When to go to the hospital?

[SweetMelodies]

So they say that you shouldn't go to the hospital until your contractions are strong, coming every 5 mins and have been like that for about 2 hours. Or if your water breaks.

But my Mother tells me if I start having contractions and they are 10 mins apart to go to the hospital. She says the women in our family normally deliver fast, and with both my sister and me she went from contractions every 10 mins to having us with in an hour or so.

I know that not everyone labors like their mother or the rest of the family, my sister had a longer birth ending in a csec but my nephew was 5 weeks early and the cord was around his neck.

This is slightly frightening to me since the hospital is a 20 min drive away. I really don't know what I should do when it happens. I don't want to get there and be sent home. Or call them and they tell me to wait and I end up having the baby on the road or at home.

I'm tempted to call the maternity ward and ask them just to see what their take is on the situation. hmm I'm really not sure.

What do you ladies think? If you've had a baby before did you labor like your mother?

 

[Carly.C]

I'd love to say you'll instinctively know when to go in or call but I had an accidental home birth 3weeks ago. My eldest was born 14hours after my waters broke and I called the labour ward when contractions came every 3minutes. My youngest was born at home and delivered by my mother 1.5 hours after my waters broke but contractions were REALLY intense and close together straight away. Good luck and I hope your judgement is better than mine haha x

 

[Cattia]

I was told that you should go in if your contractions are lasting a minute and are three minutes apart. With my daughter I had three days of contractions before she was born but with my son it was 6 hours start to finish so no two births are the same, even for the same person. My mum had C sections with both me and my brother so I had nothing to go on! We live around a 30 minute drive from the birthing centre; if you go too soon then they will send you home, but better that than giving birth in the car so I would say call them and get their advice when the time comes but of you feel unsure then go in.

 

[Harley Quinn]

No, I did not labour like my mother. She had three c-sections because she never dilated/progressed past a certain point. I had two vaginal births, one was about 12 hours active labour and the second was 2 hours active labour!

I've never heard the part about your contractions having to be 5 minutes apart for 2 hours. I was just told to go once they reached that point. I think if you go when they are only 10 minutes apart, they probably won't admit you and you'll just have to turn around and go home anyway.

It's a tough one, really. I mean, you don't want to wait too long at home before you go in in case it is indeed fast, but you also don't want to be told to go home and wait (although you shouldn't feel embarrassed of going in for what turns out to be false labour - better safe than sorry!).

But 20 minutes really isn't all that far away. Unless things progress REALLY quickly, I think you'll make it in time.

 

[RosemaryBaby]

I would check with your doctor or mid-wife since each facility and professional has preferred instructions (at least in the U.S.). The doctor's office for my first labor said to call when contractions became regular but if they were more than 5 minutes apart to drink three glasses of water and lie down to make sure the contractions weren't brought on by activity or dehydration and then call back in one hour if they remained consistent or got worse (they said to come in at 5 minutes apart for one hour). My current doctor also says to call before going in to the hospital, but to call when contractions are regular and between 5-10 minutes apart, but provides no length of time that has to occur. Waters breaking would also require a call, though mine didn't break with my first one and I'm still waiting to find out how this one goes.

The unknowns of labor can create a lot of worry; doctors expect that and aren't bothered if you call. When in doubt, call!!!

 

[RebeccaR19]

I did not have a pregnancy similar to my mom's in any way. Both her pregnancies, she carried 2 weeks past her due date. My son was born a week before his. Of course, I don't know about this one yet, but I feel it will be similar.

My labor was not like hers either. With my sister, her labor was 12 hours. For me, it was 6, I think. I was in labor 24 hours. Coming from someone who went to the hospital too soon last time, I'm definitely waiting longer this time. Everyone keeps telling me don't wait because the 2nd one comes faster but it is unbelievably uncomfortable to be strapped to all of that stuff in the hospital so long and completely unable to sleep because of it. I was so tired and miserable by the time my son was born because I couldn't even sleep due to the stupid blood pressure cuff that kept going off.
I know everyone is different. And like others said, it isn't any easy call to make. If contractions come first, I'd wait until they were every 5 minutes for 2 hours. My water broke last time and even if it broke this time, I'd wait until my body started going into active labor on its own for an hour at least before going to the hospital. I think being stuck in the bed slowed my labor down.

 

[lanet]

With dad my water broke first, no contractions, and that's an automatic admission to the hospital.
I know im on preterm labor watch since I'm having twins and they say to come in if I have 6 contractions an hour for 2 hours.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'd call and see what they say, personally. And I'd be ready to go early if the first stage seemed to be going faster than expected. Is there anywhere near the hospital that you can wait if you get there early and get kicked out? A park to walk around maybe? Or a friend's house?

I don't have the hospital list handy, but my birth class advice was to follow the 4-1-1 rule - contractions four minutes apart, one minute long, for one hour. I've also heard that when they get strong enough that it's hard to talk through them, then it's time to go.

 

[emyandpotato]

I followed that advice, eventually gave up and was desperate so went in anyway despite them not really being pleased with me. He was born half an hour after I arrived.

 

[luz]

is it your first baby? Typically labor for your first baby is very slow, and so that is a good recommendation. I waited for that and got to the hospital at 5 cm. Now. . .with my second baby i went off of the same recommendation and walked into the hospital fully dilated and she was born 10 minutes after walking in.

This time around i'm going to the hospital as soon as my contractions are regular. I don't want to have the baby in the car!

 

[SweetMelodies]

Yes this is my first baby. Thanks everyone for your advice! I guess the best I can do is what I think is best for me when the time comes.

 

[Harley Quinn]

^ Definitely!

 

[d_b]

I know there are exceptions, but usually first labours are pretty slow. I had a 'fast' first labour (according to the doctor and nurses) but it was still 5 or 6 hours long. We were told to follow the 3-1-1 rule (contractions 3 min apart, lasting 1 min, for 1 hour) but we waited for closer to 2 hours. I was sort of in denial but OH made me go in . We were still at the hospital for a couple hours before DS1 was born. Pushing alone took at least an hour, so no risk of having the baby in the car (we're 15 min from the hospital).

For DS2 my doctor told me to go in right away. Again I was stalling at my house but OH made me leave. That labour was only 2 hours.

So you might not know when to go in, but your OH will! A 20 minute drive isn't too bad.

Oh and my first and second labours were very similar to my mother's.

 

[luz]

A good rule of thumb (I think) is to go when you can't walk or talk through the contractions anymore. I suppose the point of waiting for your contractions to be close for a few hours is just to make sure you are in active labor ... As others have said, you will probably know when it's time