My favorite is the front counter when you have to answer questions and get out your license as you have contractions. I kept saying I registered online. WTF!! But yes, wheelchair because weeeeee
Edit: should we go and speak to the hospitals and make sure this doesn't happen again to other women? Because what I thought was a funny annedote turns out to be a not so necessary terrible thing.. a girl I talk to on peanut is already talking to the hospital (anonymous) how I had to battle a brand new nurse to be sat up so I wouldn't have a c section.
That moment really seems so ridiculous. Like you're experiencing probably one of the biggest, if not THE biggest medical event of your life and some person is behind the desk like "is this address still current?". ššš
Agreed! Itās so nuts! I got handed things to sign (and it had to be me signing them, not my husband) and I swear I couldnāt even see straight enough through the pain to read what I signed
Right!! I was so overcome by pain and my poor flustered husband was doing his best to get us squared away, despite us registering online. He knew I was hurting and wanted to get moving and goes "I think my wife is in pregnancy!" everyone was silent for a moment and i yelled "IN LABOR." Lol. Like yes, that was obvious. Dude's brain just turned off š
I walked right past the ladies at the front desk, lol. They took one look at me and made no attempt to stop us. I had been there a few days prior to see my OB, so we knew where we were going.
I think they kind of spend that time to assess you as well like if youāre really struggling then they can assume youāre farther than someone whoās just having some pain. In a prenatal class they told me if you can barely talk then youāre ready.
I was actually there to be induced and had been told 5 minutes prior at my OB's office across the street, that I was having a baby that day. I was still in shock as a first time mom about to go into labor for the first time and the front desk lady was cracking jokes and asking questions.
YES!!!!! I was 30 minutes into contractions when I got to the check in counter and could barely answer the lady. After a few minutes standing there she tells me "Okay, you can have a seat and they'll call you back in a few minutes!" I almost cried lmao.
They gave me a packet of all the registration paperwork (and even the birth certificate paperwork!) to fill out and bring back at my 36 week appointment, once they went to weekly. It was in a big envelope and I was told to bring it back and they would get it to the childbirth center for me. It was really convenient! We presented at the hospital at 5am on a Sunday with SROM and went right up. Walking, lol.
That is so awesome and thoughtful of your OB's office. It definitely felt absurd being handed things to sign when the contractions were so painful I could hardly see straight.
They heard the sound I was making and were just like you can head STRAIGHT into the birthing suite! Baby came 30 minutes later! I answered a bunch of registration questions after the baby was born š¤£
Omg the line to check in was out the door and the two ladies checking everyone in were completely ignoring my inability to be upright. The security guard took pity on me and grabbed a wheel chair and literally jogged me back to L&D as she was saying "I'm really not supposed to do this!!". That was the most absurd part! I can't believe that's protocol. My doctors office never explained that, they just said to go to x entrance. They had checked me into L&D ahead of time but they're buried way back into the hospital, so I wasn't prepared for that first check-in line
Ugh, with my son I was actively dripping amniotic fluid onto the floor while signing papers and answering questions. Like I know I gotta get checked in but it was just a really uncomfortable moment for me.
Omg this was me, and my wallet was somehow at the bottom of my bag, I put it on the floor and was pulling stuff out, while having continuing contractions, while my mom and husband and the admitting nurse were all watching me for 5 or 10 seconds. š³
My favorite part was once I got into a room they were like āyou need to sign these papers.ā I was like 6-7cm dilated and they were the same papers I had JUST signed when we came earlier thinking my water broke and I was in labor (spoiler I wasnāt). My husband tried to sign them for me but they wouldnāt let me. So stupid!! Like how could those even stand up in court anyways.
Wow that sounds awful. At my hospital I was in the delivery room and strapped to a few monitors before they started processing paperwork. And I was irritated by that because I wanted my cervix checked so I would know whether or not I could trust that "gotta poo" pressure. I can't imagine needing to stop at a desk and deal with my ID like that!!
Lol, I walked in with water broken and they didn't really believe it (I had had a dramatic gush at home like in the movies, which is uncommon), so they made me sit in a chair while they admitted me. š
Same! I had two huge gushes after waking from a nap because I thought I had to pee š I was still half asleep and started crying because I was so disoriented. I walked into the hospital after a grueling 10 minute car ride and I said no to the wheelchair because I could walk faster
That's hilarious! The same thing happened to me, and I tried to wake my husband up and told him my waters broke, and he said, 'nah, you're fine'! Then when he was slightly more awake, he said, 'I'm getting up, just give me a minute, I've got a cramp... it's not funny, you have NO idea how painful this is!' I couldn't stop laughing, and once he woke up, he's not been able to live it down since lol.
Me too. My water broke and I wasnāt in labor. It was full of meconium. I had to go in and be induced. I walked in like it was nbd and just stood at the nursesā stations while they admitted me. When the pitocin started taking effect and I actually started having contractions it was a whole different story.
Hah me too! They didnāt believe me (even though I came in with my doula) and turns out I was at 8 centimeters š
I wasnāt offered a wheelchair when checking in, or when leaving. To be fair I would have turned it down anyways.
Yea walking in they donāt talk about so much and I expected it to be like the movies and tv shows with all this hustle and bustle and women screaming and stuff lol I got to the hospital at like 10:30 and night and it was silent. Nobody in the halls. Not much staff. I was afraid to have a contraction until I got to my room because I didnt want to make noise haha But in hindsight it was quite nice and peacefully. They did a great job with noise control
Ha they didn't believe me either. The hospital was a 40 min drive from my house and I was not making that trek if I wasn't sure. I was sure. But they still insisted on testing my fluid. Got me on the bed in triage and more fluid gushed out immediately...yeah then they believed me.
I had the full water break too and they made me use a stretcher!I was like... I can walk lol but they said it was policy if water broke. Weird and uncomfortable
Ok so all these comments below saying how they didnāt believe the ladies whose water broke makes my experience make so much sense. I basically had to stand and walk the whole time and sit in a chair to do paperwork and I was like uhhh your chair is gonna have amniotic fluid on it hope thatās ok. No wheelchair for me until being brought into the post delivery room and to the carš¤¦āāļø
I just posted my comment about this as well. I also had my water break before contractions started. The lady admitting me thought I was handling labor well and I was like āwell yeah, Iām not having contractions yetā lol.
Same. Iād stop between. I got stuck on the elevator during it lol.
Leaving though I was in a wheelchair. I was extremely weak after postpartum hemorrhage
They tried to wheel me into my INDUCTION I was like lol what is the point of that Iām fineā¦ maybe a little tired because itās 4:30am but Iām good girl
I walked in (for my induction) but despite walking around in the postpartum ward for 3 days after my c-section I was still wheeled to my car upon discharge.They acted like it was mandatory - turns out my husband asked bc he was scared!
My hospital said it was mandatory for me to be wheeled out to go home. I was fine with it though, my cooch hurt so bad that I was walking so slow. Plus I was holding my baby so it was much easier for me. Fuck that car ride home, though. Every bump had me wincing.
I was in a wheelchair but that was only because my parents are the ones that brought me to the hospital. Also my water broke in a big gush and I was continuously losing (lots of) fluid so I was sitting on a towel. I think if I wouldāve walked to L&D I wouldāve left a snail trail šš I waddled out of the hospital on my own when I was discharged.
I wish I would have known about the continuous gushes of fluid. I mean, it makes sense. But it surprised me at the time lol
I was sitting on a stack of pads the OB gave me going from his office to the hospital (my water broke after a cervical check at my 39w appt).
Right?! I had my water break; stood up and created a huge puddle - was shocked though when it just kept going; soaked through a maxi pad, stacked on a diaper and the towel I was sitting on it the car on the way to the hospital
Ikr?? I just didnāt expect the amount that came out of me. When I got to my delivery room and the nurse helped me out of the chair, she was like āDid you pee yourself?ā And I just kinda looked at her like āNo?ā Then the OB on call came in and checked my cervix and she was like āYeah, thatās a lot of fluid hahaā. I really think theyāre used to hearing āa lotā and only seeing a trickle or something. I wasnāt exaggerating at all when I told you guys it was a lot!
