When did you go to the hospital and how long did you labor?

[seamonster]

For those of you who didn't home birth, at what point during labor did you go to the hospital? How long did you labor at the hospital? Did anyone try to force interventions on you, and at what point? Also, how many people were in the room with you when you had the baby (how many doctors, nurses, etc)?

Yes, I'm watching the Business of Born and probably shouldn't be

 

[Linnis]

I went into labor around noon, decided I should get to the hospital at 6p got there at 7p and was pushing by 1a.

They didn't start 'forcing' their opinions on me until DS started having trouble and then I did. The head nurse went into Bossy Head Nurse mode and seemed to get annoyed when I would ask her what was happening and wanting to be informed before she did something.

She gave me a catherder which I would have been against if she would have asked and the doctor had removed minutes later which gave me one hell of a UTI, bladder and kidney infection. I'm against them for a reason which she'd have known about if she listened to DH for I.

There were about 15 people in the room. My OB, the High Risk OB who was called, nurses and my DH.

 

[Birbitt]

With my first son I was induced so I was at the hospital on Friday at 6 and finally started pushing on Sunday around 9 and finally he was born at 11:47. It was a military hospital and so I pretty much had no say in anything and it caused me and the baby a lot of problems because they decided to just try things so that the baby would come out and because of half the things they did my ds kept having distress which only made matters worse.

Then with my second child I went into labor around midnight and went to the hospital at 4 and was pushing by 7 and ds was born a little after 9. This experience went much better and the baby was fine when he was born. Also the drs and nurses were much nicer this time and they really listened to me and explained everything and gave me options.

Both times there was 1-3 nurses in the room along with a dr or nurse midwife and my dh.

 

[~Mrs. A2J~]

My first was born in a hospital. We got there at about 7pm and I was 3cm dilated and having contractions 2 mins apart. After only about 2-3 hours they "checked" me and "accidently" broke my waters (without my consent). They kept asking me if I wanted drugs or an epidural even though it was made known I didn't want any intervention. At about 2.20am I was 10cms and told to start pushing. After only 20mins of pushing apparently things weren't going fast enough for them so they pushed an episiotomy on me and at that point in time I wasn't in a position to fight it too much so they cut me and I've had pain at that site ever since. There were about 5 or 6 medical staff in the room in addition to my husband and I. That hospital also gave my daughter formula even though they were told we were breastfeeding. After that experience I started looking into alternatives for future babies.

With baby #2 I was lucky enough to find a a free standing birthing center with midwives. They were wonderful! I only wish I had been able to use the birthing tub! In hindsight I went into labor 10am. I labored through church that Sunday morning but because my contractions weren't regular I didn't think it was "it" yet. By 1pm though I was in agony so we headed to the birthing center. As we got to the birthing center my water broke as I got out of the car and he was born 17mins later before I could even be checked to see how dilated I was. Liam was 9lbs 12oz and I had no tearing or anything which made me all the more upset about the forced episiotomy of Katheryn's birth especially when she was only a small 8lbs 4oz compared to her whopper of a brother. There were about 5 midwives in the room along with my husband and I because Liam was practically born in the waiting room LOL I was even sitting on one of the midwives laps when he was born

With my third I used the same birthing center. On the day after his due date I thought I was in labor. I was having regular contractions and had dilated to 3cms, an additional two from the previous day's check up. Since it was late at night we decided to go home so I could try and get some sleep in my own bed. At about 2am all my contractions stopped and I stayed at 3cms for the next week. I'm sure if I had been in the hospital I had had my first at I would have had pitocin pushed on me to try to "help" things get moving again before my son was obviously ready to be born. A week later I went into labor on my own and it was only 3 hours from when I knew it was "it" until Joseph was born. I had a waterbirth and it was totally intervention free and the two midwives there totally stayed back and left me alone. I was wonderful. My husband, daughter and other son watched him being born and it felt like such an intimate family experience because the midwives realised that it was OUR experience and they were there only for the "just in case". The labor and delivery was virtually pain free. I credit that to the friendly relaxing atmosphere the birthing center and midwives provided.

 

[jgonz]

Each of my births was a different experience, with different sets of issues with hospital personnel (except for my 1 home birth).

Generally speaking though, I waited to go to the hospital until I was Serious about contractions, couldn't speak or walk through them, and just had a Knowing it was time to go.

Interventions depended on which healthcare provider I had for each labor... But the more educated I became, the less people messed with me during my labor (I guess I got scary or something. LOL)

Number of people in the room... I'm not sure. Except for 2 of my births where No one was in the room except for DH (both were Unassisted In the hospital! lol) I close my eyes when I'm in labor and go into myself. So I really honestly don't know how many people were in the room for most of my births.

