Driving Yourself to the Hospital?

TallMomma29 · June 2014

This is piggybacking off @MSUDuck's comment in the MBF thread. Did anyone else drive yourself to the hospital when you went into labor? I'm a little worried about going into labor when I don't have anyone available to drive me to the hospital. My MIL insists that I should call an ambulance if that happens, but that seems overboard to me. The hospital is only 15 minutes away from my house so in my FTM brain I think I could totally make it there by myself if I had to. Am I crazy?

Salsera29 · June 2014

I'm a FTM too but, I think you're crazy :-)

Seriously though, it does seem a little dangerous.

ETA: EMTs are used to people using the ambulance as transportation. In the case of a woman in labor, it would be legit!

brooklynesque · June 2014

Don't do it!

Aren't there taxi companies where you are?

Also, as a FTM you will likely labor at home for a while before going to the hospital. Would there be someone who could likely drive you on at least a couple hours' notice?

jensavicci · June 2014

I'd call a taxi if no one can drive you. Just imagine getting a contraction in the middle of the road. And then say there's traffic. We're talking road rage on steroids.

ETA: ambulance too lol unsure why I thought of a taxi before an ambulance. De-derp derp.

iris427 · June 2014

I'd call an ambulance or see if a neighbor/friend could come get you. Real labor ctx are no joke. There's no way I could have safely driven myself.

RoxanneA · June 2014

Yeah, there is NO way and definitely not safe. Having been through 3 so far, there is just no way it's possible nor would I want to try.

AKbadwolf · June 2014

I think it depends on how early labor is and how severe your contractions are plus how close to the hospital you are. If you are one of those that has to go in early because you need antibiotics or something and you only live 10-15 minutes from the hospital, I say drive yourself. I could drive through the first 3 or so hours of each of my labors.

If you are like me and live 45 minutes away from the hospital, I recommend getting a ride.

bullybutt · June 2014

I think it would depend on your actual labor. My water broke and I was in labor but it was totally manageable for 12 hours (at home). Had I waited until it was REALL go time, there is no way in hell. I was hugging the back of the front seat with my ass up in the air on the 30 minute drive to the hospital while ex drove like a bat outta hell. It was awful!

TallMomma29 · June 2014

Ok this helps! Having never been in labor yet, 15 minutes just seems so close but I can see how it would be dangerous even at that short distance.

zellatrix · June 2014

I agree with those that said depends on how far along your contractions are. But, if you are waiting until they are 5 mins apart (or whatever the rec is), then consider you are likely going to have at least 3 painful contractions while driving those 15 minutes.

TallMomma29 · June 2014

zarkarella said:

I agree with those that said depends on how far along your contractions are. But, if you are waiting until they are 5 mins apart (or whatever the rec is), then consider you are likely going to have at least 3 painful contractions while driving those 15 minutes.

Yeah, I was thinking more that if I went into labor but it wasn't completely crazy yet, and I knew I didn't have anyone to drive me if I waited till it got crazy, I could just drive myself in early. I wouldn't be driving if I was in that hugging the seat screaming in pain scenario! But I also have no idea how slow or fast things will get crazy. I'll just keep hoping that DH will be in town when it happens. None of our friends live close, and my neighbors that I know all work during the day. My lightening crotch and cramps today just have me worried about DH leaving for 8 days soon!

zellatrix · June 2014

TallMomma29 said:

zarkarella said:

I agree with those that said depends on how far along your contractions are. But, if you are waiting until they are 5 mins apart (or whatever the rec is), then consider you are likely going to have at least 3 painful contractions while driving those 15 minutes.

Yeah, I was thinking more that if I went into labor but it wasn't completely crazy yet, and I knew I didn't have anyone to drive me if I waited till it got crazy, I could just drive myself in early. I wouldn't be driving if I was in that hugging the seat screaming in pain scenario! But I also have no idea how slow or fast things will get crazy. I'll just keep hoping that DH will be in town when it happens. None of our friends live close, and my neighbors that I know all work during the day. My lightening crotch and cramps today just have me worried about DH leaving for 8 days soon!

If you knew you weren't going to have anyone drive you, then I think driving yourself early would be okay, but then you risk them telling you it wasn't time yet and sending you home.

chrinikki1 · June 2014

@TallMomma29‌ THANKS FOR ASKING THIS!!

I was planning to drive myself the 20-25 min if DH is out of town. I'm super stubborn about asking/needing help so calling a friend wasn't really going to happen no matter how many people offered. Ambulance- never entered my mind! Apparently, my plan isn't the safest or most logical.

TallMomma29 · June 2014

MSUDucks said:

Haha, ok, I probably should've clarified that I was told to go to the hospital based on blood pressure and pre e labs. I wasn't in active labor at the time. Although, I was at 3cm and contracting when I showed up and didn't realize it.