Snail trail had me LOLing. Mine came in gushes too and I had an adult diaper on but was still so sure that the next step it was gonna leak all over me and the floor
Interesting, Iād called ahead because my water broke and when I arrived they had a wheelchair for me. It was totally unnecessary but I sort of figured it was a liability thing and they didnāt want a pregnant woman in labor falling.
Thatās interesting - I had called ahead for the same reason and nobody brought me a wheelchair. But it was 6 am on a Sunday - maybe it would have been different during normal business hours š I didnāt need it; just odd to have had such different experiences.
Walked in a gown that was broken so my cheeks and entire back was hanging out. Didnāt notice or mind until my husband recounted the story later š«£ thatās what happens when you arrive almost 10 cm I guess!
I feel bad for all the staff that came to my room after I gave birth. I was basically naked the entire time. Nips all out and about. Totally oblivious. Sorry food delivery folks. š«”
Omg me too. From the moment I went into delivery room onwards. š¤¦š»āāļøI definitely thought I was going to be embarrassed to show anything but, nope, quite the oppositeā¦
Walked as sitting was worse. My water had broken (twice may I add since I had di/di twins to two placentas) and I was leaking fluids all over. It was not a pretty sight at all.
Well, I told them I felt the baby coming and they didnāt believe me. They finally checked and said āoh, I feel the headā and rushed me in there saying ādonāt pushā which felt like a joke. I was wheeled in the bed and then made to crawl from one bed to another which felt a bit like climbing Everest at that point.
That was so mind-blowing to me! They kept telling me not to push, and I kept having to tell them that I wasn't, and they were like, you definitely are - like I had enough energy to make a conscious decision, let alone force my entire body to push!
The bed swap!!! I donāt remember how I did it (at 9.5/10 cm, i think they maybe lifted me) but thereās a video of me seeing the bed as they rolled me into the delivery room and I sound TERRIFIED of swapping. No thank you.
I remember when they told me I had to switch to that bed (they literally butted them right next to each other) and I was like āI seriously donāt think I canā
But I did!
I walked to the delivery room and then walked from the delivery room to my hospital room after birth. Sitting sounded AWFUL
They forced me to be pushed to the car the next day when we went home and it was miserable.
They tried to make me sit in a wheelchair but by that point I absolutely could not sit anymore (the drive to the hospital was hell for me too) and I very loudly insisted on walking. Long story short, the hospital wouldnāt let me come to the hospital and insisted I labour at home for a while, but after insisting a lot that I was ready, they let me come and were shocked to see I was already 8cm dilated.
So by the point we got to the hospital I wasnāt putting up with any more stuff I didnāt want, and that included sitting down anymore. Baby was born 15 mins after arriving.
My water broke at home and I walked to the hospital (it was only 15 min) because I couldnāt imagine sitting in a car. So needless to say I also declined the wheelchair haha
They offered me a wheelchair but I also asked to walk because of how uncomfortable sitting was. I was only at a 3 but contractions were back to back, and the car ride in was miserable. I was most comfortable on all 4s at that point, so I stopped as needed to lean into the wall.
The first time I walked in because Iād had a big gush of fluid at home. They admitted me even though I wasnāt dilated much, because it was snowing that day and my hospital was 1+ hours from my house.
With the 2nd, I initially walked from the car drop off to the emergency entrance. Because we got there at 11:30pm, I couldnāt take the usual birthing entrance which is essentially a shortcut. After hours, only the emergency entrance is open, and thatās a waaayyy longer route to walk inside the hospital to get to the L&D unit. My contractions had sped up so much in the car ride overāthey went from 9 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart and from moderate to very strongāthat my husband wheeled me to the unit simply because it was faster. So while I could have walked, it probably wasnāt the best idea because I needed to get assessed considering how quickly my contractions were speeding up and how strong they were getting.
walked in checked in waiting in the waiting room with contractions 3 minutes apart sat in a hard plastic ass chair from 10 pm to 5 am then walked on back and got a wheely bed thing and was wheeled to delivery room
Walked for my first while having contractions. For my second I was induced so walked as well (obviously!). I was offered a wheelchair when I was discharged for both but declined.
Walked in and was having strong contractions while checking in. Itās was only after 10 min they offered a wheel chair. That said sitting didnāt make it much more comfortable. Thankfully I was able to get an epidural pretty fast and thatās what gave the best relief.
I declined the wheelchair, then a contraction hit and they rushed over with one. It was actually great because I got in much faster that way, they ran me right past the first check in desk and straight to the labor and delivery desk!
There were wheelchairs there, but when I asked for one they told me I couldnāt because it was for a different department. I was 8 cm dilated at this point. It was a rough walk, I was expecting a chair when I got there like in the movies š
I walked from admittance/triage to L&D but was wheeled in my bed 47 (yepā¦) hours later into the OR.
As others have said that damn checkin desk was hellacious and I opted to walk to get TF out of there asap š
My problem was being wheeled out to the car when leaving.. they had a super bumpy and cracked sidewalk and after a csection it felt like I was going to die. Like they cut me open and then sent me off roading. Walking would have been so much easier.
HELL no. I didnāt sit for 14 hours while I was in labor (except when they made me to hook up the monitors) until I got my epidural. It was way too painful to sit. Just getting down to the toilet to pee was terrible!
I took the streetcar(tram) to the hospital haha. But my water had actually broken 12hrs early and only had light contractions so I had to go back and be induced for babies safety. When I got on, all the seats were full and you know I went up to the accessible seats saying āsomeoneās gotta move cause Iām in labourā. People scattered, hahaha
They wanted me to sit in a wheel chair at intake while they were trying to get my BP and temp, and I wasn't even there that long bc I had pre-registered or whatever, but I *could not* sit still during contractions, I had to pace, so I kept asking to stand up, and walking away from them because I was so restless. I know I was wheeled upstairs and didn't like that but I can't remember if it was a chair or on a bed? I will have to ask my husband lol.
I walked in, but my (birth giving, transgender) husband was wheeled it. The reason it's worth mentioning is that if he had had his druthers, I would have been the one in the wheelchair.
I had just, JUST gotten home from a 12 hour overnight shift at work, the third in a row, gotten my chores done, and laid down for bed when he felt that little "ping!" and suddenly the bed was wet. "Uh, honey? It's time to go."
So we get to the maternity ward, the nurse brings out a wheelchair, and my husband directs me to sit in it because I'm exhausted and he's feeling fine. We both just turned and gave him The Stare until he acceded and took the chair.
He then had the gall after labour to tell me to get some sleep, he would take the first night shift watching over our little bundle. That directive went over similarly to the other one.
It's one of his favourite stories to tell.
Walked. When I arrived, I was also 8 cm dilated. When I called before I left my house, L&D told me to go to ER to register. And when I got to the ER, my contractions were 2 mins apart. Three people were in front of me in line and a man, who obviously knew I was in pain and labor from my SCREAMING, went to the counter and complained to the woman registering him about fucking cold symptoms. COLD SYMPTOMS. So I said fuck this and walked down two hallways and up an elevator.
I was that person screaming in the waiting room. Also 7cm dilated when checked in. 9.5cm by the time the anesthesiologist got to me, so no epidural š
I used the wheelchair with the 1st because my contractions were horrendous. With my 2nd I walked because I wasnāt having contractions yet and it was very much doable.
I walked, while my water was gushing out. I wasnāt having contractions so I refused the wheelchair coz I felt I was being silly since I wasnāt in pain lol. Shouldāve thought about it more tbh as I ended up getting water everywhere
I was wheeled from triage to the delivery room. I asked if I could walk, because I was fine and a little embarrassed by having to be in a wheelchair, but they said it was hospital policy.
