WHEN DO WE GO TO THE HOSPITAL?

This post addresses that age old question (well decades old question), when does a family decide it is time to head to the hospital in labor?  Of course, this assumes you are not having a home birth. (With my own two homebirths, it was my midwives that had to juggle this question - I had no worries about when to go - I was there!)

If it is your first birth, the bigger issue will be, how do you stay home as long as possible?  A first labor can many times be a marathon, not a sprint. So trying to just ignore labor for the early part is essential.  Do you have a drawer that needs to be cleaned?  A list of thank you notes from baby showers?  Some project on your computer?  Or just an old movie you have been wanting to see.

If it's daytime, take a lovely walk - if it is inclement weather, make it a walk through the mall.  Or go to the grocery store to get the ingredients for a nice dinner.  How about making muffins or cookies for the hospital staff later? Think outside the box and be creative about the use of your time.

Once the contractions take over your focus, then you will need to concern yourself with position changes and relaxation - but that is usually many hours into the process.  Take as many naps as possible during this "down" time.

So what are you looking for to head to the hospital?  There is no one answer. And you have to factor in any medical reasons to go in earlier.  If this is a normal progressive labor with no medical issues, you might want to wait until 3-l-l which means 3 minute apart contractions, lasting at least a minute each for an hour.  That needs to be combined with feelings of nausea, shakiness, lots of bathroom needs, and a hot/cold temperature change.

Another reason to head in is that the mom doesn't feel safe.  Something in her instincts says that she needs to get herself or her baby assessed.  Then head in with a view that once you are reassured, you will happily head home to continue your labor.

If you are bleeding excessively, you need to get medical attention.

There are a few other reasons to go - but if you can change your thinking to your home being your "labor room" and the hospital being your "delivery room", your stay in the hospital will be lessened.  If you are still needing to talk to someone about this - add a doula to your birth team~