What happens once Labour starts?

Meeeee79

Hi all! First time mama to be here.

I thought maybe some of the experienced mama's on here could inform us first timers exactly what the process is once you start going in to Labour.

At what stage will u be told to come to the hospital? Once there are u given a room straight away for delivery or how does it work? And at what stage once it's all over do u get sent to the bed you'll be in for that nihht/next night etc? I'm going public and basically trying to understand when I'll be on my own (and my husband!) And when I'll be in a room with 4/8 other people! Is 8 the norm?

Thanks in advance for all your wise words!

bee06

When you should go in to hospital will be covered in your antenatal classes. I’m not sure if it varies from hospital to hospital but I was told call them when you are having 3 contractions in 10 mins or when your waters break. You would speak to a midwife who could advise whether to come in yet or not.

If you are in active labour you will go to a delivery suite to deliver and you would be taken to the post natal ward 1-2 hours after your baby is born. How many people will be in your room then depends on the hospital. In CUMH, they have private rooms, rooms for 2 people and 4 people. I was a public patient and was in a 2 person room.

jlm29

On my first i rang when my contractions started and was told to come in when they were 5 min apart and “stopping me in my tracks”. 2 days later I went in, and my contractions stopped as soon as I got there (!!!), I was given a room and told I’d be induced when the doctor came in- when she came and examined me, I was 3cm, so I moved to the labour ward. There’s a labour ward and 2 delivery rooms in my local hospital, so people in earlier stages of labour would labour in the labour ward (4 beds i think)- they’d Still be moving around though, walking around, etc. Once labour progresses more, or if epidural is being given, you move to a delivery room.

On my second and third, I bypassed the labour room, and went straight to delivery- I stayed at home for as long as I could, it’s a much nicer place to pass the early stages!

It should all be explained to you at antenatal classes. All hospitals are probably a bit different.

Gatica

Your maternity file will have the number for the maternity ward and in the anti-natal class they will tell you which number and when to call. If you ring them when you go into labour (i.e. start getting recognisable contractions or waters break) they will advise you what to do, as it depends on the hospital, sometimes the midwive/doctor on duty, and your personal medical circumstances. If you're diabetic, have a high BMI, presenting breach or high blood pressure, just as an example, they may ask you to come in right away.

For most pregnancies staying at home as long as you can is nicer than being in the labour ward with other moaning women.
When you present to the hospital you'll either be in a room with other women (number of people per ward depends on the hospital or how busy they are) or go straight to delivery, if you're close. I went straight to delivery room as I was already fully dilated and wasn't long, so can't tell of experience in labour room. The delivery room is always private (I assume).
Once you have the baby and you're both cleared as being well they will either move you to post-natal ward or give you tea and toast in the delivery room until they've to move you out. If they're not too busy they will give you some time there alone as a family, with your partner and baby. Enjoy your baby, have a bite to eat and some toast. When you and they are ready they will bring you to post-natal ward in a wheelchair, unless you wanna walk. The post-natal ward size again depends on hospital. I was in Galway and I think there were 6 or 8 beds there. We were the second in when we got there but it got really busy after and it stayed full for the few days we were there. TBH, I preferred knowing there were others around as it feels very isolated at night when your partner has to leave.

shesty

Rotunda here.On my first, my waters broke first so I went straight in.I was to be treated for strep B so I had been told if the waters go first I was to go in and wouldn't be going home.Into reception, quick enough into emergency where they started me on an IV and sent me straight to delivery room.My contractions had started slowly and gently at that stage.I feel I skipped the labour ward that time due to the strep B (and maybe it was a quiet night there!!) but labour progressed quite well of it's own accord so baby was born 7 hours later.

Second,I had contractions for a good 3-4 weeks beforehand.At 38 weeks we went in and they left me in a labour ward as none of us were sure, but my first had been relatively quick so they said they would keep me in for a bit to see what happened.As it turned out I told them I was going home three hours later (it was going nowhere!!!). The ward had 8 or so people in it all in various stages of labour.Delivery rooms were all full apparently.It wasn't exactly where I wanted to spend my time to be honest.Four weeks later I woke up around 4:30am to a pain that took my breath away and was repeated every 15 mins after that so I headed straight in.2cm in the emergency room (they bring you through the emergency room in the rotunda), 3cm 15 mins later when the midwife came back for me, so she rang up and got me a room in delievery at that point.Baby appeared five hours or so after that first whopper of a contraction!!!

I am crossing my fingers and toes that no.3 goes as well as those two, but even at this stage I still have no clue either how or when it will start :-)

Meeeee79

Ladies, thankyou so much for all your replies. It is really helping me understand how this whole thing will go! I'm too impatient/excited/nervous to wait for maternity file so this is so lovely hearing everyones stories and getting my head around how it all works!

