Going to hospital for the birth
If you get everything ready in advance and pack the things you'll need to take with you to hospital, you won't have to worry about being caught unprepared.
What to take to hospital
© DK
The items you'll need with you in hospital fall into three groups: clothes and other personal things for you; the comfort aids you'll need for labour; and clothes and nappies for your baby.
For you
You'll need two or three maternity bras and front-opening cotton nightdresses, a supply of breast pads, a dressing gown and slippers, pants, and a supply of super-absorbent, stick-on sanitary towels (these may be supplied by the hospital). Pack an overnight bag with your hairbrush and shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, a couple of towels and facecloths, a small mirror, some make-up, face cream, hand cream, and tissues. If you've made a birth plan, take it with you, along with your maternity notes.
For your baby
Hospitals don't provide baby clothes or nappies so take your own. Take a blanket in which to wrap your baby when you leave the hospital, and a car seat if you are coming home by car.
Is it time to go to hospital?
When your due date is near, your body will begin to give you signals that it's preparing for the birth. You may have some symptoms of pre-labour and, in some cases, labour. Although you don't have to rush to hospital when you have any of the following, you do need to be ready for them and make your final preparations. The show normally comes first, and either the waters breaking or contractions will follow, although sometimes contractions come first. For more information see Pre-labour and Labour.
The show
The plug of blood-tinged mucus that has been sealing your cervix prior to birth becomes dislodged during the early first stage of labour, if not before. It can happen days or even weeks before labour.
The waters break
Pressure caused by contractions or your baby's head pressing on the membranes of your amniotic sac may cause it to rupture before labour starts. The amniotic fluid will then escape.
Regular contractions
Whether or not you've been aware of any contractions before, you start to experience them as severe cramp-like pains that come at regular intervals and last longer and longer. The interval between contractions gets shorter.
When to go
If, over an hour, you notice your contractions are coming every five to 15 minutes, are about one minute long, and don't die away when you move around, or when you feel you can't cope without pain relief, call your labour ward or midwife, depending on what you've arranged. At this time, your first level of breathing will probably no longer be enough, and you'll be getting ready to use other breathing patterns as pre-labour eases into the first stage. There's still plenty of time to check that you have everything you need and to get to the hospital.
There's absolutely no need to rush into hospital because the first stage usually lasts at least eight hours for a first baby and can be 12-14 hours. But if you live a long way from the hospital or you're particularly worried about getting there in time, go as soon as you feel that you have to.
Transport
You'll probably travel to the hospital by car, by taxi, or, in an emergency, by ambulance. Never try to drive yourself. If you call an ambulance or taxi, be sure to give your full address and, if necessary, a clear description of how to get to your house so there's no delay. If you are planning to go by car, make sure that the car has been serviced recently and that there's plenty of fuel in the tank from about week 38.
Your checklist
When your contractions begin, keep calm and don't rush: labour can last 12-14 hours for a first child and about seven hours for subsequent children.
When labour starts you need to:
- notify the hospital
- contact your partner or your birth coach to arrange your journey to the hospital. You should only call an ambulance in an emergency, for example, if you're bleeding heavily
- advise whoever's going to look after your other children, if it's not your partner, that you are in labour
- check that your hospital bag, your baby's bag, and your bag of labour aids are packed
- sit down and wait calmly for your transport to arrive
- make yourself a hot, sweet drink.
Your journey to hospital
If you're travelling to hospital by car or taxi, do what you can to make your journey safe and comfortable.
In the weeks leading up to the birth, make sure that both you and whoever's going to drive you to the hospital know the route really well. Find out how long the journey is likely to take at different times of the day, and work out alternative routes in case there's exceptionally heavy traffic or other delays on the day. Find out if you need to take any money for the car park and make sure you have the right change ready. It's also a good idea to check the different entrances to the hospital and find out how to get to the labour ward from each of them - especially at night.
The car
The bigger the car you travel in, the more comfortable you're likely to be. You'll probably feel safer and more comfortable in the back seat.
Sudden birth
If your baby starts to arrive while you're still on your way to the hospital, stay as calm as you can. If you're close to the hospital, you have a good chance of getting there before your baby is actually born, but if you're farther away, stop the car at the nearest telephone, call for an ambulance, and then get ready for an emergency delivery.
Posted 16.11.2010
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