Birth: How long before driving to hospital?

Nancy1250

Hi ladies

I posted this in another thread but I think this is a different topic.

I'd appreciate your advice.

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 early stages ( before heading to hospital)? I have read several books but no answers.

Thank YOU!

Nancy1250

My two options are hospital or home birth. Family (except hubby he supports) isn't comfortable since its my first birth.

I am thinking of hiring midwife to guide me up until I go into final stages of labor in which case I'll be in the hands of my OB (who I really like). Ideally, it'll be midwife, hubby and me? (And ob and his staff)?? I have no idea if this is permitted.

Where I live women are all left inone large room (not even curtains) while they are ready for labor. Some are hysterical... Some screaming... Nurses walking in and out measuring dilation. Ughh. I want to minimize my time in this area.

I plan on taking birth classes and hypnobabies at home (I read all of you raving about it).

I have an appointment w OB in two weeks and I want to go ready with birth plan in hand.

Every little piece of advice is useful.

Has anyone asked OB for dimmer lights during labor? Is this even permitted?

Thank you!

ncbelle

I agree that you should labor at home as long as you can but why do you think you'll be on your back not allowed to move at the hospital? If you are planning a med free delivery there's no reason you can't move as you please at the hospital. I'm a bit unclear on your midwife question? Is your midwife not licensed to attend births? There are midwives who are...even in hospitals...in which case you don't need an ob at all unless you require a section.

Nancy1250

Thank you sooooo much. Wow.

We currently live in the Caribbean. The scenario I described at hospital is a private hospital (the best available).

Thank you for the doula/midwife clarification. I wasn't sure what the difference would be in this case.

I also thought that they would strap me down with IVs and monitors as soon as I arrived at the hospital. I will verify with Dr. but makes sense that med-free birth would not be.

I think I can ask Dr for permission to bring my ipod.

Having a doula until transition sounds like a perfect compromise. I am not worried about a painful car ride. I am not afraid of pain.

More questions: What about fetal monitoring? Is this needed? What about if my water breaks really early in the process? Actually, if I may ask, when does this happen? Can I stay home after water breaks? I see everyone rushing out the door after this happens (in movies...)

I do agree that this is our decision. I am, however, taking into consideration the opinions of people that love me and care about me/baby. My family's opinion is: have this first one @ hospital so you know how your body responds. We did make an sppointment w/ obgyn+midwife team that do homebirths. Just to ask and listen.

Lots to think about...

This forum is the best thing ever. I will buy Ina May's book. Thank you

aylafsu88

Stay home as long as you can.  This will sound weird to say but you will know when it is time to go to the hospital.  I stayed home for 8+ hours.  I labored in the tub and reached a point where I told my H and doula I was ready to leave.  They tried to persuade me to stay home another hour because my contractions where a bit sporadic.  I refused and told them I was ready.  We had a 15 minute drive to the hospital.  My water broke as soon as I arrived and things went very quickly after that. I was holding LO in less than 2 hours.  Listen to your instincts and don't try to over think things. 
Your hospital sounds like the triage in my hospital.  When I arrived they put me in triage to check contractions and dilation.  If you are 4+ or your water has broken then you get a room for delivery.  There are only curtains separating the beds and the space is really small.  I was making a lot of noise (moaning, groaning and squealing) in triage.  I did not care one bit that I was load or noisy at the time.  Labor makes you lose your inhibitions and I honestly don't remember caring about what types of noises or things were going on in triage.  I do remember that a guy walked into my area because he thought it was the bed where his wife was at and I didn't care about that either.
GL!

MrsBigTime

I agree with the poster above me, you'll know when it's time to go. I labored at home through the night, and even though I didn't feel like I was getting close, all of my instincts told me to go to the hospital - even though my MW suggested I stay home for a few more hours. Well, I was in transition when I got to the hospital and only had time for one round of antibiotics (I was GBS +) before delivering (3.5 hours after arriving).

Nancy1250

Hi again!

Thank you everyone for your comments.

More questions:
Is an IV required for natural hospital births?
How fast will they allow me to leave hospital should everything go as planned?
Can I stay with baby and not have him/her taken away after birth?

RosyGlow

All of those questions depend on your caregiver at the hospital. You will want to ask them what they require or do routinely.

You sound like a great candidate for a homebirth. I'm planning my first birth and we will birth at home. If you are a low risk pregnancy, home birth is as safe if not safer than hospital birth. My DH came around to the idea after some reading and some movies (watch the Business of Being Born), and now he is behind home birth for me 100%.

Good luck!

aylafsu88

It depends on your hospital/care provider.  I did not have an IV or a Hep lock.  I arrived in transition and when the nurse asked I refused to allow her to put one in.  I was dealing with intense contractions and did not want to hold still/wait for her to put the Heplock in.  I was pushing soon so my OB did not have time to argue about it (their policy is a Heplock). I stayed the whole time 30ish hours at the hospital but I know that if things are fine you can leave sooner.
I never had LO taken away from me.  They did everything in room and their policy is to have baby room in with mom.  They delayed giving her a bath, eye ointment, etc until I was ready.

stephl3055

My situation is a bit different because I was induced, but I was allowed to move around as I pleased even with the IV hooked up.  I had a wireless monitor so I was able to walk the halls for a while, sit on my yoga ball, and I didn't lay on my back until they wanted me to start pushing. 

Some of the things you are asking about will depend on your OB and some on the hospital. 

IdyllicPursuit

Nancy1250 said:

Thank you sooooo much. Wow. We currently live in the Caribbean. The scenario I described at hospital is a private hospital (the best available). Thank you for the doula/midwife clarification. I wasn't sure what the difference would be in this case. I also thought that they would strap me down with IVs and monitors as soon as I arrived at the hospital. I will verify with Dr. but makes sense that med-free birth would not be. I think I can ask Dr for permission to bring my ipod. Having a doula until transition sounds like a perfect compromise. I am not worried about a painful car ride. I am not afraid of pain. More questions: What about fetal monitoring? Is this needed? What about if my water breaks really early in the process? Actually, if I may ask, when does this happen? Can I stay home after water breaks? I see everyone rushing out the door after this happens (in movies...) I do agree that this is our decision. I am, however, taking into consideration the opinions of people that love me and care about me/baby. My family's opinion is: have this first one @ hospital so you know how your body responds. We did make an sppointment w/ obgyn+midwife team that do homebirths. Just to ask and listen. Lots to think about... This forum is the best thing ever. I will buy Ina May's book. Thank you

That made me giggle. I used to feel the same way.

gobbo1985

Why if you go to the hospital would you have to stay in your back and not move? If you are planning on not getting an epidural you have no reason to not move around. It's your birth and you need to use your voice with your OB and nurses and tell them what you want. I made sure my OB was ok with everything I wanted before I even decided to go with her.

abbyful

I know once I get to hospital I will be on my back and not being able to move. 

Why?

Hospitals are getting better and better about supporting natural birth. You can move around, change position, etc. The nurses actually encouraged me to labor on my hands & knees, they brought in a couple yoga balls, I could have labored in the shower if I wanted to, etc. And these were not doulas or midwives, regular L&D nurses! My OB was also very supportive of natural birth.