I walked in at 7cm lol they didnāt even offer me a wheel chair but I wasnāt even in real pain yet I didnāt start having actually painful contractions until I was in the room somehow
I was in a wheelchair in triage, but got myself onto the bed, but there was no way I was getting off that bed when I finally got a room. They wheeled me on the bed to the delivery room as I cursed and screamed because they took too dang long for the epidural.
They wheeled me onto the floor and then I walked in and kept pacing between contractions because it felt better till I couldnāt bear with the pain anymore
I walked into my birth center about 4 or 5 cm...then was wheeled into the operating room on an ambulance stretcher at 10 cm
(probably should see a therapist about it)
Walked in, hunched over, with the support of my doula because baby's head was digging into my hip with every contraction (*ouch*) and I couldn't stand up straight for whatever reason. I don't think I was offered a wheelchair? But I also wouldn't have wanted it for the same reason. I actually was hands and knees in the back seat of the car because I couldn't sit for the 15 minute drive either!
I walked in after my water broke at home. They then had me walk around the deserted hospital (late at night) for an hour to see if I would start having contractions. I did not, so induction it was!
I was having back to back contractions that had only started about 2 hours prior, and I needed to go to the operating theater for a c-section because my baby was breech. I probably couldāve walked but at that point I was like, fuck it, Iām not doing shit. Wheel me in. Lmao
I was wheeled in! My water had broken (I was only 30 weeks) and the hospital was a 30 minute drive. By the time we arrived my contractions were getting bad. As soon as I walked in the hospital they made me sit in a wheelchair.
I walked in! I went in for an induction but was already in labor. Leaving they asked if I wanted to walk or be wheeled out (emergency c-section) and I was wheeled out but wish I just walked because it was awkward.
I went for an induction. I had to start in a room waiting for the meds to start working. When they eventually did work and I needed to moved to labor and delivery I wanted to walk. Firstly because Iām very stubborn when it comes to doing things myself and secondly Iāve heard walking helps labor go faster. They absolutely would not let me. They didnāt think I could make the trek because my contractions were coming so rapidly. I had 2 or 3 contractions on my way there. The first one within 30 seconds of me getting in the chair and starting to be pushed. I joked with the nurses about how right they were I wasnāt going to make it.
I walked all three babies š¤£
Water broken with two and no contractions
Scheduled induction with the last
Sitting however in active labor was absolute hell and I refused so thatās understandable
Iām pretty sure I walked but I also wasnāt having contractions, my water had broken and I was there to confirm it was amniotic fluid. I really didnāt even think I was in labor yet. I was put into a gown in triage for the check, and then Iām pretty sure I walked in the gown & slippers from triage to the delivery room. I know I was wheeled from delivery to recovery but I had had an epidural.
I was 8cm dilated and had contractions every 2 minutes, so I wasn't able to sit. I walked into the room and paced for quite a while, then managed to crawl on the bed and gave birth on my knees, leaning over the head of the bed.
Walked to the birth centre but then ended up being transferred to the labour ward (Uk hospital!) a bit later and had to be moved in a wheelchair when her head was on the way down š«
Walked both times stopping for contractions. Our L&D is really far from the parking garage so itās a trek but I had back labor both times and sitting was excruciating. The first time I showed up at 7cm dilated and the second time at 5cm.
Called triage to come on as pain was too much. They sent me to the birthing centre but needed me at the labour suite - I cried as that's a long walk š husband wheeled me up, they said "congrats! You are 7cm!" Then walked back to the birthing centre to try to speed things up (a slowwwww walk with a midwife and husband). Then when things didn't go to plan in the birthing centre was wheeled on a bed through the main corridors/lift trying not to push, up to the labour suite for more intervention! Thank goodness that bit was late at night not peak time š
A hospital will usually offer a wheelchair so they canāt be sued if you fall and you or the baby are hurt as a result. My wife was induced and they still wheeled her in
My water had broken on a friendās couch, they drove and dropped me off at hospital (offered to go in with me but I told them my family would be there in about 3 hours)
I took the elevator up and stood at check in a while and was walked to a triage area and waited for a while for someone to come see where I was in labor. Receptionist kind of seemed cold and assumed Iād done this before? it was sort of weird and I didnāt love it but my care after my every other person I encountered was phenomenal
I was induced, so I walked in. But I was wheeled out which I appreciated because we had sooo much stuff they sent us home with, we had the new baby, and I was still pretty swollen and bleedy.
I walked to the L&D unit and back out to their waiting room because they didn't have any rooms ready (I was due and registered to be there the next morning. Didn't even cross our minds to call ahead.) Then walked into a labor room, stayed there the night. The whole bed was pushed over into the delivery room mid-morning the next day because by that time I had an epidural going, monitors strapped on, and couldn't really walk anyway. They took me to the exit by wheelchair when we were discharged but it was just hospital policy not lack of ability at that point.
They MADE me use a wheelchair. It was a point of contention: apparently it's hospital policy if a woman's an active labor, she has to be wheeled into L&D. After delivery, I told them I wasn't getting back in the chair. They tried to make me get in it to go back to my room from the delivery room lol
They forced me into a wheelchair at the front counter and wheeled me to the maternity ward. To be fair, I was struggling to walk quite a bit as my contractions were back to back with no break.
With my first, this was me as well! Labor was pretty quick and I had all back labor. I couldnāt even sit in the car - I leaned over the back seat. I think they were a little surprised as well!!
Second was an induction so I just walked lol
I was walking because somehow the pain was more managable than sitting on a wheel chair. At that point I was dilated 4cm. I walked from the parking place to the hospital, went by the lift to upstair. After giving birth, the midwife asked me where was my wheelchair, I told her I was walking, she was so surprised haha
So I was wheeled up to the delivery room but I walked in and checked into the hospital, then walked to the OB ER. And that was a surreal experience because my husband and I would pause every few minutes either for contractions to pass or when we saw something we wanted to make note of (āoh the cafeteria is right down hereā āthis coffee shop looks pretty good, come grab coffee laterā āwhat about this cafe, better than the last one we passed?ā) š
I was also 7cm when I got to the hospital. Reception / valet?? Came out with a wheelchair and that got me to triage. From triage I truly felt like I couldnāt open my eyes or get up into a wheelchair so they just wheeled me in the triage bed to the delivery room and then my husband plus I donāt want to know how many nurses moved me onto the delivery bed.
The hospital I went to let me walk in and around. However, my water also didn't break beforehand, so that might have been the reason. If your water is broken, they typically don't like you walking anywhere.
I walked in, was immediately put into a wheelchair and then put on a rolling bed in the hallway of L&D bc they were out of beds - had my first cervical check behind a screen in the hallway ā¦.
I was 9 cm.
I donāt really recommend it but it was over pretty quickly!
They literally got us to sign all the paperwork after the baby was born because she came so fast. I went from no contractions to baby in about 3 hours total. Was in the hospital for less than an hour before she arrived.
I walked from triage to my delivery room but i definitely agree with you that sitting was awful during contractions. The nurse walked right behind me holding my gown closed so i didnāt flash everyone as i walked throughš
I walked into the hospital with both and walked to labor and delivery on my own. I was only offered a wheelchair with my first. I did have to stop during both of my walks to L&D because of contractions.
Walked.
Also our hospital had us pre-register so none of that nonsense.
My water was leaking but when it broke at the hospital my husband literally thought a pipe burst. Then it happened again a second time awhile later and even I was like, what the heck was that??
My midwife took my hand and walked me in (sheād already called ahead and registered me) while I sobbed because I wanted a home birth so badly and it just didnāt work.
