terrified now!cadvice anyone?

[Scarletts.Mummy]

Ive been hearing loads of horror stories about the hospital Im booked to give birth in about not having enough room etc.

Iv now been told that I will not be allowed in until my contractions are three minutes apart as there is not enough room in the hospital.( they have sent several of my friends back home)... labour could last ages before this .....any ideas for coping before I can go in as Im going to be stuck at home??

the only other hospital is 40 miles away so thats not an option.

 

[NickyB]

We've been told ours is similar, in that we should wait until our contractions are a minute long, three minutes apart unless we're really not coping with the earlier pains.

The advice is paracetamol, a bath or shower, breathing and relaxation. Perhaps look into a tens machine?

 

[andreag]

I think most hospitals are like this now. please try not to worry - if you really can't cope they will take you in.
I managed mine with a bath as I started at nnight. If it had been in the day, i would have tried to move around more. Some people swaer by the tens machines, but I never tried it myself. Breathing and relaxation tehniques can work wonders though. Try to involve your partner in the techniques so they can help and talk you through it.

 

[mum2soon4]

Try not to worry too much i am sure they will see you when you can´t stay home any longer, the above advice and def the tens machine is what im hoping to stay at home as long as possible.

 

[Steelgoddess]

The majhority of hospitals advise you to stay at home to the last minute anyway, You could always consider a homebirth???

 

[Sherlock]

Ummm 3-4 minutes apart is when my hospital advised women to come in. Not before then. So tbh it doesn't really sound that bad. FWIW you could still labour for a while even when that close together. I laboured another 9 hours or so from the point of contractions being 2-3 minutes apart.

I had a homebirth so avoided all the getting to hospital thing

TENS machine might be worth a shot. I found it more annoying than anything and it does not stop the pain, simply detracts from it.

Keeping mobile, warm shower or bath, massage and breathing techniques are all good too

I'm sure you'll be fine

 

[dannii87]

It's such a scary thought to think we'll be in pain for 60 seconds every few minutes... BUT, so many women swear by TENS machines, baths, relaxing, breathing techniques etc to get them through those first few stages.

You'll probably feel more comfortable at home anyway... I know I am hoping to stay at home for as long as possible (but plans change lol. If it gets too bad I'll happily sit on the floor on A&E with some G&A if needs be!!)

Even if you can't cope with the pain when the contractions are every 6/7 minutes, I'm sure they wouldn't send you away if you say you really can't cope with the pain. At the end of the day, we all have different pain thresh holds (yours is probably better than you are expecting!) and so if you really can't cope, surely they won't make you go away?! You'll be fine, I'm sure! xx