is this a crazy idea... or do you think i could try it??

Hi all,

I normally walk to the hospital for all my appointments etc. It takes about 45 minutes (at a late stage pregnancy walking pace). I am really dreading the car trip to the hospital when I go into labour (hoping I will go into labour spontaneously). I really feel like I would like to walk to the hospital while in labour. Is this a nutty idea? Do you think it is too risky? I am younger (25) and very fit (exercise every day). This is my first bub, so obviously I don't know how I will experience labour and labour pains. I think it sounds nuts but I can't help feeling like I would feel much more comfortable walking to the hospital than sitting in a car... (hate cars!!).

Thanks for your input... I don't know if I really would do it, I suppose I just want to be aware if I would be putting my baby in too much risk if I ended up refusing to get in the car while in labour (quite possible, considering how much more I prefer to walk than sit in a car). :-)

i dont think you should be putting any expectations on yourself to walk there - when my mum had me, her waters broke and i popped out 45 mins later, and i was her first bub.

So if you had the kind of labour my mum had it certainly wouldnt be a good idea!!

But then again, when i was in labour (15 hours) it would have been good to walk a bit more - but i think it would be just toooooooooo scarey to walk to the hospital.

I hope it all works out for you!

If it's something you do reguarly then I don't see why not. I'd make sure there was someone with you while you are walking though, DH/DP probably, so he can make sure eveything is ok & carry your water bottle & labour bag. Other than that I'd have someone on stand by at home or nearby just in case you decide you need to hop in the car part way there.

The only risk you'd have IMO would be needing to push while you're walking. But if you've got someone that you can call to come get you, I don't see that it's that great a risk really.

I personally wouldn't risk it. You never know how fast your labour will be, even if it is your first. You also have to keep in mind that sometimes there are complications (hopefully not in your case but you have to remember it is possible). Alot of people end up needing emergency c/s because the baby is in distress etc. Just something to think about.

I know when I got to the hospital I was allowed to do all the walking I liked so maybe a short trip in the car will mean you'll get to be observed when you arrive & have your walk.

Midwives suggest you walk to bring labour on faster & that worked in my case. I'd hate to think you'd already be in labour so think of how fast it COULD happen when you're walking on top of that.

It is up to you of course, this is just my opinion. :)

If you can do it great. My last pregnancy I could't even walk from the carpark at the hospital to the front door. DH had to RUN and get a wheelchair.

Id be worried id get to exhausted from the walk...then be to tired when i got to the hospital to deliver (push etc).

But if you could do it then go for it :)

I would personally rather savour my energy for the labour and pushing...

Walking during labour is wonderful for getting things moving along. If it worked well for you it could mean that your labour is quicker.

The thing that I would be concerned about is if you leave too early and you're there before labour is established then you might find yourself being pressured to speed things along if they admit you ie put on the drip etc...
If you leave it too late then you might risk giving birth on the footpath ;)

If you feel that you'd like to walk then perhaps have someone available on standby to be able to pick you up if you find it is too hard to keep going. I found that walking from the carpark was very hard and I had to stop to breathe through several contractions before we got to the door!

I have the same concerns as Raven. Most people try to stay home as long as possible but if you're planning on walking you'd want to start out sooner rather than later.

I think it's certainly physically possible but might be a little stressful.

But you don't need to decide right now. If you'd like to keep it as an option, just work out a contingency ie. someone you can call to pick you up at a moment's notice.

there is no way i could have walked that far when i was in labour, i would have been exhausted. jmo though :)

I would see how you feel closer to you due date, see what the weather is doing etc. Staying upright and moving helped with my labours but I have a long first stage where I was able to move around quite freely as the time to push got closer I most definitely would want to be at the hospital by then as the bubs came quite quickly. I think that you will need to have good support and a day time time slot for it to work, not something I would try during the evening/ night, good luck :)

I think you could do it, provided that someone walks with you, and that you walk along a route that will let someone come and pick you up and take you to the hospital if necessary.

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I would personally rather savour my energy for the labour and pushing...

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Same here, labour can be really exhausting I wouldn't like to waste energy unnecessarily in the beginning.

