I had an experience Dec 13 last year that reminded me of something that I have often shared with my clients. I found myself crawling into a cold seat into an uncomfortable position, trying to settle in for what was to be a longer than anticipated car drive. My husband was able to find one of our daughters’ sweatshirts and a toque for me to use as a pillow and I borrowed his jacket to cover my legs. My body was shaking from the cold, partially, also, my body wasn’t able to regulate its temperature yet with the anesthesia still in my system. I thought to myself about how I always say, “plan for the car drive! And if you do you will gain physical and mental comfort knowing that you took the time to prepare”. It was something I hadn’t done on this day, and I was kicking myself for it.
The Hospital Drive
The ride to and from the hospital, assuming you are planning a hospital birth, is something that, with a little planning, can be a lot better than my experience coming home after back surgery. Having some blankets, pillows, water, and some other distractions can make a huge difference. These suggestions came rushing back to me as soon as I sat down in my cold car. Why didn’t I plan for the drive home? That is the first thought I had when it dawned on me that I had a long drive home while being very uncomfortable. I hadn’t planned the drive to and from the hospital into my surgery prep.
Planning for the Drive
Like planning for birth, the drive is something that we don’t always think about until we’re on it. From experience I can attest that bringing some pillows and a blanket is helpful, they provide more options for positioning and bring a level of comfort. A drink, water or labour aid, will be very welcome as will playing some music that you like. Having your partner warm up the car if it’s winter will provide a feeling of safety. A couple of other things that will potentially save cleanup afterwards is to cover your seat with plastic with a towel over it in case your water breaks on the drive as well as to bring a bowl in case you feel nauseous. It’s a good idea to plan your route depending on traffic and time of day and knowing which entrance to go into; as well as calling ahead before driving to the hospital to ensure that they have space for you.
Stay Relaxed for the Drive
The Gate Control Theory of Pain talks about how we respond to pain. When we are stressed and uncomfortable and don’t have ways to distract ourselves, we experience pain more acutely. If we can do things that are relaxing, distracting and feel good we perceive pain less. The drive to the hospital is the bridge between the things we did at home that closed those gates as much as possible to the rest of the labour at the hospital which we will transition to more relaxing activities. If, during the drive we can stay as comfortable and relaxed as possible it will greatly support our body as we dive further into labour.
