SAHM's - tell me about going into labor w/ #2+

LollyBug18

Did any of you go into labor while you were home alone with your child(ren), with DH at work or somewhere else? What did you do? Call him, or someone else, home right away? How did you handle laboring while you were still alone? I guess I could go on and on with questions but I guess what I'm really looking for is your story - when labor started, when you called YH, what you did with your other kid(s), that sort of thing. TIA!

jf198400

I'm not a SAHM either, but that doesn't really matter.  Even if you are a WM you have to have a backup person to get your child from DC if you go into labor, and someone to take your child at night.

My first labor was induced.  My second I went into labor on a Saturday.  I had irregular contractions during the day.  DH and I had taken DD to the park around noon, and I first noticed the contractions on the car ride.  They continued throughout the afternoon.  By 5pm they were becoming regular and I knew this was the real deal.  I started timing them, and called my doc at 7pm.  He said to head to the hospital, so we dropped DD of at grandparents house and were at the hospital by 8pm.  DS was born at 3:44am.

kagl08

I am a SAHM. With both my kids I had regular contractions for a week before having them. 

With DS I had regular contractions starting at 33 weeks. My dr told me this was normal despite asking multiple times. At my 35 week appt my dr found me to be 7 cm. so technically I was in labor for 2 weeks (and didn't know it) and was taking care of my DD fine although it was painful. The day DS born my dr told me to take it easy for fear my water would break. My appt was at 2pm. DH was an hr away and didn't get home until 4pm. My mom couldn't get home (she was watching DD) until 4 either. So I had an hr home with intense regular contractions with my DD. I ended up laying on the floor with her while she played. Then we left at 4pm to go closer to the hospital and get something to eat. We went to the hospital at 7pm (when my dr told me to come). DS was born at 10:24pm.  

kerischrader

kagl08:

I am a SAHM. With both my kids I had regular contractions for a week before having them. 

With DS I had regular contractions starting at 33 weeks. My dr told me this was normal despite asking multiple times. At my 35 week appt my dr found me to be 7 cm. so technically I was in labor for 2 weeks (and didn't know it) and was taking care of my DD fine although it was painful. The day DS born my dr told me to take it easy for fear my water would break. My appt was at 2pm. DH was an hr away and didn't get home until 4pm. My mom couldn't get home (she was watching DD) until 4 either. So I had an hr home with intense regular contractions with my DD. I ended up laying on the floor with her while she played. Then we left at 4pm to go closer to the hospital and get something to eat. We went to the hospital at 7pm (when my dr told me to come). DS was born at 10:24pm.  

 

OMG!!! 

kagl08

kerischrader:

kagl08:

I am a SAHM. With both my kids I had regular contractions for a week before having them. 

With DS I had regular contractions starting at 33 weeks. My dr told me this was normal despite asking multiple times. At my 35 week appt my dr found me to be 7 cm. so technically I was in labor for 2 weeks (and didn't know it) and was taking care of my DD fine although it was painful. The day DS born my dr told me to take it easy for fear my water would break. My appt was at 2pm. DH was an hr away and didn't get home until 4pm. My mom couldn't get home (she was watching DD) until 4 either. So I had an hr home with intense regular contractions with my DD. I ended up laying on the floor with her while she played. Then we left at 4pm to go closer to the hospital and get something to eat. We went to the hospital at 7pm (when my dr told me to come). DS was born at 10:24pm.  

 

OMG!!! 

yeah, my dumb@ss dr wouldn't listen to me. Kept saying if I could talk through my contractions he didn't want to hear from me. I was consistently contracting for 2 weeks at 5 -7 minutes apart. But I was talking through them and caring for my DD. I called and he kept saying its normal for a 2nd time mom. Well. No apparently it's not!! So my DS was born 5 weeks early, had breathing issues, chest tubes, 11 days in NICU, and a host of medical issues because of my idiotic dr. Hindsight says I should have demanded more, but I trusted him. Then he had the nerve to blame me for my DSs prematurity and pretended like I never said anything...  

Irisheyes1247

Also not a SAHM, but when I went into labor with #2, I noticed contrax in the shower that am, and still went to work for 6 hours before I came home to pack a bag, wake DH (working overnights so he was sleeping) and pick up DD. Second labors can come faster, but you should hopefully have a bit of warning to at least know if you need to call someone to help you out.

LollyBug18

kagl08:

kerischrader:

kagl08:

I am a SAHM. With both my kids I had regular contractions for a week before having them. 

With DS I had regular contractions starting at 33 weeks. My dr told me this was normal despite asking multiple times. At my 35 week appt my dr found me to be 7 cm. so technically I was in labor for 2 weeks (and didn't know it) and was taking care of my DD fine although it was painful. The day DS born my dr told me to take it easy for fear my water would break. My appt was at 2pm. DH was an hr away and didn't get home until 4pm. My mom couldn't get home (she was watching DD) until 4 either. So I had an hr home with intense regular contractions with my DD. I ended up laying on the floor with her while she played. Then we left at 4pm to go closer to the hospital and get something to eat. We went to the hospital at 7pm (when my dr told me to come). DS was born at 10:24pm.  