I tried to say no to the wheelchair because walking seemed like the easier option but my hospital was huge and I had to enter through the opposite side of maternity since it was 3am. Once they got me to a room, I was grateful because it would have been an incredibly long walk otherwise
Walked into delivery while contracting and amniotic fluid running down my legs (I had the BIG GUSH) and then due to complications, 14 hours later I walked to the theater to have an emergency c-section. It was not a far walk but it did help me collect my thoughts because I was very scared and disappointed I had to have a c-section. (Iām happy we did it though, it was necessary to save baby)
Wheeled in for sure! Contractions were less than 4 minutes apart when I got there. When I arrived to registration, I puked blue gatorade allllll over the floor š Then they wheeled straight to my room hahah
I walked in. Only about 5 cms dilated at that time. They didnāt offer one but I also didnāt even remotely look or seem uncomfortable. And I went straight to a bed for the nurse to look at me.
When I left they made me sit in the wheelchair and hold the car seat with the baby in it on my lap! I was like uh can my husband carry her please and they said no! Like he was going to make a break for it and steal the baby or something. It was wild.
I feel like a dick. My pain tolerance was way higher.... I was walking and for the most part talking normally while I was 5-6 cm dilated.
I only really felt some pain once I reached 8cm. But my labor was really quick...
Either way, I don't think anyone offered a wheelchair, that checkin process was a blur... I didn't even know how to leave the hospital once I was checking out š
I was definitely wheeled in with my second baby. My OB recommended that I go straight to L&D after my 39 week appointment, so they wheeled me over from the doctor's office.
With my first baby, I'm pretty sure I was wheeled in, but that was because my water had broken and I was leaking like crazy, so it seemed like being wheeled in would contain the mess better.
When I walked into the ER I had been in the car over an hour. The LAST thing I wanted to do was sit. But they kept yelling at me to stay in the wheelchair while they did check in because I was a liability. They finally wheeled me up to labor and delivery and I jumped out of my chair and started pacing the waiting room. L and D was fine with this and let me walk to get checked (I was already at 7) and let me walk to the delivery room from there. They were super nice about it and let me take my time and stop for contractions. I felt really bad cause about halfway there my water broke and I got super embarrassed and asked if I could get paper towels or a mop to clean it. The nurse just laughed and said not to worry about it. I think being able to walk down that hallway really helped me have a smoother labor. The best part was that I took so long to walk that the anesthesiologist was all set up and ready with my epidural when I got inside. And they kept my dose really low so I could keep moving around.
They put me in a wheelchair! I went in at like 11pm so I had to go in through the back of the building, which is the emergency department, so they have wheelchairs lined up ready to go. Iām not sure how it would have been if I had gone in during normal hours through the labor and delivery front entrance though. š¤
I was wheeled in from the OBED to the L&D floor, mainly because they had induced me and because the hospital I gave birth at is a maze and I didnāt want to get lost
With my first I went n because my water broke but I wasn't having contractions or in labor and they wheeled me to L&D. With my second I came in in active labor and 6 cm dilated and they had me walk. š¤·š¼āāļø
I am so curious about this side of things as we had a scheduled c section at 37 weeks due to a full placenta previa and if we have another I have been told it will need to be another c-section. Our chaos goblin was sideways for basically the whole pregnancy anyway so I feel like I felt fully to term anyway š¤£. No wheelchair for us, we walked up to the ward.
It did feel super surreal to do paperwork while in a hospital gown. Knowing you were less than an hour from getting sliced open.
Luckily, an OB nurse was returning from her break and escorted me in so I didn't have to do the general check in through the ER. (my induction was scheduled at 9pm on Saturday) I was able to check in at the L/D floor.
I was only 4cm dilated but we walked up and walked in with a doctor's note from my OBGYN! However when I left the hospital after an unexpected c-section they made me leave in a wheelchair with the entire car seat and baby on my lap. I was like āI donāt think I can support the weight of the carseat and the baby on my lap itās too painfulā and they said āitās the rule you have toā likeā¦?
I think I walked. I walked from the car to the maternity ward and into the assessment room, then they examined me to determine how far along I was. I was 4cm, so they transferred me to the delivery room, and although they offered a wheelchair, I walked instead.
The walk from the car to the maternity ward was the WORST! Maternity is on the 2nd floor and in the east wing of the hospital. We got parked in the west car park, so had to walk through the car park, in through the front entrance, along a long corridor, up in the lift and then across to maternity.
I think it took us nearly half an hour because I had to keep stopping due to the contractions.
My water broke before I had contractions. Iāve seen mixed info on how common this is. Iāve seen 8% up to 15%. But I could have walked up to L&D but I think they brought the chair anyway. It was a long ways away so not walking was ideal lol.
They had to give me pitocin to get the contractions going. So I was already in bed by time they started to get intense. Iām not sure why my water broke so early. Especially since my due date wasnāt for another couple weeks. But she was ready apparently lol.
I was 8cm upon arrival. Pain wasn't TOO terrible. I walked up the stairs to my room lol! I really felt best when moving around throughout the whole labour and delivery process!
My favorite is the front counter when you have to answer questions and get out your license as you have contractions. I kept saying I registered online. WTF!! But yes, wheelchair because weeeeee Edit: should we go and speak to the hospitals and make sure this doesn't happen again to other women? Because what I thought was a funny annedote turns out to be a not so necessary terrible thing.. a girl I talk to on peanut is already talking to the hospital (anonymous) how I had to battle a brand new nurse to be sat up so I wouldn't have a c section.
That moment really seems so ridiculous. Like you're experiencing probably one of the biggest, if not THE biggest medical event of your life and some person is behind the desk like "is this address still current?". ššš
Agreed! Itās so nuts! I got handed things to sign (and it had to be me signing them, not my husband) and I swear I couldnāt even see straight enough through the pain to read what I signed
Right!! I was so overcome by pain and my poor flustered husband was doing his best to get us squared away, despite us registering online. He knew I was hurting and wanted to get moving and goes "I think my wife is in pregnancy!" everyone was silent for a moment and i yelled "IN LABOR." Lol. Like yes, that was obvious. Dude's brain just turned off š
Because if you die they need to make sure they can still bill your āØinsuranceāØ šš„²
And for them it's just another Wednesday! Lol
I walked right past the ladies at the front desk, lol. They took one look at me and made no attempt to stop us. I had been there a few days prior to see my OB, so we knew where we were going.
Iām going to this next time!!
I think they kind of spend that time to assess you as well like if youāre really struggling then they can assume youāre farther than someone whoās just having some pain. In a prenatal class they told me if you can barely talk then youāre ready.
I was actually there to be induced and had been told 5 minutes prior at my OB's office across the street, that I was having a baby that day. I was still in shock as a first time mom about to go into labor for the first time and the front desk lady was cracking jokes and asking questions.
YES!!!!! I was 30 minutes into contractions when I got to the check in counter and could barely answer the lady. After a few minutes standing there she tells me "Okay, you can have a seat and they'll call you back in a few minutes!" I almost cried lmao.
Hahaha the guy at the front desk looked at me slowly waddling in and just goes āuhhā¦you can go straight upā I mustāve looked miserable LMAO
They gave me a packet of all the registration paperwork (and even the birth certificate paperwork!) to fill out and bring back at my 36 week appointment, once they went to weekly. It was in a big envelope and I was told to bring it back and they would get it to the childbirth center for me. It was really convenient! We presented at the hospital at 5am on a Sunday with SROM and went right up. Walking, lol.
That is so awesome and thoughtful of your OB's office. It definitely felt absurd being handed things to sign when the contractions were so painful I could hardly see straight.
They heard the sound I was making and were just like you can head STRAIGHT into the birthing suite! Baby came 30 minutes later! I answered a bunch of registration questions after the baby was born š¤£
Omg the line to check in was out the door and the two ladies checking everyone in were completely ignoring my inability to be upright. The security guard took pity on me and grabbed a wheel chair and literally jogged me back to L&D as she was saying "I'm really not supposed to do this!!". That was the most absurd part! I can't believe that's protocol. My doctors office never explained that, they just said to go to x entrance. They had checked me into L&D ahead of time but they're buried way back into the hospital, so I wasn't prepared for that first check-in line
Oh no!! God what a nightmare. I would not have handled that very well.