Haha I was thinking "she even swung by to pick her husband up on the way... maybe this IS doable!"

Big+Lil · June 2014

MSUDucks said:
Haha, ok, I probably should've clarified that I was told to go to the hospital based on blood pressure and pre e labs. I wasn't in active labor at the time. Although, I was at 3cm and contracting when I showed up and didn't realize it.

This is me exactly! I drove myself to Labor and Delivery and was admitted and induced. The drive there was no big deal, it was the crazy hormonal ride after delivery to bring my car home that was nuts.

abundancenow · June 2014

I would not have been able to drive myself to the hospital. My hospital is almost an hour away, but even 15 minutes away, I don't think I could have managed.

honeybee434 · June 2014

If I go into labor at work, I will have to drive myself 30-45 minutes (depending on how close to rush hour I am) to my house, which is 5 minutes from the hospital. I'm not too worried about the drive as I plan on NOT hanging out at work for any time period at all. I honestly didn't even think about doing anything other than that since I work a distance away from my house.

TurtleMonsters · June 2014

I wouldn't! If you're ready to be admitted for delivery, you won't likely be able to focus on driving. I had wacky prodromal labor and was sent home twice before admitted. The final time, I was contracting on the way in (and I believe I was the other two times, but wasn't dilated enough), but it wasn't organized. no way I'd have been able to drive, the hosp is 10-15 minutes away. I'd have been pulling over and it's just not a predictable enough experience to have that in the plan. Plus if they send you home, then you get to figure out that ride as well.

iris427 · June 2014

The thing about labor is it can be unpredictable. Contractions are manageable until they aren't. In both of mine, once things picked up, it got intense FAST. And you may have breakthrough pain between ctx, nausea and vomiting, etc. So just have someone drive you, even if you think it's just early labor that you can handle. If you know there is a day when your SO might not be able to drive you, try to make other arrangements ahead of time.

shanaynerz · June 2014

Do not do it. Call a taxi if need be. Or wait for someone to get you. I laboured at home for about 3.5 hours, so the odds are you will have some time for your SO to get home or another friend/relative before you absolutely need to be at the hospital. If your water breaks, you are supposed to be there within the hour I believe, but that's still plenty of time I would think. Our hospital is close, but DH would be super pissed at me if I drove myself.

January Bride · June 2014

honeybee434 said:

If I go into labor at work, I will have to drive myself 30-45 minutes (depending on how close to rush hour I am) to my house, which is 5 minutes from the hospital. I'm not too worried about the drive as I plan on NOT hanging out at work for any time period at all. I honestly didn't even think about doing anything other than that since I work a distance away from my house.

Ditto this - I work about 45min- 1 hour away and I have to get myself (and my car) home if I go into labor at work. I figured I'd have time to make it home at least, but now this post has me concerned. I don't know how else I can avoid this, because it's not like I can choose when I will go into labor.

cakebatter27 · June 2014

I think it depends on your labor. If my water just broke I'd drive myself if I was leaving right then. But I know I want to shower and get ready. My parents live less than a mile away so if dh isn't home they will take me.

taylorjeanne84 · June 2014

Thanks for asking this! I've been wondering the same thing, but my hospital is literally 90 seconds away. I am thinking I could make it. But wouldn't chance it with a longer drive!

brooklynesque · June 2014

You ladies who say you'd have to drive yourselves home from work -- is there not a coworker who would drive you if you asked? Could you not take a taxi or car service? Get home another way and have someone pick your car up later. You wouldn't drive home drunk (I assume). Why would you drive when you could be seriously impaired by pain?

Ekg688 · June 2014

I'd call your insurance company and find out how much an ambulance transport is. With my insurance its $500-$600. So a taxi would be a much more economical choice (as long as there wasn't a medical need for an ambulance)

honeybee434 · June 2014

@brooklynesque‌ If I don't feel like I can drive, I will have DH come and pick me up and just sit and wait for him. If I feel like I can drive a shorter distance but not the whole way, I'll drive to DH's work and then have him take me from there. Thankfully I have alternate options, but I would love if I would be able to drive myself.

For a taxi I would probably be waiting an hour just for one to get to where I'm at, IF they choose to show up when they say they are sending someone. (That can be hit or miss) And for a hired car, it would probably be a similar wait if they had one available for a spur of the moment phone call. And I don't even want to think about the cost of either of those. I don't live in a city where any transportation is a good option except for driving by normal car, unfortunately, and the city is super spread out making it worse. That's one of my only complaints about where I live!