Number of hours of labor:
#1~ 21 hrs
#2~ 4 hrs
#3~ around 6 hrs
#4~ all day, but I didn't know I was in labor... so at the hospital, 2 hrs
#5~ about 5 hrs
#6~ about 6 hrs
#7~ about 4 hrs
#8~ all night... back labor... this was my home water birth
#9~ didn't know I was in labor, but once we got to the hospital it was 4 hrs
#10~ about 8 hrs

 

[-~Truth_N_Trust~-]

with my first my water broke around 7am. I was very naughty and didn't tell the hospital anything until late that night (I felt fine, waters were clear, bubs was kicking) when I was having contractions (I wasn't sure if they were real contractions yet - turns out they weren't...) The midwife scolded me, checked me (yes waters broken, no not dilated) and told me to come back the next morning for an induction. We came back early in the morning (after forgetting to grab the panadeine that they offered so not really sleeping much through the 'false' contractions!) So we got there around 7am, they let me try to go into labour naturally for a while (while waiting for a delivery suite) until around 12.30pm. The contractions were speeding up and getting strong by this point. Finally at around 2pm I was checked again (4cm!), hooked up and induced. I think I wrangled it pretty well to hold off so long on the induction - and I think it helped things go smoothly because I didn't have any further intervention - anyway, after the induction kicked in it took me 5 hrs to get to fully dilated, then another nearly 2 hours of pushing (which was fine), and only using some gas, overall a very positive experience... As I remember it I had in the room with me my DH, 1 midwife, 1 trainee midwife (she was great!), 1 doctor. That was at the end, throughout the labour I mostly only had the 1 midwife with me with the others popping in every now and then.

With my second I went into labour at 3.30am, contractions were textbook - every 10 mins like clockwork. 3 hrs later they started getting closer together (around 7mins) so we decided to organise dropping off DD and heading to hospital. We got to the hospital-birth centre not long after 7am, DS was born at 10.44am - no intervention, they pretty much left me alone, just one midwife and another midwife at the end to help deliver, I had some gas to help me through. It was a great experience, I was able to move around more cos I wasn't strapped down so much like with the induction... getting the stupid placenta out was what brought the doctors, catheter, spinal tap etc...

 

[Assisi]

I was induced. And actually, I think that was good - no driving to the hospital whilst in labour.

They began with cervidil at 8pm and my baby was born about 4pm the next day. In the morning I was checked and I was 2-3cms (from 0cm, not effaced the night before), I'd had period pain but nothing compared to what I felt when they put in the syntocin and broke my waters at about 9:30am. Then things really got going. So I count my labour as 6 hours - from the time they broke my waters.

My labour was great. My midwives were surprised that I didn't request an epidural immediately and were very supportive of me trying not to have any meds. DH and I were left pretty much alone for the whole labour. Occasionally a midwife would pop in when we rang for one (like when I knew I had to push). At the actual delivery it was me, DH, OB and one midwife (and then DS, YAY!). They were fantastic and very supportive. I didn't want an episiotomy, and so I didn't get one. I was monitored the entire time during my labour, but they only made me lie down once to be checked, one other time I lay down because I requested to be checked. DH and I were allowed to do our thing. Perfect.

 

[gracepaints]

My water broke at wee hours of the morning and I immediately started having contractions that were a minute long and three minutes apart. I went to the hospital after an hour and had my baby a short 9.5 hours later. In retrospect, I went in too early. I was still in early labor and happy. I should have waited until I felt serious. Then I would have gotten there at 4+ cm dilated and not just 2.5. (Read about the emotional signpost for labor to learn more about what I'm talking about.)

No one ever tried to push any interventions on me, but I was very choosy about my hospital and doctor. I deliberately picked a low intervention hospital and a natural birth supporting doctor. I also had a very clear, concise birthplan.

When I delivered, my husband, doula, doctor and a couple of nurses were present. Everyone was very supportive.

The BoBB is a great movie.

 

[Leanna]

My first pregnancy and labor I was pretty naive, didn't even have the internet, and I went into labor about 11pm and went into the hospital at about 2am. I didn't have him until 4:30pm the next day. I had decided beforehand that I would get the epidural but I could handle it until then... but of course I was given a nurse that kept telling me I looked stressed and that I needed this other drug.... well after 8 hours of that, I let her give me half a dose. It was simply awful stuff, I was completely out of it and couldn't even see straight or think straight. On the good side, the epidural people came in about 5 minutes after that and since I was so out of it I did not panic. I had just about every bad thing happen to me short of a c-section.... pitocin after the epidural... a 4th degree tear... I cried for days just trying to get to the bathroom.

My second time around I decided to go completely opposite of that and so I prepared for a natural birth with midwives. I started to go into labor while we were snowed in (literally into our town with no way to the hospitaland I told my body no and it stopped, I am still pretty convinced I would have had her that day, ever read Ina May's Guide to Childbirth? Anyway, two days later my in laws drove me to the mall so I could walk and tell the baby I was ready now. I suspected I might be in early labor as we went to a steakhouse after that but thought I would have a long labor like the last time. My husband met us at the steakhouse and when it came time to order I knew I was in labor and so I had to go with a salad instead of steak. Ugh! I wanted a steak. We sent our toddler with the in laws home to sleep and decided to go to a movie theatre after the restaurant since we were in town with the hospital and we live in the country 45 minutes away, but by the time we got in the car I knew I wouldn't be able to sit through a movie so we went straight to the hospital and I had her about 3 hours later. I had a drug free birth on dry land and it was really pretty neat, no complaints there. It did hurt though, A LOT.