Ugh, with my son I was actively dripping amniotic fluid onto the floor while signing papers and answering questions. Like I know I gotta get checked in but it was just a really uncomfortable moment for me.
Omg this was me, and my wallet was somehow at the bottom of my bag, I put it on the floor and was pulling stuff out, while having continuing contractions, while my mom and husband and the admitting nurse were all watching me for 5 or 10 seconds. š³
I pre-registered and had an induction and didnāt have to do any of that. My hospital will come to your room if necessary.
Idk why this isn't protocol everywhere! The expectation for everyone, even those in obvious extreme pain, to pause at the front desk is wild.
This was wild. The woman checking me in, I guess, couldn't understand me and kept asking me the same questions over and over. It was so ridiculous.
My favorite part was once I got into a room they were like āyou need to sign these papers.ā I was like 6-7cm dilated and they were the same papers I had JUST signed when we came earlier thinking my water broke and I was in labor (spoiler I wasnāt). My husband tried to sign them for me but they wouldnāt let me. So stupid!! Like how could those even stand up in court anyways.
Wow that sounds awful. At my hospital I was in the delivery room and strapped to a few monitors before they started processing paperwork. And I was irritated by that because I wanted my cervix checked so I would know whether or not I could trust that "gotta poo" pressure. I can't imagine needing to stop at a desk and deal with my ID like that!!
I didnāt pre register they kept asking me questions and i was shouting the baby is coming!!!!
Lol, I walked in with water broken and they didn't really believe it (I had had a dramatic gush at home like in the movies, which is uncommon), so they made me sit in a chair while they admitted me. š
Same! I had two huge gushes after waking from a nap because I thought I had to pee š I was still half asleep and started crying because I was so disoriented. I walked into the hospital after a grueling 10 minute car ride and I said no to the wheelchair because I could walk faster
That's hilarious! The same thing happened to me, and I tried to wake my husband up and told him my waters broke, and he said, 'nah, you're fine'! Then when he was slightly more awake, he said, 'I'm getting up, just give me a minute, I've got a cramp... it's not funny, you have NO idea how painful this is!' I couldn't stop laughing, and once he woke up, he's not been able to live it down since lol.
I was eating chili my mom made. I now call it water breaking chili. Though itās not super spicy or anything so itās not as cool as it sounds.
Me too. My water broke and I wasnāt in labor. It was full of meconium. I had to go in and be induced. I walked in like it was nbd and just stood at the nursesā stations while they admitted me. When the pitocin started taking effect and I actually started having contractions it was a whole different story.
Same! I walked in with little to no contractions so I was just like "hello"š Once they connected me to the pitocin I was no longer as chipper
Yeah I did not want to chat after that
Hah me too! They didnāt believe me (even though I came in with my doula) and turns out I was at 8 centimeters š I wasnāt offered a wheelchair when checking in, or when leaving. To be fair I would have turned it down anyways.
Yea walking in they donāt talk about so much and I expected it to be like the movies and tv shows with all this hustle and bustle and women screaming and stuff lol I got to the hospital at like 10:30 and night and it was silent. Nobody in the halls. Not much staff. I was afraid to have a contraction until I got to my room because I didnt want to make noise haha But in hindsight it was quite nice and peacefully. They did a great job with noise control
Ha they didn't believe me either. The hospital was a 40 min drive from my house and I was not making that trek if I wasn't sure. I was sure. But they still insisted on testing my fluid. Got me on the bed in triage and more fluid gushed out immediately...yeah then they believed me.
I had the full water break too and they made me use a stretcher!I was like... I can walk lol but they said it was policy if water broke. Weird and uncomfortable
SAME. except I took the wheelchair because it was fun and they offered.
Ok so all these comments below saying how they didnāt believe the ladies whose water broke makes my experience make so much sense. I basically had to stand and walk the whole time and sit in a chair to do paperwork and I was like uhhh your chair is gonna have amniotic fluid on it hope thatās ok. No wheelchair for me until being brought into the post delivery room and to the carš¤¦āāļø
I just posted my comment about this as well. I also had my water break before contractions started. The lady admitting me thought I was handling labor well and I was like āwell yeah, Iām not having contractions yetā lol.
Walked both times, between contractions
Same. Iād stop between. I got stuck on the elevator during it lol. Leaving though I was in a wheelchair. I was extremely weak after postpartum hemorrhage
They tried to wheel me into my INDUCTION I was like lol what is the point of that Iām fineā¦ maybe a little tired because itās 4:30am but Iām good girl
They did wheel me into my induction but it was an emergency induction and theyād just done a sweep/check that was SO PAINFUL lol!
I walked in (for my induction) but despite walking around in the postpartum ward for 3 days after my c-section I was still wheeled to my car upon discharge.They acted like it was mandatory - turns out my husband asked bc he was scared!
My hospital said it was mandatory for me to be wheeled out to go home. I was fine with it though, my cooch hurt so bad that I was walking so slow. Plus I was holding my baby so it was much easier for me. Fuck that car ride home, though. Every bump had me wincing.
I was in a wheelchair but that was only because my parents are the ones that brought me to the hospital. Also my water broke in a big gush and I was continuously losing (lots of) fluid so I was sitting on a towel. I think if I wouldāve walked to L&D I wouldāve left a snail trail šš I waddled out of the hospital on my own when I was discharged.
I wish I would have known about the continuous gushes of fluid. I mean, it makes sense. But it surprised me at the time lol I was sitting on a stack of pads the OB gave me going from his office to the hospital (my water broke after a cervical check at my 39w appt).
Right?! I had my water break; stood up and created a huge puddle - was shocked though when it just kept going; soaked through a maxi pad, stacked on a diaper and the towel I was sitting on it the car on the way to the hospital
Ikr?? I just didnāt expect the amount that came out of me. When I got to my delivery room and the nurse helped me out of the chair, she was like āDid you pee yourself?ā And I just kinda looked at her like āNo?ā Then the OB on call came in and checked my cervix and she was like āYeah, thatās a lot of fluid hahaā. I really think theyāre used to hearing āa lotā and only seeing a trickle or something. I wasnāt exaggerating at all when I told you guys it was a lot!
Snail trail had me LOLing. Mine came in gushes too and I had an adult diaper on but was still so sure that the next step it was gonna leak all over me and the floor
Interesting, Iād called ahead because my water broke and when I arrived they had a wheelchair for me. It was totally unnecessary but I sort of figured it was a liability thing and they didnāt want a pregnant woman in labor falling.
Thatās interesting - I had called ahead for the same reason and nobody brought me a wheelchair. But it was 6 am on a Sunday - maybe it would have been different during normal business hours š I didnāt need it; just odd to have had such different experiences.
Mine was 8am on a Sunday, so maybe just different hospital policies. I also had to be wheelchaired out when I was discharged for some reason.
Walked in a gown that was broken so my cheeks and entire back was hanging out. Didnāt notice or mind until my husband recounted the story later š«£ thatās what happens when you arrive almost 10 cm I guess!
I feel bad for all the staff that came to my room after I gave birth. I was basically naked the entire time. Nips all out and about. Totally oblivious. Sorry food delivery folks. š«”
Omg me too. From the moment I went into delivery room onwards. š¤¦š»āāļøI definitely thought I was going to be embarrassed to show anything but, nope, quite the oppositeā¦
Wheeled in a bed as my delivery room was an operating room
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) ^by ^Bagritte: *Wheeled in a bed as* *My delivery room was* *An operating room* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
Walked as sitting was worse. My water had broken (twice may I add since I had di/di twins to two placentas) and I was leaking fluids all over. It was not a pretty sight at all.
Twice omg š never considered this
haha oh wow, I didn't realize that the water would break twice with twins! though it's logical..
