Getting to the hospital

tamibattle · August 2014

Hi All!

I've been MIA lately due to a crazy work schedule!

Last night I was experiencing some mild contractions and it got me thinking, what would I do if I were to go into labor at night and my husband was at work? He works nights and works quite a distance from where we live.

My family is not the most dependable and I can't count on them 100%.

Has anyone else been thinking about this and have come up with a plan in case hubby is not around when you have gone into labor?

Hope that everyone is doing good! We are in the home stretch!

MissMandyD · August 2014

My immediate plan is to labor at home as long as possible and tough it out until DH could get home. Of course there is always a taxi or uber I suppose.

TinyTRex321 · August 2014

I would think you will have enough notice for your husband to come home
once you realize you are having regular contractions. Things usually happen pretty slow especially for a first labor.

reneenearl · August 2014

My husband works overnights an hour from home. Out hospital is another hour from home. I just planned that if I went into what I was sure was labor then I would call him and have him come home and get me and bring me to the hospital, so it would be at least 2 hours before I could get there. My hospital encourages laboring home at home as long as possible.

I know things don't always go according to plan though and if something was wrong or it moved too quickly to the point where I was going to be delivering then I would call an ambulance. I don't think it's going to move that fast for me though. We do not have family close by that could drive either.

jesslinnn · August 2014

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. My last labor was less than 2.5 hours long and I was only in my hospital room for like 10 minutes before DS2 was out! My DH works up to 5 hours away on a regular basis. Usually he's within 1.5hrs away though. So if my labor is anything like my last there's a decent chance he wouldn't make it in time if he was at work. With my boys both bring born in August my parents were still on summer break (teachers) so they were available whenever, but they will be back to school for this one. Bummer!

Since the bfp we've been putting money into a separate savings specifically for DH to take off work. It'll cover a month of him not working without having to tap into any other savings. Most likely he'll be off work a lot towards the end of September so he'll be around to take me. If not, we both have quite a bit of family near by so I'm sure I'll have someone to take me. I just need to make some plans. I have joked that I'm going to have an "emergency home delivery birth kit" just in case my labor is crazy fast. I'm only half joking. :P

MorganWP · August 2014

My SO works out of his parents' basement with his dad and is able to work from home (he's a drafter/designer). However, sometimes he has to go to meetings at city hall. Im hoping his dad will cover the meetings in October.

Also, hopefully SO has his car. Last time with DD, I went into labour at 33 weeks and his dad had his car so my mom had to call her friend to come get us.

When I did end up having DD, it was right after a doctor's appointment so he was already with me.

Sockgnome78 · August 2014

My DH works durning the day and could take him anywhere between 30 minutes to 60 minutes to get home depending on traffic and time of day. The hospital is 30 minutes pasted that. So if need be I will labor at home and text him with updates and have him head home and then head to the hospital.

asarem93 · August 2014

I live 45 min from my birth center, but only work 5 min from it. My DH works over night 15 min from the house. I have s few different plans depending on when and where I go into labor. If I go in at work I'm going straight to the birth center because there is no way I'm going all the way home and coming all the way back.

ariel06 · August 2014

I had contractions regularly for almost 24 hours before I needed to go into the hospital with DS2. DH got off work at midnight and we headed into the hospital around 2am after my dad had come over to care for DS1. Unless you are one of the lucky ones that labors super fast, you'll probably have time.

This time, I'm more concerned about making sure the kids are taken care of where ever they happen to be.

My cousin drove herself to the hospital. Not ideal, but I think she kind of panicked.

noellemari · August 2014

I think I've already accepted that my husband probably won't make it if it's while he's at work. My first labor was 5 hours, second was only 2ish. And he works an hour away. I'm more concerned about what I'll do with my two kids at this point. My mom is a good 20-30 min from me and then my hospital is about 15-20 min. I have a few neighbors that I'll keep on standby. It's so hard to plan. I'll do what I can as far as planning, but it's ultimately out of my control. Whatever happens, happens!

tamibattle · August 2014

The doula idea might work. The only reason I have not looked into one is b/c I have to have a c-section.The c-section is schedule, but obviously baby will come before the scheduled c-section if she wants to.

My mom labored for 15 hours with me and it seems like most women in my family labor for a long time.

My uterus has scar tissue from a surgery that I had last year so my dr has me freaked out about the possibility of a uterine rupture and how dangerous it can be to mom and baby. From what I have read it seems to be somewhat rare, but you never know. I just want to make sure that I get to the hospital quick enough so that I don't have any major complications.

MrsMac613 · August 2014

My husband will be at a week long work training about 3 hrs when I am 37 weeks. That should still give him time to get home if I let him know as soon as I start having contractions. I do have my best friend as my emergency person just in case. She's lives 10 mins away and actually offered to come stay with me that week. I think she wants some quality time with me lol.

bitsybubbles7 · August 2014

I'm suppose to have a rcs, so this hopefully goes off as planned. Otherwise, Dh may or may not be able to get off work in the event I go into labor early. Or my parents live nearby, so hopefully they could help. Crap. I haven't really thought about this...

Sotho girl · August 2014

DH leaves for work at 3pm and doesn't get home till 2am.
His family is in Boston and mine is back home in South Africa. So we have nobody here because we've just moved.
Hopefully DH will be able to get home quickly when I go in labour.

Saragoeswest · August 2014

Good luck! DH works only a mile away from our house and we live a mile away from the hospital. I think we're good. Plus like pp said, I plan to labor at home a long while.

tamibattle · August 2014

Thanks everyone! I am probably over thinking labor, but wanted to see ow others were planning to handle this if it was a concern

BeanNut · August 2014

My H works 10 minutes away- likewise, our hospital is 10 minutes away. My big concern is finding last- minute care for our 2 kids. Normally they go to preschool 3 days a week (I work PT). For the month of September, I have them signed up 5 days a week so that we have daytime care covered. I've put together a list of 4 different people to call for evening/ overnight/ weekend care. If we can't reach them right away, we will bring the kiddos along and have someone meet us there. My second labor was very short and if I hadn't been overly prepared, it could have turned out differently.

I would prepare for needing a ride the same way- make a list of people you can call on and keep it close JIC you need to go very quickly. As others mentioned, your other option is always an ambulance.

savicke2009 · August 2014

My husband works ten minutes away from our house, my parents live 5 minutes away and my mom is retired.. my work is literally three blocks from where I'll deliver- I could probably drive myself those three blocks if I went into labor at work, but I work with my sil and 90% of the people I work with are friends of mine outside of work..

im pretty well covered.. the only time im concerned about is about 9 days shy of my due date, my husband is in a wedding an hour away and im still undecided on whether or not I want to go..and we only live 15 minutes from the hospital as well.. so barring any major catastrophes, we should get there pretty easily.

wildflower75 · August 2014

Back up plan just in case DH isn't around would be...
a friend of mine lives just 4 blocks away from me, she could drive me to the hospital or else...
a NYC Taxi!

raynes · August 2014

Ugh, I haven't really figured it all out yet.

In a perfect world I go into labour overnight on a weekday, H doesn't go to work that day and takes DS to dc, I labour at home for a while, we head to the hospital after rush-hour, have the baby and H is home to pick DS up from dc by 6.

H is a private contractor, so I think we'll probably try and schedule his work for in and around town for the weeks around delivery, that way he should be able to make it home fairly quickly.

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