By the sounds of it you really want to stay at home and stay calm for as long as possible. The thoughts of sitting in a labour ward in agony for hours on end with 7 other women in the same position doesn't sound at all appealing! Does anybody know if you go private is the process the same? Labour ward with 4/8 in a room? I'm not from Galway but living in Galway so will be having the baby here.

Gatica

I went public so don't know the process if you're private. I think if there are rooms available you can get a private room, but that's only if one is free. Otherwise you'd still be in with everyone else

jlm29

I was private, but not in Galway- it made no difference to things at that stage- you don’t sleep in the labour ward as such, so it’s not classed as accommodation, if you get me. The delivery rooms have only one bed in anyhow, and then afterwards you’re moved to either a public or private room. On my first, because I was admitted before I had my baby, I had already been allocated a room and was able to go up and down to it a bit until I had my epidural

shesty

I am semi private and it makes no difference.
If you are private/semi, you basically paying for seeing the same consultant during visits (private), consultant attendance at birth (private) and the bed afterwards in either a small ward or a single room.Otherwise you are going into the same labour wards and delivery rooms as public patients, with the same staff.

In the Rotunda the public wards afterwards are 8-10 I think, semi-private are 3/4 beds.Some of the other hospitals have smaller public wards anyway, so it's not that much of an issue.

The joys of the Irish health system.One of my bugbears.

andreac

I was private and then my health insurance covered me for private room so you have to request a private room on your file.
If your health insurance doesn't cover your room you are looking at 1000euro per night for private room in the Coombe anyway so just be aware of that. I went private with a consultant but that doesn't cover your bed afterwards.
The pre Labour ward is not private so you will be in with others. My waters broke so had to go in to hospital and my contractions didn't start for nearly 18 hours later. So I was in the pre Labour ward from about 12 midday until around 3am the next morn as I wasn't ready to be moved down to delivery suite until then.
There was only about 3 of us there in pre Labour ward at any one time so wasn't too bad and you are free to move around and go around the hospital if you are up to it.
Everyone's Labour is different so you just have to be prepared with all the info and just wait and see how it goes for you.
But the hospital will let you know what to do.
Try and go to lots of the ante natal classes if you can as they will guide you and inform you of all of what could happen.

andreac

Sorry I jist realised you are going public. Sorry for all the info on private.

If you are in pre Labour ward and you aren't near delivery then hubby will have to leave after visiting hours are over which in the Coombe was 8.30. My hubby had to rush back in then around 3 as I went very quickly once I started.
Once you are in delivery suite hubby stays all the time.
Then once you go down to post Labour ward he can be there at most times apart from feeding/quiet times which is usually meal times and think has to he gone by last visiting hours which is 8.30. Not sure about other hospitals but that's what it is in the Coombe.

Beanybabog

I was public on my first in Holles street. My waters went and they told me to come in - I understand you get an antibiotic and then sent home to wait for contractions. Mine started in the hospital at 5 minutes apart shortly after arrival and they kept me in. I was on unit 3 (purgatory) from 5am ish until 2.30 when I went to labour room.

Meeeee79

Pre labour ward sounds horrendous

Neyite

I had meconium in the waters but no contractions and was told to come in as soon as I could. I bypassed the labour ward and straight into a delivery suite for induced delivery.

Public system.

TheIronyMaiden

Meeeee79 wrote: »

Pre labour ward sounds horrendous

I was public in the Rotunda - I didn't find the labour wards that bad I was induced so came in at 7 on the Friday morning. Waters didn't break til Sunday afternoon so I spent a good bit of time on the labour ward.
As another poster said, my partner had to stick the the visiting times, 8 to 8 I think it was. I just had headphones for night time if I couldn't sleep (there are women there in varying degrees of labour and some are more vocal than others about it!). There were 6 on my labour ward I think.

Brought to the delivery suite where it's just one to a room obviously. Stayed there about an hour after I gave birth (they bring you up tea and toast ) and then down to a ward with 3 other women on it. Left on Tuesday morning.

All in all I had no complaints about my stay. One word of advice though, bring your own pillow if you're fussy about them like I am :P

CheerLouth

I think every labour is different! On my first my contractions started around 5pm and I went to the hospital at 2am and was 2cm dilated. I was put into the pre-labour ward (which was thankfully v. quiet - St. Stephan's night), I was there for maybe 30 mins, my waters broke and straight away I was up to 7/8cm. Into the delivery room and my baby was delivered at 5.30 in the morning! As I was heading up to the post-natal ward, the midwife was telling me that my next baby would come super quick! :rolleyes:

Fast forward two years, my contractions started at about 2am. No real pattern to them, they'd ramp up, then slow down again! End up going to the hospital at about 9pm, 2cm dilated again. Baby wasn't born until 5.40am - 27 hours after contractions started! So much for second time is quicker! :P Only thing is that I was in the MLU in OLOL for it and it was sooo nice. So relaxed - I'd take that over the first one (which was totally manic for several reasons) any day!

