Hospital Distance and Labor

Re: Hospital Distance and Labor

• kareik01 member

  July 2014 edited July 2014

  Also a FTM and we are about an hour and 15 minutes from our hospital (and DH works about an hour out of town every day). I'm slightly nervous too because the longest labor between my mom and two sisters was like 7 hours total.

  But what I keep telling myself is that whenever I have even the slightest inkling that it might be labor, we are on our way. I'd rather overreact a time or two than to be under-cautious and not make it in time. So I guess that's my best advice...at the first thought that it MIGHT be labor, get on the road. Worst case scenario, you have to turn around and go back home, but I'd prefer that over the alternative! 

  

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• mercedesbenz802 member

  July 2014

  I just switched hospitals because my mother is dying and driving 2 hours for baby appointments was killing me and DH. Our new hospital is now like 15 mins from where we live with my parents. I am also a FTM and the two hour drive worried me a lot.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

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• MandMLeona member

  July 2014

  I also live in the middle of nowhere and understand your concerns.  I actually delivered my first baby by myself because I had an unusual labor pattern.  I'm telling you this not to freak you out but to help you understand I speak from experience. 

  I got obsessed with the idea of being alone when I gave birth in my third trimester.  So I read birth stories about unassisted births.  I read the emergency manual they give to first responders about delivering a baby.  I read anything I could get my hands on. 

  In the end, I was totally calm and totally fine giving birth by myself.  The only thing I wish I'd known more about was delivering the placenta...no one mentions that part.  So I tried before it was ready (mine took a long time to detach) and bled more than I would have otherwise...not the worst issue in the world.  I liken it to moving a car off your child...you couldn't lift that car any other time, but in the moment...you just do.  And the bright side of that labor...it was virtually painfree.  Had it been painful, I would have made it to the birth center long before I needed to. 

  Knowledge is power...if you're worried read up on what to do.

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• shevaCC member

  July 2014

  I'm in a similar boat but I'm a STM. I'm technically not that far from my hospital but live on an island with hourly ferry service between 5am and midnight (we can drive around in ~2 hours since there's a bridge the opposite direction if necessary).
  
  Last time around it worked out fine. I had a small leak in my bag of waters around 1:30am and contractions started around 2am. We waited to take the 5am ferry and got to the hospital shortly after 6am. I was admitted and delivered DD at 8:15pm, so plenty of time later. My plan this time is similar -- at the first signs of labor I'll go in. If they send me home during the day, I'll walk around the hospital neighborhood and see if things seem to be picking up or slowing down. If it's nighttime, we likely will just get a hotel room nearby the hospital.
  
  I'm a bit nervous too, though not as nervous as about who will care for DD while I'm in labor. But there's so many things about birth that we just can't control so I'm doing my best to be prepared and otherwise hoping/praying everything works out.
  

  

  

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• RamseySD member

  July 2014

  With my first, I wouldn't have known I was in labor if I hadn't been checked at my 38 week appt (38w3d). I'd had "BH" for weeks, and I guess they started actually doing something at some point. I was 5cm and 70% effaced. My midwife told me I could go home, but come back to L&D if my contractions changed at all or in 24 hours at the latest. Nothing changed, so we went back the next day after lunch and I was 7-8cm and 85% effaced. I never felt a change/pain until I hit transition, and my son was born about an hour and a half later. 

  
  

  We live about an hour away from the hospital this time, so I've requested cervical checks every week since 36 weeks, just in case. You don't ALWAYS know when you're in labor, so requesting checks and trying to be as in tune with your body as possible is my best advice. I, for one, won't hesitate to hop in the car if things begin to feel off at all this time around!

  
  
  
  
  
  

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• RoccoBabyK member

  July 2014

  Thanks for all the insight! It does help knowing others are going through it too or have gone through it. I have not been checked yet and next appointment is Thursday. I will just be hoping for some definitive clue that it's the real thing at some point (:

                           

            Emma June 8/22/2014

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• Jenrileysmom member

  July 2014

  Usually labor for FTMs is longer but not my experience. With my DD it was about 3 hours from the time my water broke at home til she was born. I wasn't waiting....my water broke before I had any pains. Once my water broke, I was in constant pain. In my situation, living 2 hours away would have been bad and baby would have most likely been born in the car. 

  
  

  Not trying to scare you...but it does happen the other way too. I know it's not very common but it happened to me. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Mirena removed 11/10/11. BFP 02/20/13 - MMC discovered 4/17/13 @ 11w4d. 

  BFP 12/14/13, EDD 8/21/14.It's a BOY! DS born 8/15/14.
  

  
  

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• shutaff member

  July 2014

  I am a FTM, and I am nervous about the 30-35 minute drive we have. I would switch to the closer hospital if I was in your shoes. I would be nervous that I wouldn't make it in time, and also that I would have false alarms and have to drive all the way back.

  
  

  
  

  
  

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