I had a seven hour labour with DD1, and I think I walked at least that long in the hospital hallway! And with DD3, DH and I walked all over town trying to get labour to pick up. (But she was born at home.)
But the thing is, do you want to be committed to walking that long? And will you feel weird having to stop and pant and breathe and possibly moan on the way? Will there be total strangers coming over to you and offering you a ride to the hospital, since you obviously need to get there? And will you be OK walking the remaining half-hour if your water breaks after 15 minutes?
I think I'd say walk if you want to, but make sure there's a back-up plan available quickly! And I don't think you'll be putting your baby at risk by refusing to get in the car. I think if you know you need to be at the hospital quickly, or if you know you can't walk anymore, you'll be in that car like a shot! :)
All the best!

I went on a longish (30min in labour, more like 18 if i hadn't been, even in late pregnancy - bear in mind that you might need to stop when you contract) walk in early labour and it really helped get things moving for me. My ctx went from 1 in 10-12 for 40 to 1 in 5 for 90 BUT it was still another 7 hours before i gave birth.

I didn't find labour to be physically exhausting so much as mentally enhausting and the walk actually helped with that.

Take someone with you who you can lean on/hang off when you contract, and have a person at home with a car and your bag in it to follow you (you can text when you're nearly there for them to set off so they don't arrive 40 mins before you). Lol. That way if you aren't very dilated you can have a lift home again if you want one.

If i were you i'd try a walk 10mins round the block when your contractions are enough to make it hard (but not impossible) for you to talk through them, and see how you're handling it. If it feels good then begin your walk to the hospital with your trusty assistants good to go too. Breathe deep and slow through contractions. If you get the urge to make loud noises during a contraction call for the car. If you feel you need to push call for the car. If you feel tired call for the car. If you don't feel any of those things, enjoy your walk and your birth :)

Bx

I didn't think I'd want to go in the car either but once the decison was made to go to the hospital I found I just kind of zoned out in the back seat & was glad to get there.

If you stay at home as long as possible (where you're able to get in & out of the shower, kneel, crouch etc) once it's time to go to hossie I think you'll want to be there sooner rather than later.

HTH

If you feel like you can walk to hospital, you aren't in strong enough labour LOL!!!

I think it's great to be able to do it if you can... but of course best to stay home as long as possible too :) If you wear yourself out walking to hospital, and it's early labour, I would be worried you'd be too tired to be active for the rest of your labour... but who knows! :) It's an interesting one for sure ;)

i would take the car with all you bags in it then walk around the grounds or you may even have time to walk home and back again. you don't know what will happen.

when my waters broke i had to stay in hospital just in case i didn't have enough time to get back. turns out i could have flown to perth and back and still had time to have our DS.

you never know but you may well just need the car....

I think it'd be a good idea but 45 mins is such a long time. If the hospital was more like 20 minutes away, it'd be a different story. Like Sarah said, having someone on stand-by to come and drive you if you end up needing it would be a great idea if you decide to do this. Personally, I'd organize a way to walk some of the way and be driven the rest of the way anyway.

Walking while dilating suits me. I walked for hours all the way until I was ready to drop on all fours with my last two labours, and I wish I had with the first. I walked between contractions, then leaned over a fence or something and rocked my hips during the contractions. If you wanted to do this, perhaps you could have someone shadow you in the car, just in case you reach a point that you need the care.

I wouldn't do it personally. I couldn't stand having people looking at me and asking if I was OK and wanted a lift to hossy etc. What happens if you need to go to the toilet on the way? It's not like you will have a lot of control over that with all that pressure and pain going on - it would be awful to get caught short in a public place whilst in labour. I also would want to conserve my energy for full on labour. Remember you can go into labour any time, day or night so it would not be very pleasant walking what is normally a 45 minute walk in the daytime in pitch black at a slow pace, stopping here and there to try and manage your pain. Could take a long time to get there. A car seems a much more sensible option.

I was walking over the fields and along a river. Much nicer than on a busy street with 'concerned motorists'. Some women yearn to be outside walking around, near nature during labour, and it works much better for them than trying to be 'active' in a claustrophobic hospital room. Being strong and active helps some women to not feel 'helpless' in labour, it helps them connect to their strength. Other woman have a need to be in a dark, private place, like in their birth pool with the blinds down and no more than candle-light. Sometimes what you want changes during the course of your labour. Your instinct tells you what works for you. My instinct was telling me all along to get outside and get walking. I didn't for the first labour but did for the 2nd and 3rd and it was lovely. Another of my clients felt the same, she walked in the rain beside the Yarra River for hours before she finally got in the car for the hour's drive to the birth centre. She gave birth as soon as she got there.

Shellshell, trust your instinct, darl. Horses for courses! Most women probably lean towards not walking enough in labour than walking too much.