Remind me, when do you go in to hospital?

When do you know it's time to go to hospital?

Last time I was induced so was already there. This time I'll be doing what I can to avoid induction but as I was thinking of it tonight, I wondered when do I go in?

I think I know when I would have left last time. The contractions were never timed, but there suddenly came a point where I said to DH "I think I need to try something (meaning gas)" and then my waters broke. So I think I would have left then, but the problem is I couldn't bare the thought of moving and shortly after I went into shock, so I don't know how we would have gone if we were at home.

If we do manage to start at home, I don't just want to get in the zone like I did, and then leave it to late, but I definitely don't want to go early. If I can get DH to time contractions, when do we leave?

The widely accepted advice is when contractions are strong, regular and 5 minutes apart.

I think you need to consider factors such as how far you are from the hospital, how tolerant you are of the discomfort and how comfortable you feel at home vs. in hospital. Given this is not your first labour, you should also consider how long your previous labours were, how quickly you progressed. Good luck, I hope you have a beautiful birth!

With DD2 I just knew I was ready to leave for the hospital. I got there and without feeling rushed or anything and had her within an hour of arriving. DS I wanted a water birth so I went in a bit earlier then I felt I needed to to make sure the bath got filled this time. Both times I new things were getting close to my babies arrival and that I needed to be were ready. Even with DS there was that thought of wont be long and like you that would have been my time to go to hospital point if I was still at home.

I was induced with DD1, but then in no rush with DD2 - was happily doing the dishes while people were trying to shove me into the car. DD2 was incredibly fast though, so I basically when my hind water broke with DD3 we headed in. With the benefit of hindsight I would have stayed home longer - the little miss then took from waters breaking at 8am until almost 5pm that night for me to be getting anything even remotely close to a decent contraction, but we live an hour away so I wasn't taking the chance of a roadside delivery.

I can't remember what the go is :lol: but with my first I went in when I felt unable to cope at home anymore. My contractions were about 2 mins apart, sometimes less. I was 8cm by the time I got to hospital. With my second I was already in hospital when I went into labour.

Thanks :) I think I'm nervous because last time already being in hospital I didn't need to worry about timing or when to go anywhere. They've listed my active labour being from waters breaking to birth, and that was 4 hours. In that time I went from 2cm to pushing quite quickly, and with the shock, monitors not working and a pile of things going on, I think my transition was completely missed and it all took the midwives completely by surprise.

I was the same all through labour. Not too loud but moaning, always wanted the same position. So the only thing for them to go by was the waters breaking, and even then I was only 2cm so they weren't thinking anything was going to happen soon.

So I just keep imagining this time, if I'm at home, I'll be completely comfortable, not want to move, and then probably want to try pain relief but not actually go lol. Those were the first words I'd said to DH in ages last time so he didn't know what was going on either. I think I might have to show him how to time contractions and force me to the car if he needs to!

How exciting Teeki!

We were told five minute apart contractions but realistically it's more like when you get to the point that you cannot talk or do anything between or during contractions. I could still talk to my midwife on the phone when my contractions were 5 apart so I hadn't reached that urgent stage of things suddenly speeding up and feeling out of control. We rang the hospital about 10 times during labour with DD as we wanted the reassurance more than anything and it was when I couldn't speak on the phone that she said you had better come in!

O think that's it LL, if I get to the point that I'm not talking then I feel like I'll be on the mood of not going anywhere. But maybe because I'm at home and know we're not prepared for that I'll be more into let's go so we can do this? I don't know. I think I'll have to rely on DH more than I did last time, poor bugger felt a bit useless lol, I did it all myself.

I think you'll know when it's time, instinctively. Especially as this isn't your first birth.

Calling the hospital might help decide. I think with my first we called once when I felt ready, and they thought I wasn't ready, then we called again later, they decided I was ready and I was in the bath totally unwilling to move–my husband and birth support partner had to drag me out and dress me. :lol: That was about 10-10:30am and bub was born around 2:30pm in a bath there–the midwife promising to run another bath for me there was the only thing that got me moving.

The next, my waters broke 4:45am, called midwife who said see you later this morning maybe, labour started at 5am, my contractions were intense, irregular (e.g. weak one, 2 mins, strong one, 4 mins, strong one, 1 min, weak one, 5 mins, strong one), so total confusion, and bub was born at home at 6am. You can't prepare for that, except that–have a few clean towels, blanket etc at home or in car if you really feel that unsure about leaving in time. It will at least put your mind at ease if you DO realise the baby's coming. No big deal, you have a bit of a backup plan for this (as well as an ambulance on the way). That's pretty rare though I think!
(The third we called an ambulance right away, bit of a no brainer that one. ;) Got to hospy with 10-15 mins to spare.)

Anyway–not trying to project my experiences onto yours, you'll probably make the right call and have time. Just don't stress that if you leave it too late by accident that it is all over. You can do it if it comes to that. In terms of getting to hospital too early, maybe just pack a lot of stuff that helps you relax? Heat packs, familiar blanket, calming music, certain smells, hop in the shower or bath. If you can have another birth support partner, or call the midwife, that might help your husband make the call if you get in your zone and refuse to come out. :p

You can download contraction timer aps on your phone that are easy to use. I even had my year old DD timing the contractions. I would tell her to start and stop the timer and it keeps a record.

It seems you had a short first time labour so your second will most likely be a bit faster, so don't be to complacent, esp seeming you said you dialate quite quickly.

The contraction timer apps are pretty good. there are quite a few free ones so choose on you like the look of. i reckon once you can not be bothered pushing the button on the timer app, things are probably happening.

My first was also an induction and I went from 1cm to full very quickly. like you. My 2nd was very different. pain was easy to tolerate and my contractions never got closer then 5 minutes. They just got longer. When I rang both times to say I was coming in and when I got there with both DD2 and DS I knew that the MW thought I was not close, like I said in my other reply DD2 was here under an hour and DS under 2hours.

I think generally when they are regularly 5or so mins apart

My first I was induced but if I'd gone with that rule for my second I would have had her at home because they never got closer than 8mins and didn't hurt till 30 mins before I had her but I rang them when I was feeling constant unpainful tightenings 8mins apart and needing to pee frequently for an hour just to check because I had to drop Ds off so we headed in and I was 6cm when I got there and had her half hour later so if I'd waited for pain I wouldn't have made it but I did know that something was happening I could just feel it so also good to listen to your body sometimes a labour doesn't fit into the box that the drs and midwives want to put it in

I spoke to DH about it last night and he's all calm lol. He just said "Well call the midwife and she'll let us know what to do. If we're ever not sure we'll just call her and it'll all be good." Ah at least one of us is rational!

So I think if we start at home we'll just time contractions, test my mood along the way and keep in touch with the midwife (it's a one2one program so very handy). Feeling a bit better about it this morning, thanks everyone :)