Kathy22

I had the same experience as Neyite. Baby passed meconium, went into the hospital, straight from A&E to the delivery suite where i was induced immediately. I was a private patient. Everything is the same up until you go to the post natal ward where i got a private room.

Every labour is different and a lot of people go over on their first and need to be induced which bypasses the whole contractions at home thing. If you have to be induced you can ask to have a pessary, waters broken and then try go naturally yourself for 24 hours before being put on the drip.

Milly33

Just after having our baby in Galway Meeeee79!! Went public too, and well Ill tell you bits ..

Ended up going over as is normal I am told with the first.

Was giving the 10 days over, told to come in at 8am on the day to be induced. Went in at 8 to be told, go away and come back. So If this happens you don't be worried if you are running late or anything in the morning.. We ended up going across the road having a nice brekkie (which was needed) and returning 2 hours later..

You just sit in a room there waiting to be called to go to the ward.. When they call you, you head up to the ward (there was 4 beds in mine) this was St Catherines. Nice enough ward really, there is a big bathroom with a bath you can use, big shower room, and loos..

After that, you kinda sit and wait for a nurse to visit.. Went through the gels then (all done very quickly and kinda robotically) Ye are kinda left to yerselfs then until something happens.. Offered a yoga ball if you would like one..
Food comes around also, these ladies are lovely too. So so nice, much nicer than some people we met... Be super nice to them...

When things kick off them you are taking into the labour ward and giving your own private room here..
And don't be conned, the one room you get shown when you go on the labour ward tour has its own private loo.. That is the only room with a private loo, all the others have a shared loo (that men cant use) so two rooms are connected with a loo in the middle.. Incase like me too your wondering if that red cord a bell or is it a pull up cord for you to get off the loo (which is a mighty idea) yeah its a bell!!

You will meet your midwife here, and well all depends what happens then after this, but you stay in this room for most of the time..

For your husband for some reason men aren't thought of in the wards so the men must nip down to where you go for your appointments to use the loos there. When this section is closed off after 8 they have to go to the main part of the hospital to use the loo.. (bit mean I thought) and yeah we did sneakily use the ones in the ward .

He can stay in the first ward i.e St Catherines until around 10 0r 11, if thins haven't kicked off by then he will have to leave. I went into labour around 2am and was told when I mentioned he was coming back in, that he would not be left back into that section (where the 4 beds were) that we would have to sit outside as such. Still in the ward but not where the beds were. Nurse ignored him when he rang a bell to get in,by chance I was passing so left him in..

The same goes for the ward after your little baby arrives, hubbie can stay until around 10...

Meeeee79

Oh congrats on your new bundle of joy Milly! Hope everything went ok. Are you still in hospital? Dying to get home Id say!

Thanks a mill for all the info, it seems the men are a bit hard done by

A 4 bed room sounds good, I think the 8 bed sounds a bit like a hostel but sure its only hopefully for afew hours firstly and then a couple of nights!

At what stage did they transfer you out of the labour ward and back to a shared room?

Hope yourself and the bub are doing well!

cant26

Meeeee79 wrote: »

Oh congrats on your new bundle of joy Milly! Hope everything went ok. Are you still in hospital? Dying to get home Id say!

Thanks a mill for all the info, it seems the men are a bit hard done by

A 4 bed room sounds good, I think the 8 bed sounds a bit like a hostel but sure its only hopefully for afew hours firstly and then a couple of nights!

At what stage did they transfer you out of the labour ward and back to a shared room?

Hope yourself and the bub are doing well!

There are no 8 bed rooms in st. Catherine’s. The max is four. I was induced twice as a public patient in Galway so started the labour process in Catherine’s twice.
The first time I was in a four bed. It’s not a pre labour ward it’s a pre natal ward so there were women in the room that weren’t in labour at all. My partner stayed with me the whole time. Was transferred to the labour ward where the delivery suites are at two am.
The second time I was in a two bed, again the other woman was in for something non labour related! My partner left around 10 and I went to the labour ward the next day.
Depending on situations you could be moved a couple of hours after delivery to st. Angela’s ward, the post natal ward. They have mainly four bed rooms, private rooms and one 8 bed. The first time round I was lucky to get a four bed room to myself the first night!
Second time I was in for ten nights and experienced every room type! The 8 bed was hard going but not the end of the world!
Depending on where you are living there is an early transfer home option. You go home within 24 hours of delivery and get home visits from a midwife for five days. I had hoped to avail of this on my second but it wasn’t meant to be.
Best of luck.

