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September 2015 Moms
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How much time do I have?

shaina925shaina925 member
in September 2015 Moms
I can go into labor at any minute, and I am just wondering after my water breaks or if my contractions are a certain amount apart I know we need to head right to the hospital. But, my husband asked last night if he had five or so minutes to make sure we have everything.  My bags are all packed, I am just worried if it is in the middle of the night I would need to change quick and throw a few last minute things in my bag that I use daily which is why they aren't in there now.  The hospital is also only a ten minute drive for us. 
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Re: How much time do I have?

  • beansideiraebeansideirae member
    we are also about 10 min from the hospital. baby was posterior, so when my water broke at 3am I immediately went into contractions 2 min apart. and it still took us an hour to get out the door lol! so yes, I think you can safely spare 5 min to finish packing ;) labor takes a long time, you're not gonna give birth in the car :)
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  • shaina925shaina925 member
    Phew, thank you for your response!  I kind of figured as much, but I am just getting so anxious with waiting for baby to come!  My husband is also very nervous as this is our first.  
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  • shaina925shaina925 member
    I also do not want to forget my cell and ipad charger! 
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  • els831els831 member
    Our plan is to stay home for several hours and to casually and gently make our way to the hospital. Rarely is labor an emergency and the longer you are at the hospital, the more likely you are to receive unnecessary interventions. Hospitals send you home if you aren't in active labor and dilated to 4cm or so.
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  • mamadeezmamadeez member
    My water broke and I still had to wait many hours once at the hospital for my second water to break.... Hadn't even realized that was a thing. So you'll probably have 5 minutes to organize yourself. Don't stress!
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  • shaina925shaina925 member
    Second water to break??
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  • booksandcleverness81booksandcleverness81 member
    You're supposed to wait at home until your contractions are 5 minutes apart, lasting one minute long, for at least one hour (5-1-1).
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  • kanga915kanga915 member
    shaina925 said:

    Second water to break??

    The sac of amniotic fluid is described as having two sections – the forewaters (in front of baby's head) and the hind waters (behind baby's head).

    And OP, you have time. Don't rush to the hospital. Even if your waters break you can wait a few hours depending on how close and intense your contractions are. Five minutes apart is a general suggestion but I agree with PP about laboring at home longer. I went in with contractions 3 mins apart and was 7 cm dialated. With my first I was anxious and went in way too early (my waters were broken so I went in without consistent contractions). It made for a long day and I wish I'd waited at home longer.
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  • shaina925shaina925 member
    Thank you for that! 
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  • shaina925shaina925 member
    It is definitely reassuring to know this.  I am sure my husband will want to rush me to the hospital quickly but I will tell him that we have some time.  Definitely would rather spend more time at home versus the hospital. 
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  • rholbrook7rholbrook7 member
    My water broke at 6:30, we lived 5 minutes from the hospital.
    We didn't get to the hospital until 10:30, and I made hubby stop by target on the way there. Lol.
    But even after laboring at home for that long, when we arrived I was only dilated to 4 cm. Baby was born at 9:46 pm. Labor at home as long as you can, and if you're comfortable with it. I wish I had stayed home longer. Being in the hospital that long, with monitors hooked to me for that long was annoying.
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  • kary12345kary12345 member
    You have time movies make it seem like it happens in a few minutes but labor takes a long time. My water broke at midnight and I called my doctor but planned on laboring at home for awhile. My doc told me to go ahead and go in. It took us over an hour to get everything ready to go. When I got to the hospital I had another 26 hours to go before my baby arrived. Your water might not even break. If that is the case you time contractions. This was my first and I was really worried about knowing when to go to the hospital but remember you can call at anytime. They get paid big bucks to support you do when in doubt.....call! (Also I would eat something before you go in). I wasn't allowed to eat for about 30 hours and I was miserable!
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  • jen83mnjen83mn member
    My water broke at 9:45 p.m. Saturday and baby wasn't born until 11:30 a.m. the next morning. We got to the hospital at 10:30 p.m. (we're also 10 minutes away). I was dilated to 3 cm and was 90% effaced when we got there and couldn't even feel my contractions. I didn't start feeling my contractions until I was dilated to 5 cm and then they started to become painful. At 4:30 a.m. I got the epidural when I was dilated to 6 cm. We had our bags packed, but we took 30 minutes to grab last-minute things. I was definitely grateful to have Depends on hand to wear on the way to the hospital since my water wouldn't stop gushing! I didn't even leak through to my pants, so they definitely came in handy for the trip there! (We laid a towel down on the car seat just in case.)

    I second pp ... eat something before you leave! I was starving by the time baby was finally born and couldn't wait to order breakfast!
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  • beansideiraebeansideirae member
    shaina925 said:

    I also do not want to forget my cell and ipad charger! 

    I made myself a list by the door of last minute things to pack :)

    PP's are right that you normally don't have to go in right away when your water breaks. I did because there was meconium in the fluid and the doctor was worried. also I think if you're GBS+ you will want to go in more quickly. but otherwise, definitely labor at home as long as you feel comfortable!
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  • str13str13 member
    I wanted to add that you might want to write a list of things you'll need added to the bag, so that your DH can get them together for you if you don't feel like it.
    My water broke at 29 weeks and we jumped up and just started running every which way!! I had a hospital bag with only a few things in it. I ended up with clothes too big for LO, the clothes on my back, and my phone charger!! Lol I had to talk my sister through what I needed from the house!!
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  • meggipi5meggipi5 member
    Are you a FTM? With my first I took a shower and ate a snack before leaving (my water broke in bed). DD1 was born about 8 hours later. With DD2 I called in after 35-40 minutes of contractions 5 min apart because they were getting really painful. DD2 was born 3 hours later (it took us almost an hour to get out of the house both times).

    With you only being 10 min away, you certainly have time to throw last minute things into the bag!
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  • ForeverEverAfterForeverEverAfter member
    I'm an hour away from the hospital and we still took our time leaving. I had my doula come over with contractions 5 min apart, but not intense, and we decided to wait it out, I took a shower, she went home for a bit (lives close). 3 hours after the first time I called her over we decided to go in (contractions 4m apart and stronger), took 20min to pack up, and there was pouring rain, so we had to drive slow (passed 3 cars off the road). Even then, I was only 5cm when I arrived, baby came 3 hours later.
    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker
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  • seamonkey4seamonkey4 member
    I wanted to labor at home as much as possible. Water broke at midnight. Got to the hospital at 7:25 am...already 8 cm dilated. I don't recommend waiting as long as I did, lol, but you'll have time to do last minute things.
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