Questions & Answers

if this is your first pregnancy you really should have any issues making it to the hospital in plenty of time. most likely you will be there too early not too late. Average length of first ACTIVE labors are 12 hours. My neighbor had to drive 45 min out and her doctor just told her to leave for the hospital when her contractions were 5 min apart and she had no problems getting there. I got lucky my hospital is 5 min up the road but I'm going to stay home until the last possible min because I hate the thought of being stuck in the hospital too soon.

I would ask your in laws if they could stay close by in case you need them to drive you to the hospital, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to. My in laws are five mins away and were my back up plan, fortunately my husband was home when I started having contractions.

I live 45mins away from the hospital and my husband works 2hrs away in London which he travels to by train, very unreliable trains.
He's going to try to work from home alot coming up to due date but my other sources such as family will notify their employer that they may have to dash away to take me.
I'm not worried though as I was in labour for 26 hrs before I was admitted into hospital as ours doesn't take you in till your 5cm dilated or going into second stage. I had plenty of warning so hubby stayed home.
Its very rare for surprise births but all I can suggest is yes take your bag everywhere and I mean even for 5 min trips, I had two packed one for the car and one incase I wasn't with the car. Plan out and ask all those you can to be on standby to take you with prior arrangements with employers. I'm sure though you'll have plenty of warning.

Call an ambulance if need be as they have sirens they'll get to you quickly and get you to the hospital quicker and at least you'll have trained professionals if they have to deliver. This is of course, if you know your not going to make it. Best of luck on your big day.

If need be, you can always take a cab. I did to my last birth. It was a planned induction, so we knew when we were leaving, but a cab service if no one else is available can get you to your destination. What exciting days you are in right now, you'll figure it all out, can't wait to hear the story! GL!!!

Depending what stage of labor you'll be in, driving yourself is most likely not going to work out. I think your plan needs to be to NOT drive yourself to the hospital, since the hospital in your case is the place to be. I'd definitely have your bag packed at home and ready to go. Now, these horror stories you're speaking of...I'm choosing to have a home birth so I will be in my delivery room as soon as I walk in my door. It's not such a terrible thing to have a baby in a car or house waiting for an ambulance(sounds like part of your plan possibly), you just have to open yourself up to the idea that that baby is gonna come when that baby wants to come, and that's okay. Is this your first delivery? When real labor begins, it takes quite a while(usually). You'll have time to figure out if you're in early labor, active labor, or transition. Research these if you haven't already. Active labor is generally the time women are told to go to the hospital. You'll have plenty of time, don't worry