Milly33

Oh I'm back home in all just waiting for this shocking weather to clear up to get out and about.. It was over the Christmas I was in so, well I was out in three days ...

They really are, I get it that it is all about the women but your forget for the men who want to be there, they have to go through a lot too trying to help you.. I was blessed to have himself there, when the midwife came in and kinda started telling him what to do, I was livid (on the inside) but I felt like she had no right to be so, not sure of the word for it.. But Feck off was in my mind...

I am trying to think we had a good walk around the ward, I do not remember seeing any 8 bed ward.. You really do not notice the other ladies anywho, I heard chit chat, and another lady going into labour but it doesn't really bother you. I thought the same that the last place I wanted to be was in a room with others, but it doesn't make any odds...

Another note bring a nice pair of cozy flip flops or slippers to walk around it. You will do laps of the place as walking around having the gels is suppose to do the world of good... There isn't many places to walk to, so tis a lot of up an down.

I went from the this ward, straight into the labour ward (you don't have to go past people or anything tis great, there is double doors leading from one ward to the other). Then after they called the section you go upstairs for this, then after that himself said I spent about an hour in recovery up there and then you are taken directly down to the mother and baby ward (another shared room with 4 beds in it) you stay here pending on how well you are doing for one night or two, and then they either let you home or you are taken down to the 8 bed (now tis coming back to me) ward which is in the same area just a bit down.. As such the first 4 bed section you are in, is directly in front of the nurses station and the next 8 bed section is two doors down from it. So you are still in the same ward just a few doors down...

Any questions feel free to ask, there is some stuff that happens in there just plain confusing.

Little one is doing great, was a stressfull few days after coming out due to high blood pressure and her being underweight but we are on track now, and she is so cute and cuddly enough said

Gatica

Lovely to hear your news Milly... It's weird, you feel you get to know people on boards, especially since a lot of us were on Wedding forum prior to this
Congratulations! I think having a winter baby is great, you get to get out into brighter days and a bit of sunshine as they get that little bit older.
On the ward sizes, I didn't find it one bit off-putting. We got discharge papers all ready to go, to do the early release scheme, however, the LO was jaundiced and didn't feed great, so ended up in hospital for 4 days. I could hear the mums coming in after me having the same conversations, baby is not latching, tears of frustration, and words of support. It sounded so familiar and comforting that this is what we all go through, and it's normal. I think if I'd been isolated in a private room, I'd go demented.

Milly33

Hi Gatica thank you yes tis funny indeed how boards works an extended social hub. Still laugh after the wedding it was everyone asked about kids and I was saying no no, but sure look at us now...She is so cute we are weak for her, and she is being so good. Did you have a baby too?

very true about the support, you could feel very lonely in a private room.. The only benefit I could see with one is the bathroom but that is it, I thought maybe I would feel a bit like man I don't want people to see me like this, but twas grand. We are all in the same boat...

bee06

I was in a two person room and would have preferred a private room due to my “roommate”. She snored all night so I got no sleep and her husband brought their sick 14 month old in for the full day and she screamed for half the day. It was a nightmare. It’s luck of the draw really.

Gatica

Milly33 wrote: »

Hi Gatica thank you yes tis funny indeed how boards works an extended social hub. Still laugh after the wedding it was everyone asked about kids and I was saying no no, but sure look at us now...She is so cute we are weak for her, and she is being so good. Did you have a baby too?

very true about the support, you could feel very lonely in a private room.. The only benefit I could see with one is the bathroom but that is it, I thought maybe I would feel a bit like man I don't want people to see me like this, but twas grand. We are all in the same boat...

Yep, have a 15 months old now. Dunno what I'm still doing in the pregnancy forum! LOL... I should be in parenting and tantums section by now.
PS: we were the same, after the wedding wanted some "us" time. It was nice to travel and do things as a married couple before the little one took over our life. She's the happy centre of our world now though.

bee06, you're right, luck of the draw. Thankfully everyone in our room was pretty easy to stay with. I've heard of one sick mother going around kissing other people's babies and passed on some virus to one. So you gotta watch yourself in a full-up ward. Usually, the majority will have better sense though.

CheerLouth

Gatica wrote: »

YI've heard of one sick mother going around kissing other people's babies and passed on some virus to one. So you gotta watch yourself in a full-up ward. Usually, the majority will have better sense though.

:eek::eek: I'd go mental if a random stranger kissed my baby! Who thinks that's ok?

Milly33

Congrats to ye Gatica, sure 15months is still a baby baby.. I can imagine the time must just fly by with them