Tips for managing contractions in a car?

zou bisou

For both labors, the ride to the hospital was not much fun.  The plan is to labor at home for as long as possible so the contractions won't be the easier ones that you can talk through.  I'm dreading feeling confined, unable to walk, and on our way to hospital that's more than 30 minutes away not including any traffic. 

Another poster had this piece of advice: Sit in the back seat, drape your arms around the seat in front of you and try to keep your pelvis as open as possible.  Ok.  That's a smart idea.  Both times, I've been in the front passenger seat gripping the dashboard which didn't doing much for me comfort wise.  So back seat it is.

Have anyone come up with a way to make the car ride less challenging?

ArmyQM

I was deep in transition during the 30+ minute ride. I unconsciously chose to focus on being a backseat driver! Turn here, no here, go faster, the speed limit is X here.....

MississippiCatfish

Good question! I was just thinking about this. Thanks for asking!

hecklet

I'm glad I wont really have to worry about that....we are 3 miles from the hospital.

TheBorg7of9

I was kneeling in the back seat holding on to the headrest of the back seat during contractions

kathleen02

My friend and doula sat with me in the back seat and she brought a puppy pad just in case my water broke while in the car. It didn't...but DH missed the turn to the birth center! I was dumbfounded, after all those months and going to appointments.

ncbelle

Take a barf bag - I'm a labor puker and just made it to the BC before puking with my second.  I had a 30 minute drive too.  With my first, we of course went too early so it wasn't bad.  With my second - major suckage - not going to lie! 

aylafsu88

I rode in the backseat and leaned over to grip the headrest of the front seat during a contraction.  My doula was with me and she applied counter pressure to my back since I had horrible back labor.  I only had a 15 minute ride which was great but since I waited a long time to leave the ride was miserable.

greenmama2013

Really good question! Considering I have an hour drive with NO traffic..eek. I guess I'll be in the back seat as well then! 

Jellyfish42

I am right there with you greenmama. I have an hour with no traffic, easy! I am not even pregnant yet and this is on my mind...I am a worrier.

Chichigo

We considered asking my in-laws or a friend to drive us to the hospital so my husband can sit in the backseat with me. Is that an option for you?

kami1977

Make sure you have a bottle of water in the car. We didn't have one and I was so thirsty by the time we got to the hospital. My husband had a pop music station on and I just tried to focus on the music. I did snap at him when he tried turning it off.

cattlebride

Great post. I had been curious about the same thing. (the bag, and water are great suggestions) We are 50 minutes away and have to drive country roads to get there.

rooftop

I brought a body pillow with me that I hugged in the seat with me but when my water broke I had to throw it away so next time I'll be sure to cover it with garbage bags.

zou bisou

These are really helpful, thank you!

Chichigo Unfortunately no.  We're using up the available relatives for watching the other kids while we go to the hospital. 

nosoup4u

I was on hands and knees with my head buried in the corner of the backseat. Not the safest, but I was about to start pushing/very far in transition, and it was the only way I was getting thru contractions. We were about 15 min away from the hospital.

Learntoswim18

I was in the backseat (taxi with husband beside me). It was night time and I just closed my eyes, leant back and concentrated on squeezing my stress ball. It was about 15 minutes to the hospital.

HerbanMom

Definitely not the safest but with DS2 on the way to the hospital I was turned around in the front seat draped over the back of it.

tndalles

They teach the same thing in Bradley. Tension/stress equals pain.

Nancy1250

Hi ladies

I'm a ftm 8W and already thinking about birth plan. I'd love to stay at home with midwife/doula for as long as I can. I know once I get to hospital I will be on my back and not being able to move. This already makes me a little anxious.

How long can I stay home before giving birth? I live 30 mins from hospital.

Can I have a birthing pool at home while I spend this time before heading to hospital? I have read several books but no answers.

Thank YOU!

skio

I was in the back seat somehow...I think one knee on the bench, one foot on the floor. I had a waterproof pad and a barf bucket (didn't need either). I was nearly fully dilated when I reached the hospital so I was also in transition for the car ride. I will say that it was not fun...the jostling made my contractions much worse and the car ride is when I lost my composure and all my relaxing, hypnobirthing mantras went buh-bye. I flipped onto my back in a semi-reclined seated position at one point and didn't want to move from there. I was able to relax again (somewhat) in my labor room.

jamrosj

Nancy1250 said:

Hi ladies I'm a ftm 8W and already thinking about birth plan. I'd love to stay at home with midwife/doula for as long as I can. I know once I get to hospital I will be on my back and not being able to move. This already makes me a little anxious. How long can I stay home before giving birth? I live 30 mins from hospital. Can I have a birthing pool at home while I spend this time before heading to hospital? I have read several books but no answers. Thank YOU!

Is there a reason you'll have to be on your back at the hospital? 

Nancy1250

@jamrosj I thought once you get to hospital you get an IV and get hooked up to monitors.

jamrosj

They will probably want you on the monitors on and off but you can decline and ask for intermittent monitoring.  During my labor I was walking and in the shower. Some hospitals have birthing tubs also.

momof2buggs

Try not to lay the seat back, unless you want to get sick! Of course, me getting nauseated on the ride to the hospital could have also been due to the fact that I was in transition, because when I got there and had a cervical exam done, I was almost dilated to 9. But yeah- don't lean back if you can help it!

*blue*flower*

I was deep in the throes of transition when we got into the car. It was pure torture. I leaned the seat back and then turned to my side. It was not comfortable for the 15 min I managed before DH had to pull over. When he did I immediately unbuckled and hugged the back of the seat. That was much better, but I didn't feel it was possible/safe when driving.

IdyllicPursuit

kathleen02 said:

My friend and doula sat with me in the back seat and she brought a puppy pad just in case my water broke while in the car. It didn't...but DH missed the turn to the birth center! I was dumbfounded, after all those months and going to appointments.

I first read that your doula brought a puppy for the ride. I was like, uhhh why? lol!

JessaPrimate

We left for the hospital at midnight. I told my husband not to stop at red lights

huntjul

I sat in the back seat but for me, arching my back and tipping my head back against the head rest felt best. It depends on positioning of baby--mine was dropped far and OP. Just relax and breate as best you can and get in whatever position feels best in the moment. I agree the back seat, no seatbelt gives the best options for mobility. I arrived at the hospital at 7cm and delivered 90 minutes later, so I was having some pretty intense car contractions. Did it suck? Yeah. But so would getting to the hospital too early and ending up with interventions I didn't want.

mlrafiki

I just made sure I was in a good breathing rhythm before we left, and just counted and breathed my way through every contraction in the car. It really depends on your style of laboring, I think (which, as an FTM, I didn't really know until I was in labor). I found myself retreating deeply inside shutting everything out and just breathing, ao that's what made sense for me in the car.