or you are worried or you think you are beyond the ppoint of no return, call and ambulance. A midwife is governed by the traffic, so unless they live next door how do you know they will get there when you want? If ambulance need to speak to your treating doctors/ midwife and make a decision not to go with them, then at least is is under best advice, but you still have help around.
What equipment is being left, just in case? Resuscitation equipment? Who is trained to use it if no midwife is around?
Births on the side of the road make great feelgood news stories and young ambos get all warm and fuzzy when their first birth is on the side of the Eastern when it's hailing sideways during peak hour. But if your driver taking you to hospital is so worried about you and not concentrating on the road, then that's too much a risk. Sudden deceleration for example with a seatbelt on in labour is dangerous, even if not in a crash. Just put your well being ahead of everything even the assumption that the traffic will go to plan.
Home or hospital, avoid the inbetween. Hope it goes well.
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Fast Labours - home, ambulance or hospital?
OK so that’s a really stupid one but that’s where I’m at)
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