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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.
Ah, can't do homebirth? Um.... how far are you from hospital?
You may well end up having a homebirth but if your concerned definately ring for an ambulance.
Regards,
Dianne
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!!!
good luck! let us know what happens :D
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? :lol:
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
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!!!
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? ( :redface: 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). :hug:
yes, I am with you girls too - 2.15 mins for first, 1.15 mins for second so who knows what this one will be. Epacris, I am with you on worried about getting someone to watch DD and DS in a hurry, we have no family here, I also panic, DH won't be at home and won't get home quicker enough to get me to the hospy. I said to him "I am going to sanitise the laundry and be prepared for a homebirth" he said, "please don't do that to me" - he is such a wimp with all things medical....Okay, so no I havn't helped you one little bit have I ? I am seeing what other responses we get. I like the idea of having the car prepared with blankets, towels, etc, just in case too. I remember last time, even when I was in full-on labour, I had no idea how quick it would all happen, I was mucking around having a shower then DH was putting on his best white shirt and looking for a little toy to take for the baby (rolls eyes) and I was in the driveway having full on contractions waiting for him to drive me to the hospy. We got to the hospy 30 mins before DS arrived. Good luck xxxx
I was concerned my 3rd labour would be quick - first was 24 hours from water breaking to baby, second 5 hours, so I asked what to do. They basically said call an ambulance and they can send it out with a midwife in, and they said a bunch of other stuff too you can do at home that I have conveniently forgotten so you might want to ask and take a pen and paper.
Turned out I had an evening full of braxton-hicks style contractions, it only started to hurt 2 hours pre-baby, we left when my waters broke in one of the ouchy contractions and we got to the hospital at 6cm, half an hour before the baby arrived. That night was absolutely freezing, I rang the hospital when the ctx were braxton-hicks level of ouch just in case, so they could turn the heater on in the birthing suite.
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 posted a thread like this a while ago, my waters broke with DD, first ctx was 45 min later, by the time we got to the hospital I was 7-8cm and she was born 35min after the internal anot long after arriving in the delivery suite, I also dialated quickly with little to no pain and my OB said this time will be quicker. I am on a constant dosage of drugs atm to stop labour as I am already having ctx's and have been for over two weeks and have been on the meds for 9 weeks due to extreme BH's (my have been having ctx as well but I didn't realise that is what they were as I didn't have any with DD it was all back pain). But there will be a point where they stop working and you go into labour anyway, but hopefully they give me a bit more of a chance to get to the hospital.
For me it would be an amulance call if I am home by myself, or if I happen to be in the car (which is very mimimal as I am on bed rest), I will head stright in if I can, if not stop and call an ambulance.
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. :D
Can I ask if you lovely ladies with such quick labours were induced or went into labour spontaneously?
my friend was induced with her 2nd child but the other two were all spontaneous.
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!
Spontaneously, and I think my OB referred to it a silent dialation :lol:
All spontaneous.
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.
Mine was also spontaneous. DS was 13 days overdue, and I had two cervical sweeps in the days leading up to his birth, but these did not trigger the labour I was after. I was told however that I was already 4cms dilated three days before going into labour. My first contraction was at 12:30pm which was strong enough to wake me up and send me to the toilet. They came thick and fast every two minutes from then and I had my husband call the hospital within 20mins. DS arrived at 3:06am at the RBWH Birth Centre.:
Jaycee my first and third were spontaneous, no ctx beforehand with dd1 and only mild ones with ds but they started up very strong the instant my waters broke. With dd2 I had leaking hind waters and strong ctx, my waters were broken with her.
quick labours are called precipitate labours (that is less than three hours) if you want to do some research on them. Mine were spontaneous. xxx
Yep both mine were spontaneous, WHAM BAM BABY! :lol:
Can I ask why homebirth is not an option FarmGirl? Seems like this would be the safest and least stressful option.:
1st labour 6hrs - OB stated that next would be very quick
2nd 2hrs from waters breaking, 12mins of discomfort - OB suggested homebirth as next would be super quick!
3rd 10mins from start to finish, NO WARNING. Midwife didnt make it!
4th baby.... Booked into hospital, will birth at home (or where ever the hell i am - maybe bilo!) unattended and then see if i want ambulance or just drive in. Cant see the point of paying $4500 for another unattended birth.
No compromise i could find. OB at hospital (different from other babies) said that id have to be induced at 36weeks (as mine come early)! Hated that solutoin!
Good luck, ill be thinking of you and hope yu can find an answer thats right for you!
my friend lived 40mins out of town and had a very quick labour with her first. We discussed calling an ambulance and meeting them halfway as an option (waiting for the to reach you makes it more likely you;ll have an ambulance baby- when I transferred in labour the senior paramedic told me they are petrified of delivering babies) but in the end she opted for an induction (ARM) in her final week which went well, helped allay her anxiety in the lead up, a situation when induction seems like a good option IMO (I don't think there are many)
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.
Ahh the logistics of a fast labour are so difficult aren't they! I'm with Stretcher Bearer on this one, I would be focussing on avoiding the inbetween.
To be honest, I don't think I'd want to be labouring in an ambulance, if I could avoid it.
I'd be either driving to hospital at the first sign of labour, if the hospital was no more than about 30mins away. That means I'd need a friend/relative to be staying with us to be there for the kids. Otherwise I'd be staying somewhere closer (like a relative) for the last few weeks if I could. I wouldn't take the car if there was any threat of traffic issues at all. And if the labour hit that hard and fast that I couldn't fathom taking the car, then I wouldn't take the car then either. I'd focus on birthing. You could see if your hospital would let you labour at the hospital, that might help with any early labour 'should we go in or not' decisions, if you know they're happy for you to hop under a shower there and keep labouring, even if you're not too far along yet. Not sure how feasible that is.
If there was traffic, or I felt like things were moving too fast, or I couldn't travel comfortably in the car, then I'd go find somewhere comfy to labour at home and call an ambulance. Sometimes people say 'see how you feel and then call an ambulance', but as Stretcher Bearer's sensibly pointed out, what if something goes wrong? Given that after I accidentally birthed at home, and haemhorraged (ah I can never spell that right), and didn't realise I was bleeding (to be fair, the ambos didn't either, my student midwife friend picked it up), I hate to think how things would have ended up if we'd taken things at a more leisurely pace.
The baby might be fine, but you have you to think of too - the ambulance didn't carry synctocin, any drugs you might need will be at a hospital.
Like I said :hug: fast labours are pretty interesting in terms of trying to plan for them! If I had another bub, my plan would definitely involve having someone stay with us for the last period of my pregnancy so I could leave the kids at any moment.
Obviously I haven't got it figured out either, but those are some of my thoughts on the subject. All the best with working through the details.