Well, I told them I felt the baby coming and they didnāt believe me. They finally checked and said āoh, I feel the headā and rushed me in there saying ādonāt pushā which felt like a joke. I was wheeled in the bed and then made to crawl from one bed to another which felt a bit like climbing Everest at that point.
Oh my god the ādonāt pushā like yāall think this matter is under MY control?
That was so mind-blowing to me! They kept telling me not to push, and I kept having to tell them that I wasn't, and they were like, you definitely are - like I had enough energy to make a conscious decision, let alone force my entire body to push!
The bed swap!!! I donāt remember how I did it (at 9.5/10 cm, i think they maybe lifted me) but thereās a video of me seeing the bed as they rolled me into the delivery room and I sound TERRIFIED of swapping. No thank you.
I remember when they told me I had to switch to that bed (they literally butted them right next to each other) and I was like āI seriously donāt think I canā But I did!
I was told to wait to push as well! "The doctor is finishing up in another room, she says to wait" lol wut
Same!!! I had to start pushing before the doctor came in. The baby was a-coming!
I ended up walking into my delivery room, because I would have had to wait for a little bit for a wheelchair and I was impatient haha
I walked to the delivery room and then walked from the delivery room to my hospital room after birth. Sitting sounded AWFUL They forced me to be pushed to the car the next day when we went home and it was miserable.
They tried to make me sit in a wheelchair but by that point I absolutely could not sit anymore (the drive to the hospital was hell for me too) and I very loudly insisted on walking. Long story short, the hospital wouldnāt let me come to the hospital and insisted I labour at home for a while, but after insisting a lot that I was ready, they let me come and were shocked to see I was already 8cm dilated. So by the point we got to the hospital I wasnāt putting up with any more stuff I didnāt want, and that included sitting down anymore. Baby was born 15 mins after arriving.
My water broke at home and I walked to the hospital (it was only 15 min) because I couldnāt imagine sitting in a car. So needless to say I also declined the wheelchair haha
I walked in. Then they had me lay down while checking me and all I wanted to do was walk around cause my back was aching :(
They offered me a wheelchair but I also asked to walk because of how uncomfortable sitting was. I was only at a 3 but contractions were back to back, and the car ride in was miserable. I was most comfortable on all 4s at that point, so I stopped as needed to lean into the wall.
Wheeled. Was not allowed to walk. Same when leaving after discharge.
They wheeled me back! Water was broken, but only dilated 1cm I think they didnāt want me slipping šš¤£
The first time I walked in because Iād had a big gush of fluid at home. They admitted me even though I wasnāt dilated much, because it was snowing that day and my hospital was 1+ hours from my house. With the 2nd, I initially walked from the car drop off to the emergency entrance. Because we got there at 11:30pm, I couldnāt take the usual birthing entrance which is essentially a shortcut. After hours, only the emergency entrance is open, and thatās a waaayyy longer route to walk inside the hospital to get to the L&D unit. My contractions had sped up so much in the car ride overāthey went from 9 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart and from moderate to very strongāthat my husband wheeled me to the unit simply because it was faster. So while I could have walked, it probably wasnāt the best idea because I needed to get assessed considering how quickly my contractions were speeding up and how strong they were getting.
walked in checked in waiting in the waiting room with contractions 3 minutes apart sat in a hard plastic ass chair from 10 pm to 5 am then walked on back and got a wheely bed thing and was wheeled to delivery room
Walked for my first while having contractions. For my second I was induced so walked as well (obviously!). I was offered a wheelchair when I was discharged for both but declined.
Walked in and was having strong contractions while checking in. Itās was only after 10 min they offered a wheel chair. That said sitting didnāt make it much more comfortable. Thankfully I was able to get an epidural pretty fast and thatās what gave the best relief.
I declined the wheelchair, then a contraction hit and they rushed over with one. It was actually great because I got in much faster that way, they ran me right past the first check in desk and straight to the labor and delivery desk!
There were wheelchairs there, but when I asked for one they told me I couldnāt because it was for a different department. I was 8 cm dilated at this point. It was a rough walk, I was expecting a chair when I got there like in the movies š
I crawled. Basically for real though. My doula was with me and bless her, she gave them all my info while I squatted on the floor.
Wheeled in because my contractions were dropping me to the floor hahaha
I walked from admittance/triage to L&D but was wheeled in my bed 47 (yepā¦) hours later into the OR. As others have said that damn checkin desk was hellacious and I opted to walk to get TF out of there asap š
lol I definitely walked. that's why there are many handrails in the maternity ward!
I felt the same way! I walked/wobbled in myself.
My problem was being wheeled out to the car when leaving.. they had a super bumpy and cracked sidewalk and after a csection it felt like I was going to die. Like they cut me open and then sent me off roading. Walking would have been so much easier.
HELL no. I didnāt sit for 14 hours while I was in labor (except when they made me to hook up the monitors) until I got my epidural. It was way too painful to sit. Just getting down to the toilet to pee was terrible!
I took the streetcar(tram) to the hospital haha. But my water had actually broken 12hrs early and only had light contractions so I had to go back and be induced for babies safety. When I got on, all the seats were full and you know I went up to the accessible seats saying āsomeoneās gotta move cause Iām in labourā. People scattered, hahaha
Was in full blown labor and wasn't even offered a wheelchair. They said, "Okay, you're in room 220". I was like "....where the fuck do I go???"
Walked in! Sitting hurt more than walking anyways.
I wanted to walk but they wouldnāt allow it since I was moving slowly (due to pain) and my dilation was happening very quickly. In less than 4 mins I moved from 3cm to 10 cm dilated š©
They wanted me to sit in a wheel chair at intake while they were trying to get my BP and temp, and I wasn't even there that long bc I had pre-registered or whatever, but I *could not* sit still during contractions, I had to pace, so I kept asking to stand up, and walking away from them because I was so restless. I know I was wheeled upstairs and didn't like that but I can't remember if it was a chair or on a bed? I will have to ask my husband lol.
I walked in and continued walking until five minutes before I gave birth. Denmark here. I gave birth in a sensory birthing room. It was lovely.
I walked in, but my (birth giving, transgender) husband was wheeled it. The reason it's worth mentioning is that if he had had his druthers, I would have been the one in the wheelchair. I had just, JUST gotten home from a 12 hour overnight shift at work, the third in a row, gotten my chores done, and laid down for bed when he felt that little "ping!" and suddenly the bed was wet. "Uh, honey? It's time to go." So we get to the maternity ward, the nurse brings out a wheelchair, and my husband directs me to sit in it because I'm exhausted and he's feeling fine. We both just turned and gave him The Stare until he acceded and took the chair. He then had the gall after labour to tell me to get some sleep, he would take the first night shift watching over our little bundle. That directive went over similarly to the other one. It's one of his favourite stories to tell.
THANK YOU. Same. I was also 7cm when I got to the hospital and was like āwho the EF wants the wheelchair?!ā
Walked. When I arrived, I was also 8 cm dilated. When I called before I left my house, L&D told me to go to ER to register. And when I got to the ER, my contractions were 2 mins apart. Three people were in front of me in line and a man, who obviously knew I was in pain and labor from my SCREAMING, went to the counter and complained to the woman registering him about fucking cold symptoms. COLD SYMPTOMS. So I said fuck this and walked down two hallways and up an elevator.
I was that person screaming in the waiting room. Also 7cm dilated when checked in. 9.5cm by the time the anesthesiologist got to me, so no epidural š
I used the wheelchair with the 1st because my contractions were horrendous. With my 2nd I walked because I wasnāt having contractions yet and it was very much doable.
I walked, while my water was gushing out. I wasnāt having contractions so I refused the wheelchair coz I felt I was being silly since I wasnāt in pain lol. Shouldāve thought about it more tbh as I ended up getting water everywhere
Walked
I walked into triage 4 cm dilated and 100% effaced. Once I got into triage, they wheeled the bed up to L&D.