 

OMG!!! 

yeah, my dumb@ss dr wouldn't listen to me. Kept saying if I could talk through my contractions he didn't want to hear from me. I was consistently contracting for 2 weeks at 5 -7 minutes apart. But I was talking through them and caring for my DD. I called and he kept saying its normal for a 2nd time mom. Well. No apparently it's not!! So my DS was born 5 weeks early, had breathing issues, chest tubes, 11 days in NICU, and a host of medical issues because of my idiotic dr. Hindsight says I should have demanded more, but I trusted him. Then he had the nerve to blame me for my DSs prematurity and pretended like I never said anything...  

Wow...

Thanks for the replies, ladies. 

laura1

I work part time, so I am a part time SAHM.  I went into labor with DD on a Saturday, though.  I had irregular ctxns starting at 7ish pm, so I called my parents and had them come over thinking I might have to go to the hospital overnight.  They came about 10, we all went to bed, then all got up in the am - I still had irregular ctxns all night, but nothing consistent enough to go in.  In the am, my parents took DS to their house, I took a nap, then had consistent ctxns starting at 1pm.  Got to the hospital by 3pm, had DD at 6:30pm.  

This time I live in the same town as my parents and sister with the hospital in the next town over.  If I go into labor during the day, I can call any of them (they all work in town too) and have someone leave work to watch the kiddos.  DH is farther away...hopefully the kid will come on the weekend! 

PansyPants

I haven't had my second yet but I've been thinking about this a lot so I'll share my plan.

First I'll call DH to let him know that he shouldn't get too involved in anything at work.

Then I'll call my good friend from the birth class we took during the last pregnancy. She has a son just a couple days younger than mine. She'll come over and they boys can play that way if it gets to be too much too quick, somebodies there.

When things are really rolling I'll swap out dear friend for my doula. I'll also call my MIL to let her know she should be ready for the call to come stay with DS.

DH will most likely come home around this point if he hasn't already gotten home.

Once things are approaching hospital stage we'll call my MIL to come over and stay with our son. 

 

I'm uncomfortable with potentially laboring without anyone there to watch DS in the event things go quickly. All my people are comfortable with my birth plans and experienced with laboring at home for long periods of time. I figure at the very worst I don't get through my whole list of folks and whoever I'm with hauls DS and I to the hospital and DH meets us there.

MrsW80

My water started breaking and i called DH immediately. He happened to be close to home and got here quickly, so when he got here we jumped in the car, my bag was already packed, and we dropped DS off with my MIL and headed for the hospital. I didnt begin having contractions until a while after i was in the hospital and admitted and everything. Just have a plan in place and a backup plan in case your DH cant get there quick enough!

Rolamarie

I went into labor at night, so DH was home but I let him sleep through most of it so I was basically "alone" calling my OB, breathing through contractions, etc. I ddn't really mind. My DD was awake for a period of time that night and we just snuggled together and watched a movie (she was 14mos). When I felt it was really crunch time,I called our babysitter of choice, woke up my H, and headed in.

Unless your SO has a major commute or is largely unreachable at work, he should be able to be there in plenty of time, but I would set up a closer backup companion on call  in case anything unexpected happened.

daronsmommy

My water broke at 2:00am, but my BFF who was going to watch DS1 lives 30 minutes from us. I called her as soon as it happened and she came as quick as she could. By the time she got here, I was in transition and having a hard time walking or doing pretty much anything. We rushed to the hospital, another 20 minute drive. When we got there, I was already at 8 cm, they quickly got me to a L and D room where they checked me again and I was at 9. Within 10 minutes I felt the need to push, pushed once and he was here. I can't believe how quickly he came, after laboring for 16 hours with DS1 and less than 2 with DS2. I can't imagine if I would have had to wait for DH to get home from work, a 35 to 45 minute drive. I don't think we would have made it to the hospital on time.

KateVA

DS2 was 8 days late so we had lots of time to prepare! My parents came down to stay with us (17 hours away) so it was a little rough since they were there waiting for me to have a baby for almost 10 days! They ended up staying for two weeks after the baby too, I am still very grateful.  They took care of DS1 while we were in the hospital.  It really is easier with the second since you know the signs and know when you are in real labor. 

Mommy2CB

I am pregnant with #2 (still in 1st tri) but I am assuming I will have plenty of time to call DH if I should go into labor during the week day. With DS he came early, and I went into labor at night.. they stopped labor several times, and I continued to go into labor (only at night), so part of me thinks it'll happen at night again. My inlaws will be watching DS for us, so we will just make sure everything is ready to go ahead of time, so if it happens at night we can have them over here quickly. My SIL just had her 1st, and her water broke in the middle of the night and had to call her mom (my MIL) in the middle of the night, and it was no issue.

 

Just don't wait too long and I think youll be fine! Good luck!