When is the best time to leave for the hospital?

susan1 · 04-06-2006, 01:45 PM

I was at my last brith for 30 hours. ...I think I left to soon to go to the hospital. However I needed this brith so I left because my other birth was less then four hours so I thought this would happen again.

Susan

fearlessbirth · 04-06-2006, 01:53 PM

I wonder this as well. I have a client who has said she's going to need some coaxing to leave her house (she's not having a homebirth because of pets and the risk of genetic defects with her baby). I told her I can't make any decisions for her but felt like it was a really fine line. What if I suggest too late? What if it's too early and we're at the hospital forever? Lol I'm pretty confident in my ability to tell when it's 'time' but things can vary so much.

DL · 04-06-2006, 02:10 PM

Good question!

Because of my laziness

, instead of typing out an answer, I'm going to encourage you to check out a previous thread that we had on this topic. HTHs!

When do you recommend going to the hospital?

susan1 · 04-06-2006, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doula Lori

Good question!

Because of my laziness

, instead of typing out an answer, I'm going to encourage you to check out a previous thread that we had on this topic. HTHs!

When do you recommend going to the hospital?

Hmm.....maybe I am to tired to read and understand but what I was looking for is when the best time for a doula to head to the hosptial?

However when i take a good nap I will read over the posts again.

Thanks,
Susan

DL · 04-06-2006, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan1

Hmm.....maybe I am to tired to read and understand but what I was looking for is when the best time for a doula to head to the hosptial?

However when i take a good nap I will read over the posts again.

Thanks,
Susan

Susan, I've been there! It's really hard to think straight after attending such a long labor/birth!

OK....When you feel ready to read this stuff, tell me if I'm getting this right now: You're not wondering about heading to the hospital with mom after giving home labor support. You are wondering about when you should go to the hospital, if not giving in-person home labor support, and mom calls and says she's going to the hospital. Is the second one what you mean?

If so...here's my answer: I go to the hospital whenever I find out that mom is heading for the hospital (if she says she's leaving in 20 minutes, then I time myself to arrive around the same time as her). If possible, I try to meet her near the door and walk into L/D with her. At worst...I arrive just a few minutes behind them. Does that help?

susan1 · 04-08-2006, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doula Lori You [U

are[/u] wondering about when you should go to the hospital, if not giving in-person home labor support, and mom calls and says she's going to the hospital. Is the second one what you mean?

If so...here's my answer: I go to the hospital whenever I find out that mom is heading for the hospital (if she says she's leaving in 20 minutes, then I time myself to arrive around the same time as her). If possible, I try to meet her near the door and walk into L/D with her. At worst...I arrive just a few minutes behind them. Does that help?

Yes, the second one.

Do you ask the moms how many mintues apart are her contraction?

The thing was this mom her contractions were 2-3 mintues apart however they stop ..we could get the contractions going but when night roll around she was tired so we stop ...she slept...next morning we started up the contractions. ...the whole night she only had one contraction. This mom needed the help however I think I left to soon to head to the hosptial. I kinda don't want to do that again. So girls I really like eveyone option. did i leave to soon or are some births like that?

Thanks

DL · 04-08-2006, 04:35 PM

I still hold my opinion that you go to the hospital whenever the mom does. There is just too much that can happen when you're not there to take the chance of not being there if mom is pressured into something (oh, that's horrible English, but I hope you know what I mean!). My last client sounded much like yours', ctx's 2-3 minutes apart, lasting 50-60 seconds...and intense, too! After being at the hospital for a long while (16 hrs of labor, @ 3-4 cm), they stopped (to maybe one an hour, or nothing if she was asleep). After trying everything we could think of, the midwife suggested that she go back home to see if anything would start back up. Within two hours of being at home, she was entering transition, and so off to the hospital again! It was something about being at home that allowed her to relax more and to de-stress enough to progress from 4cm-7cm. We were also working with trying to correct mal-position, but it all can play together to cause labor dystocia.

To answer your other question: yes, I do ask about how far apart, the frequency, and the intensity of their ctx's while on the phone. I also try to make sure that I have her on the phone when a ctx comes, so I can hear how she seems to be coping (if she has to stop talking to breath through it, gets majorly distracted if trying to talk through it, if she's talkative and cheerful throughout, etc.). The final decision, however, is up to the client and her provider of when to go to the hospital. If the decision is to go, then I go, too. I'm her "woman servant"....a.k.a. doula. I have to be prepared for possibly being there a very long time.

moncton doula · 04-08-2006, 07:34 PM

I always tell my clients to call me whenever you feel you want me there...whether that's at home in early labor or when they decide they'd like to in to hospital I go meet them there for when they arrive. I leave it totally up to them.

DL · 04-08-2006, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moncton doula

I always tell my clients to call me whenever you feel you want me there...whether that's at home in early labor or when they decide they'd like to in to hospital I go meet them there for when they arrive. I leave it totally up to them.

I also totally leave it up to them to call me about home labor support. A LOT of times, they don't feel that they need me until they feel that it's time to go to the hospital. I do, however, request that they inform me of whenever they head off to the hospital because I do intend to start labor support by then. Even if they aren't in need of a lot of physical support just yet, most could really benefit from the emotional and informational support as soon as they arrive on the L/D floor. I explain this to them ahead of time, they've all obliged, and I've never had anyone not want me there whenever I've shown up.

susan1 · 04-08-2006, 08:40 PM

Well this is the reason at first I was thinking I like to be there at earily labor so I can help them not have a early epi ...if they want one. However 30 hours so a bit long...however I have to say I had a lot of fun. The nurses kept coming in the room whating to join in the fun because we were lauging. Well I guess I will just leave it to the parent on what they what to do.

Thanks, Susan

DL · 04-08-2006, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by susan1

Well this is the reason at first I was thinking I like to be there at earily labor so I can help them not have a early epi ...if they want one. However 30 hours so a bit long...however I have to say I had a lot of fun. The nurses kept coming in the room whating to join in the fun because we were lauging. Well I guess I will just leave it to the parent on what they what to do.

Thanks, Susan

I agree that thirty hours IS a long time! It's not all that uncommon, however. This will happen from time-to-time; I bet that there are several doulas on Alldoulas who have gone past that, even. We never know how short or long a labor will be and have to be willing to stay for the long-haul if need be. Now....I do have written in my contract that I *may* call in my backup for assistance or relief if the client's labor goes beyond 24 hours, and in the event that I no longer think that I can support them in the way that they deserve. I haven't needed to call a backup yet (not even for my last 30 hour birth, but I know that I can if I have to...but that would really be an extreme situation for me). If this is a concern for you, maybe that's something that you could consider putting in your contract? ...just a thought.

susan1 · 04-08-2006, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doula Lori

.[/i] I haven't needed to call a backup yet (not even for my last 30 hour birth, but I know that I can if I have to...but that would really be an extreme situation for me). If this is a concern for you, maybe that's something that you could consider putting in your contract? ...just a thought.

Well I would put it in my contract how ever I don't have a back up. It's all me or nothing.