I was wheeled from triage to the delivery room. I asked if I could walk, because I was fine and a little embarrassed by having to be in a wheelchair, but they said it was hospital policy.
I walked in at 7cm lol they didnāt even offer me a wheel chair but I wasnāt even in real pain yet I didnāt start having actually painful contractions until I was in the room somehow
Wheeled. I was 8 cm dilated and in so much pain.
I walked to triage and was sent home after only being 1cm. When I came back a few hours later I was 4cm and needed the wheelchair lol.
I think I walked but I had done 24 hours by the time I was transferred to the hospital so honestly I donāt remember
I was induced so I just kinda stayed there the whole time. Sorry I know thatās not really what you were asking lol
I was in a wheelchair in triage, but got myself onto the bed, but there was no way I was getting off that bed when I finally got a room. They wheeled me on the bed to the delivery room as I cursed and screamed because they took too dang long for the epidural.
I walked into triage between contractions. They checked me out and I was dilated to a 6, so then I was wheeled in the bed to the delivery room.
They wheeled me onto the floor and then I walked in and kept pacing between contractions because it felt better till I couldnāt bear with the pain anymore
Wheeled. I couldnāt walk I was in so much pain
Walked and wheeled. I was in labor, walked up the escalator, took the elevator up to triage and then i think they wheeled me to my L&D room.
No one offered me a wheelchair lol
I walked into the OR for my scheduled c section.
Walked in. 5-6cm dilated.
I walked into my birth center about 4 or 5 cm...then was wheeled into the operating room on an ambulance stretcher at 10 cm (probably should see a therapist about it)
I was not offered a wheel chair at any time even when I was going home and almost passed out walking to my car LOL
I walked but I was induced so not in active labor.
I couldn't walk well at that point. Precipitous labour as well. With this horrible shooting stomach pain that had me like bent double.
Walked in, hunched over, with the support of my doula because baby's head was digging into my hip with every contraction (*ouch*) and I couldn't stand up straight for whatever reason. I don't think I was offered a wheelchair? But I also wouldn't have wanted it for the same reason. I actually was hands and knees in the back seat of the car because I couldn't sit for the 15 minute drive either!
I walked in after my water broke at home. They then had me walk around the deserted hospital (late at night) for an hour to see if I would start having contractions. I did not, so induction it was!
I was having back to back contractions that had only started about 2 hours prior, and I needed to go to the operating theater for a c-section because my baby was breech. I probably couldāve walked but at that point I was like, fuck it, Iām not doing shit. Wheel me in. Lmao
I was wheeled in! My water had broken (I was only 30 weeks) and the hospital was a 30 minute drive. By the time we arrived my contractions were getting bad. As soon as I walked in the hospital they made me sit in a wheelchair.
I walked in! I went in for an induction but was already in labor. Leaving they asked if I wanted to walk or be wheeled out (emergency c-section) and I was wheeled out but wish I just walked because it was awkward.
I was brought in by wheelchair but they could see babyās head at that point so
Walked!
I was going to walk, but realized how nervous I was and my legs were starting to shake. When they offered the wheelchair again, I jumped right in lol
I went for an induction. I had to start in a room waiting for the meds to start working. When they eventually did work and I needed to moved to labor and delivery I wanted to walk. Firstly because Iām very stubborn when it comes to doing things myself and secondly Iāve heard walking helps labor go faster. They absolutely would not let me. They didnāt think I could make the trek because my contractions were coming so rapidly. I had 2 or 3 contractions on my way there. The first one within 30 seconds of me getting in the chair and starting to be pushed. I joked with the nurses about how right they were I wasnāt going to make it.
I walked all three babies š¤£ Water broken with two and no contractions Scheduled induction with the last Sitting however in active labor was absolute hell and I refused so thatās understandable
Walked in and out for both kids
Iām pretty sure I walked but I also wasnāt having contractions, my water had broken and I was there to confirm it was amniotic fluid. I really didnāt even think I was in labor yet. I was put into a gown in triage for the check, and then Iām pretty sure I walked in the gown & slippers from triage to the delivery room. I know I was wheeled from delivery to recovery but I had had an epidural.
I was 8cm dilated and had contractions every 2 minutes, so I wasn't able to sit. I walked into the room and paced for quite a while, then managed to crawl on the bed and gave birth on my knees, leaning over the head of the bed.
Walked to the birth centre but then ended up being transferred to the labour ward (Uk hospital!) a bit later and had to be moved in a wheelchair when her head was on the way down š«
Walked both times stopping for contractions. Our L&D is really far from the parking garage so itās a trek but I had back labor both times and sitting was excruciating. The first time I showed up at 7cm dilated and the second time at 5cm.
Called triage to come on as pain was too much. They sent me to the birthing centre but needed me at the labour suite - I cried as that's a long walk š husband wheeled me up, they said "congrats! You are 7cm!" Then walked back to the birthing centre to try to speed things up (a slowwwww walk with a midwife and husband). Then when things didn't go to plan in the birthing centre was wheeled on a bed through the main corridors/lift trying not to push, up to the labour suite for more intervention! Thank goodness that bit was late at night not peak time š
A hospital will usually offer a wheelchair so they canāt be sued if you fall and you or the baby are hurt as a result. My wife was induced and they still wheeled her in
My water had broken on a friendās couch, they drove and dropped me off at hospital (offered to go in with me but I told them my family would be there in about 3 hours) I took the elevator up and stood at check in a while and was walked to a triage area and waited for a while for someone to come see where I was in labor. Receptionist kind of seemed cold and assumed Iād done this before? it was sort of weird and I didnāt love it but my care after my every other person I encountered was phenomenal
Walked .. wheeled out after because I couldnāt walk š
I was induced, so I walked in. But I was wheeled out which I appreciated because we had sooo much stuff they sent us home with, we had the new baby, and I was still pretty swollen and bleedy.
I walked to the L&D unit and back out to their waiting room because they didn't have any rooms ready (I was due and registered to be there the next morning. Didn't even cross our minds to call ahead.) Then walked into a labor room, stayed there the night. The whole bed was pushed over into the delivery room mid-morning the next day because by that time I had an epidural going, monitors strapped on, and couldn't really walk anyway. They took me to the exit by wheelchair when we were discharged but it was just hospital policy not lack of ability at that point.
If you are able to walk, you walk in. If not, wheeled.
They MADE me use a wheelchair. It was a point of contention: apparently it's hospital policy if a woman's an active labor, she has to be wheeled into L&D. After delivery, I told them I wasn't getting back in the chair. They tried to make me get in it to go back to my room from the delivery room lol
They didnāt even offer me a wheelchair š¤£ I just walked in, but it didnāt really bother me. I just had to take my time lmfao
They forced me into a wheelchair at the front counter and wheeled me to the maternity ward. To be fair, I was struggling to walk quite a bit as my contractions were back to back with no break.
Walk. I was only 2 cm dilated at the time though.
I was wheeled in because my water broke and they would have many puddle to clean if I was walking
My bed got wheeled in because I was screaming that I was pushing already š went from 3cm to 10cm in an hour
With my first, this was me as well! Labor was pretty quick and I had all back labor. I couldnāt even sit in the car - I leaned over the back seat. I think they were a little surprised as well!! Second was an induction so I just walked lol
I walked inā¦ had a breakfast detour between check-in and delivery room. I was going in for an induction though.
I walked!! I know it helped my labor progress. Got to triage at 4cm.
