[Covert]

I am currently 35 weeks pregnant and have had a perfect, text book pregnancy apart from the normal moans and groans etc.

I live 45 minutes away from the hospital where I am booked in to give birth. This is on a good run in. During peak hour it can be 1.5 hours away, thanks to the awesome Perth traffic.

I had my first contraction with my son at 4.19am and 5 hours later I was holding him in my arms. I arrived at the hospital 9cm dilated and after 10 minutes of pushing he was born.

My OB has said that the general rule is that you half this and he himself has predicted a 2 - 3 hour labour (I realise this is not an exact science and is just a guesstimate.).

I had my pre-admission interview at the hospital today and the midwives there said if I arrive at the hospital needing to push, to stay in the car and get DH to ring them on the way so they can run down and get me. She specifically said that if things "heat up" at home and I feel the urge to push to call an Ambulance and not even bother coming in. She said all this after reading my file and commenting on how quickly DS arrived.

When things happen I need to call DH (who works 45 minutes away) and wait for my Mum (who lives 10 mins away) to come over and take DS.

I am terrified that we are not going to make it to the hospital in time. I do not want to give birth at home and I do not want to give birth on the freeway and I do not want to give birth without an epi.

Would you talk to your OB about induction? Have you ever been induced for your own convinence and not something related to a medical issue?

This post has been edited by Covert: 10/12/2012, 10:35 PM

[kay11]

One of my friends had an induction due to fast labour first time around. Her obgyn recommended it and I thought it did make it medically indicated?

[katrina24]

Hi, my first was 4 hours and second 2 from first contraction. The hospital never considered an induction. My first was private and I actually asked at my 6 week check about number 2. He said just head to hospital first contraction. Second ended up public and, as I said, induction was never mentioned as an option. It (delivering in a car) did play on my mind a bit. I didn't have as long to travel as you though.



This post has been edited by katrina24: 10/12/2012, 10:44 PM

[Sinister Bonnet]

A 5 hour labour is not precipitate labour and even if the next labour is half, you still have time to get to hospital.

I think you will find that instead of offering you an induction with the risks involved with that you would be better off planning to leave for the hospital the moment you think labour has established. Your first labour was not precipitate, it was that you stayed at home to labour and arrived at the hospital ready to deliver.

[stardust81]

My first labour was around 8 hours. My second was just under 2 hours. I arrived at the hospital with less than 30 minutes to spare and that was with him being posterior and a bit stuck. If I had a third I would definitely want an induction if it were possible (however both my babies were prem so I am assuming a 3rd would arrive earlier than an induction could be scheduled anyway).
I too would be terrified of giving birth at home or in the car, and I really wish I could have had an epi last time - I found the whole experience really horrible and would want to try an avoid the frantic rush to get to hospital on time particularly if I was alone with the kids when going into labour as it went from nothing to excruciating pain very quickly last time.

[SeaPrincess]

Discuss your concerns with your OB. I'm sure you're not the first or the last person to be worried abut having your baby before getting to hospital.

My 1st labour was an induction by ARM, 6.5 hours. Baby was over a week overdue and my BP was steadily going up.

2nd labour was spontaneous at 36w5d, 3 hours from the first little niggle until the baby was in arms. I only waited long enough to be sure I was having contractions before telling DH we had to go to hospital. Front page of the paper a couple of days later was a couple who did have their baby on the side of the road!

With #3, I was staying with my parents in walking distance of the hospital (although I don't think I could have walked it in labour!) I ended up having an induction after the EDD, again by ARM, and the labour was about 6 hours.

[feliz6]

A good friend of mine had an induction for non medical reasons. She said she wouldn't do it again as she found the birth more difficult than her first. However it still May have been more difficult even if she wasn't induced. There's no way to know for sure. BTW her firs birth was very quick.

[Natttmumm]

I would plan to go to the hospital at the very first sign of anything. Gives DH 10 mins to get home and drive you. Just don't muck around.
If its around 2 hours you will have enough time.
I wouldn't plan an induction for that although I'm sure some do. To answer the question. My private ob would do inductions for no real medical reason after about 39 weeks. I think he needed some reason to do it but not necessarily medical.
I was planned to be induced with DD1 for medical reasons but the receptionist kept asking if I was doing that to avoid a Xmas day birth which was her due date. That wasn't the reason but she said others were doing that.
With the induction it was very slow and didn't progress well even though my waters broke naturally just before the induction was planned for. I was induced for DD2 also Nd again very slow

[ras500]

my first labour was 45 mins from first contraction to birth, with my waters breaking just a few minutes before DS1 was born, he was also 12 ays early. He was born in the car 10 mins from home, ambos only got there in time to catch him, and only cause they said the radio msg was taht I was only 5mths so they drove super fast.
With my 2nd my OB suggested an induction and I was against messing with nature, in the end, 6 days before I was due I was 3cm dialated at my check up and DH and been really stressing about missing the birth, so I agreed to have my waters broken, DS2 was born 55mins from first contraction.
I was not worried about not deliverying in hospital as I sort of knew what to expect second time round, though when DS2 was born he had the cord around his neck twice, so I was very glad to be in hospital with medical staff around.
I am now PG with #3 and OB has suggested getting my waters broken again, but again I don't want to mess with nature and there is no guarantee the birth with again be quick, closer to the time, I'll get internals and if I'm already starting to dialate will more thatn likely agree to get my waters broken, more so to ensure DH can be there and cause I'm a bit scared about the cord thing.

I would think if your Ob thought you might not make it they would have already discussed the option with you, and fwiw, I don't know a single person who's 2nd labout has been 1/2 the time of the first, it could be much less, the same or more, it can't really be predicted.

[roses99]

A friend of mine had her first proper contraction while hanging out clothes on the line. Exactly 18 minutes later (yes - she set a stop watch as her previous labour had been quite quick) she had her baby in her arms. Luckily she did make it to hospital in time - but only just!

I don't think a previous 5 hour labour sets you up for a crazy fast subsequent labour. I have had two inductions, both of them lasting pretty much exactly 2 hours and 45 minutes. Neither was medically necessarily but rather for my peace of mind. However, my OB would not have allowed either of them had I not been full-term and extremely favourable in both cases.

An induction when you are not favourable and when your baby isn't otherwise ready to come, can be a very long, drawn-out affair and comes with the risk of intervention.

I think you're probably better of just having a good plan in place so that you can leave for the hospital with the first sign of labour. Even if that means you just jump in your car, drive to your Mum's and then on to the hospital. Or drive with your son to the hospital and have your mum pick him up from there.