Labour - What Happens If...?!

[Zuki]

I'm planning on working up until I'm just about 39 weeks pregnant, go on leave 8 days before my due date. I'm a contractor so the later I work the better off we'll be financially.

But something occured to me today. Because I'm pushing it till as late as possible what will happen geographically if I go into labour when I'm at work? I work in Central London, and I live in Surrey, due to have the baby at St Peters in Chertsey.

So if I go into early labour in London would I be blue and two'd over to Chertsey, or would I be taken to a London hospital?

 

[AC1987]

I went into labour at 37 weeks, so its kinda hard planning on when exactly you'll go into labour
I don't have any advice over the hospital thing though.

 

[supertabby]

While there are all kinds of situations you can't predict, generally labour starts pretty slowly so you don't go to hospital straight away anyway. I'd have oh or someone on standby to come pick you up immediately if you go into labour and take you home. Then you can labour at home until you're ready to go into your local hospital.

If you go into labour quickly or if you have some type of complication then you'll get taken to your nearest hospital. I doubt they'd then let you transfer to be honest.

To set your mind at ease I'd ask the hospital near your work if you can have a tour and their labour ward phone number, so that you're familiar if you need to go there. I'd also make sure your oh or any birthing partners know how to get there.

Chances are you'll be on maternity by the time baby comes but it does no harm to feel prepared for different scenarios.

I finished 13 days before my due date last time but I went 6 days overdue. Nearly 3 weeks off was a nice number. Be warned - I did start to regret the late finish date towards the end but I saw it through.

 

[Zuki]

I really hope I wouldn't have to end up at the closest London hospital, Guys is a wonderful hospital but a friend of mine just died there!

 

[ickle pand]

First time labours are 12-16 hours long on average, and they don't usually want you to come in until your contractions last a certain length of time and are a certain time apart so you should have plenty of time to get to the hospital of your choice. If things happen very quickly, then they are very unlikely to transfer you because you'd already be in a better place to give birth than an ambulance lol!

 

[lozzy21]

Labours don't usually start like the do on the TV with a massive pain and baby born 5 mins later. You should have plenty of notice of things starting and have time to head home.

 

[Zuki]

Feel much better now, thanks everyone!

 

[Pearls18]

Keep your notes with you, if you start getting twinges in the night or feeling like you need to "clear out your bowels" (sorry tmi) I would be considering not going into work as these can be signs of impending labour. As others say you usually have quite a few signs, if it does happen very quickly you will go to the closest hospital but tbh if it's that quick you probably won't be overly bothered! You may find that nature protects you by sensing you are too busy for labour, sounds silly but you're more likely to go into labour when you relax after finishing work as your body will feel "safer" but of course there are never strict rules!

 

[Twag]

I also plan on working up to the last minute as I do not want to waste my maternity leave but I have discussed with work about working from home in the run up so I am not at work when I go into labour (I could think of nothing worse!!)

 

[Zuki]

I wish that was an option for me Twag! But the company I work for are quite twitchy about people working from home, and I'm a contractor so it's even less likely unfortunately! Hence why I want to work as long as possible, need to keep the money coming in as long as I can!

 

[maybebaby3]

I worked til 39+5 if that's any consolation!

 

[Justagirlxx]

6 days before your due date are you sure? That is REALLY cutting it close and being 9 months pregnant is exhausting... just sitting down you feel like you are running a marathon... I've heard of people who do that but I never understand how and think they must be super women crazy people. Lol

Anyways I dont know anything about London so I couldn't tell you. I do know early labor (as others have said also) is very slow the first time around and you will have ample warning usually. Good luck!

 

[Zuki]

6 days before your due date are you sure? That is REALLY cutting it close and being 9 months pregnant is exhausting... just sitting down you feel like you are running a marathon... I've heard of people who do that but I never understand how and think they must be super women crazy people. Lol

Ha ha! Yeah I'm sure, weirdly enough I just know I'll be bored out of my skull sitting at home!
I commute in by train and I'm an accountant so I'm sat at a desk all day, so it's not so bad.

 

[ickle pand]

I'm sat at a desk all day and have been working 3 day weeks for the past month but I can't wait to be done and I'm only 34.5 weeks lol!.
I'm not sleeping well, emotional and getting uncomfortable as baby starts to decend. I've planned things to do at home so that I'm not bored while I wait for baby to make an appearance.

 

[Louise88]

Honestly Hun if you went into labour at work you will 98% sure have time to get from your work back home and to your chosen hospital my waters went before contractions with my daughter and I laboured 12 hours at home before the hospital would even let me stay in lol so try not not to worry, speedy labours and deliverys do happen but their very rare especially with first babies

 

[Minnie Mummy]

I think it depends on what happens. e.g. if your waters broke at work you may be taken to the nearest hospital to get checked out.
I wouldn't imagine they would take you to your planned hospital.
My labour's have always been overnight so there a chance it will start overnight and you won't make it into work.
I guess these are all what ifs only if you go early.

 

[Pearls18]

It's quite rare for the waters to break right at the start of labour without any kind of sign beforehand (despite what Hollywood likes us to think) so I wouldn't worry about that.

 

[Erised]

Even if your waters do break, and there is or isn't any sign of labour, there is no need to head to hospital straight away. You just head home, give your midwife a ring to update them and wait it out. Nothing needs to be done or happen for the first 24 hours of your waters being broken.

I was in labour for roughly 46 hours with both my labours... You'll have time, chances you feel your first contraction and give birth soon after are very very very slim.

 

[Pers]

I think the other ladies are correct in that you should have time to make it home (or at least to your preferred hospital) before giving birth even if labor begins at work.

I am in the same position of planning to work right up until the last minute. I'm actually not planning maternity leave at all prior to labor, I intend to work right up until the day I go into labor. I am also doing it for financial reasons but also because I know I would regret giving up even a single day to be with my baby because I wanted it to be a little easier on myself before the birth. I'm in the states and won't be getting a real maternity leave. It will be somewhere between 6 and 12 weeks depending on how much time work will allow me to be off. Fortunately I don't have the issue of worrying about going into labor at work since I work in the hospital I will be giving birth in! Even if I did go into labor at work and had the baby 5 minutes later, I work in an emergency department so it would be my second location of choice!

 

[Irish Eyes]

I worked until 39+5 and I'm so glad! Kept me active until the end! The only worry I did have was of my waters breaking in the middle of the office, luckily it never happened