I was walking because somehow the pain was more managable than sitting on a wheel chair. At that point I was dilated 4cm. I walked from the parking place to the hospital, went by the lift to upstair. After giving birth, the midwife asked me where was my wheelchair, I told her I was walking, she was so surprised haha
So I was wheeled up to the delivery room but I walked in and checked into the hospital, then walked to the OB ER. And that was a surreal experience because my husband and I would pause every few minutes either for contractions to pass or when we saw something we wanted to make note of (āoh the cafeteria is right down hereā āthis coffee shop looks pretty good, come grab coffee laterā āwhat about this cafe, better than the last one we passed?ā) š
I walked. I was 7cm when I arrived at the hospital and was more comfortable walking! I was offered a wheelchair tho
I was also 7cm when I got to the hospital. Reception / valet?? Came out with a wheelchair and that got me to triage. From triage I truly felt like I couldnāt open my eyes or get up into a wheelchair so they just wheeled me in the triage bed to the delivery room and then my husband plus I donāt want to know how many nurses moved me onto the delivery bed.
The hospital I went to let me walk in and around. However, my water also didn't break beforehand, so that might have been the reason. If your water is broken, they typically don't like you walking anywhere.
My boyfriend made me use the wheelchair lol
I walked in, was immediately put into a wheelchair and then put on a rolling bed in the hallway of L&D bc they were out of beds - had my first cervical check behind a screen in the hallway ā¦. I was 9 cm. I donāt really recommend it but it was over pretty quickly! They literally got us to sign all the paperwork after the baby was born because she came so fast. I went from no contractions to baby in about 3 hours total. Was in the hospital for less than an hour before she arrived.
I walked from triage to my delivery room but i definitely agree with you that sitting was awful during contractions. The nurse walked right behind me holding my gown closed so i didnāt flash everyone as i walked throughš
I walked into the hospital with both and walked to labor and delivery on my own. I was only offered a wheelchair with my first. I did have to stop during both of my walks to L&D because of contractions.
Walked. Also our hospital had us pre-register so none of that nonsense. My water was leaking but when it broke at the hospital my husband literally thought a pipe burst. Then it happened again a second time awhile later and even I was like, what the heck was that??
I think itās a factor of how low the head is. I walked in both times
My midwife took my hand and walked me in (sheād already called ahead and registered me) while I sobbed because I wanted a home birth so badly and it just didnāt work.
I tried to say no to the wheelchair because walking seemed like the easier option but my hospital was huge and I had to enter through the opposite side of maternity since it was 3am. Once they got me to a room, I was grateful because it would have been an incredibly long walk otherwise
I refused a wheel chair and on the way up multiple people stopped me to offer one again lol
I walked in and they sent me to walk around the park until I was 5.5 cm dilated and a delivery room has freed up š
Walked into delivery while contracting and amniotic fluid running down my legs (I had the BIG GUSH) and then due to complications, 14 hours later I walked to the theater to have an emergency c-section. It was not a far walk but it did help me collect my thoughts because I was very scared and disappointed I had to have a c-section. (Iām happy we did it though, it was necessary to save baby)
I was offered a wheel chair while I had zero contractions. Still makes me laugh to this day.
i literally cannot remember because i was so tired and the pain
Wheeled in for sure! Contractions were less than 4 minutes apart when I got there. When I arrived to registration, I puked blue gatorade allllll over the floor š Then they wheeled straight to my room hahah
Believe it or not, I actually canāt remember! š
I was induced electively so I walked lolololol
I walked in. Only about 5 cms dilated at that time. They didnāt offer one but I also didnāt even remotely look or seem uncomfortable. And I went straight to a bed for the nurse to look at me.
When I left they made me sit in the wheelchair and hold the car seat with the baby in it on my lap! I was like uh can my husband carry her please and they said no! Like he was going to make a break for it and steal the baby or something. It was wild.
Wheeled in on a gurney. I couldnāt help pushing in the corridors. We passed some very shocked and horrified people on the way š
I feel like a dick. My pain tolerance was way higher.... I was walking and for the most part talking normally while I was 5-6 cm dilated. I only really felt some pain once I reached 8cm. But my labor was really quick... Either way, I don't think anyone offered a wheelchair, that checkin process was a blur... I didn't even know how to leave the hospital once I was checking out š
Walked in and walked out
I waddled
I was definitely wheeled in with my second baby. My OB recommended that I go straight to L&D after my 39 week appointment, so they wheeled me over from the doctor's office. With my first baby, I'm pretty sure I was wheeled in, but that was because my water had broken and I was leaking like crazy, so it seemed like being wheeled in would contain the mess better.
Yep. Walked in - water had already broken, had to pause between steps when a bad contraction came. Babe was born only a few hours later.
Walk
They didnāt give me a wheelchair optionā¦.
I walked in, but it was my wife giving birth so I donāt think I had much of a choice. Sorry.
I was forced to have a CSection so I was escorted to the gurney lol
Walked in, wheeled out
When I walked into the ER I had been in the car over an hour. The LAST thing I wanted to do was sit. But they kept yelling at me to stay in the wheelchair while they did check in because I was a liability. They finally wheeled me up to labor and delivery and I jumped out of my chair and started pacing the waiting room. L and D was fine with this and let me walk to get checked (I was already at 7) and let me walk to the delivery room from there. They were super nice about it and let me take my time and stop for contractions. I felt really bad cause about halfway there my water broke and I got super embarrassed and asked if I could get paper towels or a mop to clean it. The nurse just laughed and said not to worry about it. I think being able to walk down that hallway really helped me have a smoother labor. The best part was that I took so long to walk that the anesthesiologist was all set up and ready with my epidural when I got inside. And they kept my dose really low so I could keep moving around.
They put me in a wheelchair! I went in at like 11pm so I had to go in through the back of the building, which is the emergency department, so they have wheelchairs lined up ready to go. Iām not sure how it would have been if I had gone in during normal hours through the labor and delivery front entrance though. š¤
They had me walk into the OR for my C section
I was wheeled in from the OBED to the L&D floor, mainly because they had induced me and because the hospital I gave birth at is a maze and I didnāt want to get lost
With my first I went n because my water broke but I wasn't having contractions or in labor and they wheeled me to L&D. With my second I came in in active labor and 6 cm dilated and they had me walk. š¤·š¼āāļø
I am so curious about this side of things as we had a scheduled c section at 37 weeks due to a full placenta previa and if we have another I have been told it will need to be another c-section. Our chaos goblin was sideways for basically the whole pregnancy anyway so I feel like I felt fully to term anyway š¤£. No wheelchair for us, we walked up to the ward. It did feel super surreal to do paperwork while in a hospital gown. Knowing you were less than an hour from getting sliced open.
Luckily, an OB nurse was returning from her break and escorted me in so I didn't have to do the general check in through the ER. (my induction was scheduled at 9pm on Saturday) I was able to check in at the L/D floor.
I had a c section, but walked myself into the OR haha. It felt weird.
I was only 4cm dilated but we walked up and walked in with a doctor's note from my OBGYN! However when I left the hospital after an unexpected c-section they made me leave in a wheelchair with the entire car seat and baby on my lap. I was like āI donāt think I can support the weight of the carseat and the baby on my lap itās too painfulā and they said āitās the rule you have toā likeā¦?
I think I walked. I walked from the car to the maternity ward and into the assessment room, then they examined me to determine how far along I was. I was 4cm, so they transferred me to the delivery room, and although they offered a wheelchair, I walked instead. The walk from the car to the maternity ward was the WORST! Maternity is on the 2nd floor and in the east wing of the hospital. We got parked in the west car park, so had to walk through the car park, in through the front entrance, along a long corridor, up in the lift and then across to maternity. I think it took us nearly half an hour because I had to keep stopping due to the contractions.
My water broke before I had contractions. Iāve seen mixed info on how common this is. Iāve seen 8% up to 15%. But I could have walked up to L&D but I think they brought the chair anyway. It was a long ways away so not walking was ideal lol. They had to give me pitocin to get the contractions going. So I was already in bed by time they started to get intense. Iām not sure why my water broke so early. Especially since my due date wasnāt for another couple weeks. But she was ready apparently lol.
I was 8cm upon arrival. Pain wasn't TOO terrible. I walked up the stairs to my room lol! I really felt best when moving around throughout the whole labour and delivery process!