I had a very uncomfortable car ride to the hospital... in the front-seat. As much as I would have loved to be in a different position, I felt strongly that I needed to wear a seatbelt.

 

I have no personal experience, but I have heard of many moms either on all fours in the back seat or backwards in the passanger seat, leaning over the back of the seat. Good luck, that does not sound fun!

 

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Originally Posted by AugustLia23 I have no personal experience, but I have heard of many moms either on all fours in the back seat or backwards in the passanger seat, leaning over the back of the seat. Good luck, that does not sound fun!

That actually sounds like it would work. and you could even do a seatbelt.

My desire was to get on all fours as soon as possible... especially as I was having back labor. We had about a 40 minute drive to the hospital which was awful... got stuck in morning rush-hour in NYC!

 

45 minute trip here... and it theoretically could be longer, if baby has the ill graces to start to come during rush hour (which is actually several hours here in Chicago). I have no idea what I am going to do. I also labor kinda fast, so I am concerned about having to labor REALLY HARD in traffic on the highway... oh dear g*d that is the only thing I am really scared of this time!

 

I also always feel I'd prefer to wear a seat belt & so have taken 3 car rides to the hosp in labor, just sitting upright in the front seat.

I presonally prefer being upright when in labor, as opposed to lying on my side, so the sitting wasn't toooo bad. What REALLY sucks is when we hit a even a slight bump during a contraction. UGH. Otherwise, I just do my labor breathing & do my best to be as comfy as can be. Good luck with everything!

 

i turned around in the passenger seat and leaned over the back. possibly not the safest option but we were lucky enough to be in very light traffic

 

Last time I brought my maternity pillow (a long narrow pillow) and lay on my side in the back seat of our sedan. I tried to get into the relaxation position advocated by Bradley... I was in very serious labor for the half hour drive, and it was very hard, but I got through it. Mostly with visualizations during the contractions.

This time we have an even longer drive... I'm trying to decide if I want to go on the back seat of the sedan (a slightly smaller car than the one we had last time, but four doors at least), or on the floor of the van. I was thinking we could put comforters and stuff on the floor of the van and I could have sort of a quasi-bed back there.

Of course, I'd have to do all of this without a seat belt, which isn't really optional... but I can't think of how to be comfy for an hour in labor WITH a seat belt.

 

I didn't know anyone did anything but sit upright with a seatbelt. Sitting backwards with a seatbelt does not protect you from neck and spinal injuries in the same way sitting forward with a headrest would. I've suffered the drive and it sucked, but I wouldn't have done it any other way.

 

Knowing what I do about crash dynamics and how vehicles are designed, I'd also not consider riding without a seatbelt on. I've had to ride in cars with broken legs propped up on the seat so that I was nearly laying down, but still managed to have a seatbelt on for at least SOME protection (though any position but fully upright limits the effectiveness of the belt). I confess that on my first (and only) labor ride, I was unbelted, but didn't have much say in the matter. Had I known what I know now, there's no way I'd have done it. For me, being upright in labor was a good position, anyway, and honestly, there's no easy way to ride in a car at that point in time!!

 

With DS1 I hit transition so quickly after labour started that I was still at home. I was lucky that we only had a 5 minute drive but I was 9 cm Dilated and sitting upright in the front buckled. I say 9 cm because when I got to the hospital I was 10 cm and I had walked to the delivery room, the nurses were shocked and scrambling. I can't imagine having to sit in the car any longer than that. I lived 30 minutes from the hospital when DS 2 was born. It was one of the deciding factors for me in deciding to have a UC with him.

 

Thanks for this thread, DH and I have been talking about it alot due to the fact that we live way out in the country on BAD bumpy roads! I guess I should just count myself lucky that we only live 15 mins from the birthcenter and it is in a small town at that so not really many traffic worries...

~Steph

 

I labored a long time at home and before I knew it was feeling "pushy". Since I hadn't planned a homebirth, I was in the final stages of labor and starting to push on the 15 minute drive to the hospital. DH covered the seat with chux absorbant pads and towels. He had my water bottle right next to me, and he held my hand (when it was safe). I had the car seat leaned back and just tried to pretend that I was still in the bathtub at home. When the contractions hit (and they were practically one on top of another), I leaned my head back and tried to let go of tension and breathe through it - the Bradley way. It was a difficult ride, but I made it and had my daughter 13 minutes after arriving. To answer your question - seat back, pads underneath (my water had not yet broken), water bottle to sip on between contractions. Good luck!

 

Sheew, Mama, that is exactly what I have been envisioning.
Well, if you can do it, I can do it!

This may sound silly, but I didn't even think about putting the seat back

:

 

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Originally Posted by AnoriensMom This may sound silly, but I didn't even think about putting the seat back :

Just make sure that the seat belt is still touching your upper body and the lower portion is still on your lower legs/pelvis area (under the belly, of course!). Otherwise seatbelts become ineffective. But I can definitely see some recline helping!!