TallMomma29 · June 2014

Ekg688 said:

I'd call your insurance company and find out how much an ambulance transport is. With my insurance its $500-$600. So a taxi would be a much more economical choice (as long as there wasn't a medical need for an ambulance)

This is a good point! I just looked it up and it looks like my insurance 100% covers ambulance rides if it is an emergency, but will not cover the ambulance ride if it is a situation where you could have taken a taxi. For labor to count as an emergency, you basically have to be ready to push. I've only taken one ambulance ride in my life, and it was only a couple of miles and it was $1200 (which insurance covered because it was an emergency). Better get a taxi company number on the fridge! ;-)

(I have never been able to get even a pre-scheduled taxi at my house within 30 minutes of the scheduled time for pick up though... so I'm sure it will be fun to wait to see when or if one will show up if I call when I'm in labor ;-))

Kohler2009 · June 2014

My contractions came in fast and strong last time and there is no way I would have been able to drive. I could barely keep my eyes open let alone think and focus!! Would definitely seek alternative transportation!!!

kwh33ls · June 2014

Don't drive yourself. I was an EMT for years...call an ambulance..that's a call they won't mind getting. My DH and I are not delivering at the hospital closest to us, so we have a backup driver that works close by in case I can't reach my husband or he's too far away (he works all over the state). It's not worth having a contraction take you by surprise...I had a kidney stone not long ago, and there is NO way I could've driven through that, so don't risk it when the baby is coming, no matter how close.

TurtleMonsters · June 2014

It doesn't necessarily go down like in the movies- all fast and no time to get to a hospital. It's a long process, you'll likely have a lot of time to get where you need to go. I was 10 days late which is the norm for a first time pregnancy, and labored for 4 days- well for 4 nights, which is less "normal".

abrazz · June 2014

My mom drove herself when she was in labor with me and she knew she was going to have to have a C-section since I was breach and her pelvis was too small. She called my dad but he was in clinicals and he told her she would have to wait a few hours. Apparently the doctor ripped my dad a new one when he found out she drove herself because she was already dilated to 6 and was rushed straight to surgery. She won't let him live that down.

There is no way I could have driven myself with the last 2. I would have wrecked while puking on myself.

SuperTinkerham · June 2014

Uber or taxi service FTW.

[Deleted User] · June 2014

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TG07 · June 2014

I live 4.5 miles from the hospital I am delivering at and I still wouldn't risk it if I was in active labor and having contractions every 5 minutes or less.

jessie55 · June 2014

I would make friends with a neighbor or call a taxi.

Hoshikitsune · June 2014

If hubby is at work, I will be driving myself the 45 minutes to the hospital. If he is at home, he will be driving. The ambulances in my area go to the hospital that is 5 minutes away and that hospital has no Labor and Delivery. There is no taxi service in my area, parents live too far away, no friends in the immediate area, and I don't know my neighbors.

TallMomma29 · June 2014

It doesn't necessarily go down like in the movies- all fast and no time to get to a hospital. It's a long process, you'll likely have a lot of time to get where you need to go. I was 10 days late which is the norm for a first time pregnancy, and labored for 4 days- well for 4 nights, which is less "normal".

Someone told you it was the "norm" for first time moms to go 10 days late? :-o I've always heard that while a FTM is more likely to go late than a woman who has had babies before, the average due date is still around the middle of week 39-middle of week 40.

darkangel42 · June 2014

I went 8 days over, I was born a full 2 weeks late and OH's brother was 12 days late - all firstborns. Totally normal to go over with your first and 10 days doesn't sound particularly out of the ordinary.

There was no way I could drive in my labor last time as contractions were every 5 minutes from the word go so it would have been dangerous even on quiet roads. Depending where you are, an ambulance callout might be chargeable to you because labor is not an emergency (except in cases of being super early, breech, excessive bleeding etc that was't expected beforehand) so a taxi would be more realistic.

My entire family are going to be going away for various time spans over the next 4 weeks so there are times when I'll be on my own - we've asked 2 different neighbors (who I don't know that well) nicely if they'd mind taking me to the medical centre if no-one else is around and time is short and they've both said its ok. It's very unlikely they'll need to be called though.

You don't need to go into hospital instantly at the first contraction unless they're very close together but even then, waiting half an hour for someone to get to you and get you there isn't that big of a deal under normal circumstances.

At 15 minutes away, you probably have options and a bit of time to play with - ask the hospital what they suggest, they might be able to recommend something that will suit you.

argonne · June 2014

I work 20-40 minutes from home, depending on traffic. I plan to work until I go into labor/have to be induced. However, if early labor starts while I'm in the office, I am not going to hang around. This means that I should only be having mild, relatively far apart ctxs when I am driving home.

Depending on how some of those last doctor appointments go (if I am dilated, effaced), I may look into working from home for those last few days.

loulou1212 · June 2014

There is no way I could have driven myself to the hospital. Have a backup plan and be willing to call a taxi/ambulance if that's what you need to do.

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