My third pregnancy was rough, with placenta previa and week of bleeding, my body hurt and I didn't prepare for birth-- actually I was still torn on whether to just get an epidural because natural birth hurt or to be brave and get the end reward (the afterglow of a natural birth is amazing). My mind wasn't in the right place and I thought I had more time to prepare when my water broke at 36 weeks. I warned my husband at work but told him no labor yet. What does he do!?!? He calls my mother in law who works 2 blocks away from my house and she gets involved which totally throws off my groove. My biggest regret in this labor is that I didn't specify to my husband to NOT call my MIL until I said so. She came over and then I felt pressure to call the midwives and let them know and of course then they wanted to test and see if it really was my water, blah blah. I laid my 1 year old down for a nap and took a shower. Ugh, I wish I had been better prepared. Anyway so I headed to the hospital with a rather bad attitude in fact because I knew I was going in too early and didn't want to. They tested, it was my water, the midwife told me to get a snack and then head to labor and delivery.... so I did... and of course labor stops as soon as I check in and I'm stuck in that delivery room. My bad attitude does not improve and I end up weeping about how I am in the hospital too early and I don't want to be stuck here forever (yeah you're real rational in labor) and the midwife says she is fine with waiting but if I want to try pitocin we can do that too. I wait for a while watching second rate TV and then ask for pitocin and an epidural because I figure pitocin will be crappy so why bother with a natural birth (I told you my attitude sucked ). They started pitocin on the lowest setting and I go straight into active labor, 1 1/2 hours later I got an epidural which was the scariest experience of my life, I thought I was going to die, NEVER will I get an epidural again .... an hour later I had my son. I shouldn't have gotten the epidural because now I've had two quick labors and the pitocin one didn't hurt any more than the one without, the epidural made my legs feel weird and tingly and I didn't like it, and that's only after they stabbed me in the back (man that hurt) ... it wasn't the miracle drug I wished for... and then after all that I didn't even get that wonderful afterbirth high that you get with a natural birth.

Next time I want a waterbirth for variety.

So i guess to REALLY answer the question-- my first birth was the epitomy of what Business of Being Born is talking about. My third though, every intervention I had, I chose myself and they were willing to wait all the way until morning before discussing pitocin.... except I was freaking out, so that was all me.

 

[greenie]

With #1 I got my first contraction at 4am, I went to hospital at 8.30am, he was born at 10am. The only things I were told were a) I wasn't having the baby that morning (yeah right!) and b) to get up on the bed, which i physically couldn't do so refused and had him standing up.

With #2 we lived an hour and a half from the hospital. I got my first contraction at 11.30pm, we left home at 12midnight, arrived at hospital at 1.30am she was born at 1.50am. They didn't even attempt to tell me what to do except get off the toilet and stand over by the bed. Which is how I had her.

This time, I'll go as soon as I get my first contraction again. Hospital is 40 minutes away. And I've already told them I want to stand up to deliver.

I've had really positive experiences though

 

[Hadassah]

I went to the hospital when I was having pains 5 minutes apart on the dot. They stopped after being there a bit and eased off. I was about 1.5 cm dialated and I was allowed to go home or stay. I elected to stay because he'd been giving me labor pains all week and I was sure that was it. I'd have to come in monday were he not born anyhow. Sunday the pains got together and intensified, and I had to have my water broken.. it was getting stressful for me and him, the midwife felt it absolute best were I to go natural.

Labor was about 5 1/2 hours, but it was natural with an episotomy and the midwife, doc, mom, mil and my dh helping me push at the tail end. I was just too exhausted. Other than that, we had the monitor on me and the baby the whole time, an IV (I needed it) and no pain meds except for the stitches which was local.

It was a positive experience really.

 

[ErinBear]

I was in the hospital for almost two weeks. During that time I had to give birth early to my daughter because i had some kind of a diaeses that if i did not take care of it soon then more nasty things would happen. Like heart faliure and other scary things. So once when the doctore saw i was not improving he decide to get my daughter out. I was moved to the delivery room in about 2 minuters and once when i was moved my water broke. My husband was at home when my water broke but my mom was there to tell him. I was in labor for about 11 hours. Then about a little after 1 in the morning my baby was born.

 

[Gods4me]

i went to hospital when my contractions were 5 min apart and were getting painful. which was 2 am and i had my waters broken for me when i was 7 cm.
i had james at 4 pm. the same day.

on the recods it says i was in labour for 10 hours.
2 of which i spent trying to push his head out.
i was given a jab to speed up my contractions while i was pushing because they were slowing down.

i had 1 midwife with me pretty much the hole time and 2 when i was pushing. along with my mum and the father.

 

[Hadassah]

My good friend went in one day early, stayed overnight at 2cm. They did picotocin and it wasn't working - the baby's heartrate went too low each contraction. When they turned it off, it stopped.

When she labored yesterday - she had him in 1 and a half hours! All they did was break her water! (and this is a first baby)