For Labour purposes (no TJ not that type of 'Labour') 
How far away should I be max from the missus for when her contractions start to quicken? 1hr or 2hrs max? We have been told by the midwife not to come to the hospital until a few hours AFTER the contractions quicken so I should be ok to go for a ride tomorrow?.......if I can get back within the hour?
(Due date is Thursday)...or am I being selfish?
For the last one I was at work an hour or so away - plenty of time as it turned out but you never know
First child? It generally takes quite a while. I wouldn't worry about being in too much of a hurry. Second child though...run to the other side of the room & get ready to catch!
Why don't you ask your missus instead of us lot? When would SHE like you to be there?
We are due (first) around now as well, I canceled a trip to Afan last weekend as potentially I could be 3 hours from home if I was needed, I'm sure she would have been fine waiting, but that's not the point.
With my missus contractions started about 2ish in the afternoon, first child arrived 7pm ish. Second child, she "knew" something was up at the start of the day, child born about 4pm.
my three took, from first twinge until arrival, 55 mins, 35 mins, and 3 hours. the second one nearly arrived in the car!
Mark - don't go, what if you can't get back in time? Car breaks down, you fall off & break your leg etc etc. Time to be with your missus I'm afraid 
Good luck!
Why don't you ask your missus instead of us lot? When would SHE like you to be there?
Shes gone from the angriest person to her super-chilled normal self again. Shes fine.
t®ibal©hief- BLIMEY! First borns are normally 'late'?
agree with Woody2000
My wife was in labour for 24 hours with my first and 12 hours with the second. There's no set time for this stuff and being an hour away is a long way if the baby's head is crowning! Things can change VERY quickly.
Put your bikes away from week 38 onwards, plenty of time for that after the event.
ask her but length of time is unpredictable first took 60 hours from firts twinge to birth!I could have been anywhere.
Do you really want to be there? Does she really want you to be there?
Base your decision on that best to not do anything that could affect that IMHO
Good luck
Our two took 4 hours each from first twinge. First was quick due to placenta complications triggering labour. Don't be far away! Even 4 feet from the bed can be too far. 
My two were both less than 3 hours from first contractions to being handed the little beauties
Anyway... its academic. I'm going to wait until we're out at the furthest point away from the car, then I'm going to tie you to a railway line like a villain in an old silent movie. Then I'm going to phone Mrs Hora and tell her you're in the pub
Thereby ensuring that Lisa will hate you for ever!*
*NB: During the course of the birth she will despise you anyway
Don't go riding until after the birth. It's not worth it - you'll never hear the end of it. Remember, your job is to offer moral support, and at least pretend you care.
and whatever you do, stay at her head end and don't look down. Seriously!
Don't go riding until after the birth
like he's going to get a chance anytime AFTER the birth.
Hora - I can barely put into words how much I'm looking forward to watching you (not) cope with this whole situation. I'm going to be pointing at you while laughing like a drain!
My good lady went to bed as normal. About midnight she woke me up to say "I think my waters have broken", about 5 seconds later we were pissed wet through (nice). Cue a mad 5 minutes of getting dressed, grabbing bag and heading off to hospital. She'd had no pain, no contractions to speak of so it was a bit of a shock! Stay at home, it's the right thing
I made the mistake of peering over the 'business area' when my wife was having a c-section.
I can say with some authority that I have seen parts of my wife that are better left unseen
and whatever you do, stay at her head end and don't look down. Seriously!
Oh beleive me. I really dont want to be in the room. In a nice but brutally honest way.
yoss - me too. In a daze following nursey round while they weighed Jnr etc, turned round to the lovely sight of the Mrs' innards. Grand 
I really dont want to be in the room. In a nice but brutally honest way.
if you aren't, you will regret it
In a daze following nursey round
yeah me too, I walked into a cupboard which amused the medical team no end
I pretty much put everything on hold for a few weeks, seemed better to do that than miss any of it, a copuple of weeks out of your life, isn't to much to give up
I watched, it was cool. You don't get to see babies coming out of women every day now do you? Unless you're a midwife, I suppose, in which case you do.
I wasn't convinced I was in actual labour with my first child until the midwife said "You are 10cms dilated, and you are going to have this baby right now!!" before hitting an alarm button on the wall (we were in a day case assessment unit at the time as I had been having a few twinges). I was then called Nails by my other half for some time after that! Agree its best to ask your partner about the ride though...
The midwife assured me (after a couple of calls to mrshora as well)....
.....
....and then millie goes and posts
Sorry... You never know what could happen though! Mr Millie was nearly in big trouble as he had tried to convince me to stay at home longer and take a paracetamol
You'd be better to stay near and enjoy some other activity that you won't get to do properly for a while - SLEEP.
I was out riding when my wife went into labour - she was due for induction the next day and had suggested I go out. I was only 30mins away though (and dammit, I'd just done all the climbing when the call came and didn't get the benefit of the singletrack!)
I wouldn't go too far from home more for the fact that your missus may well not be too happy being home alone for too long once it kicks off even if it actually takes ages for anything to happen.
We'd jsut gone to bed when my wife's waters broke. The biggest problem for her ws the lack of sleep, since she basically missed a whole night.
I also kept our whole family updated on facebook as the events progressed
Even early labour can be very painful (or maybe I am just not as hard as Millie), I imagine she will want you there to hold her hand!
Very best of luck to you both
I've acted super relaxed/cool for her throughout. However Ive been seriously worried, stressed and worried for her underneath the surface. She is now the calm one. Can I have air in the delivery suite?
Joke of course- I know I have to be strong and calm for her in there 
spoke to someone at the weekend who dropped within 3 mins of the first twinge...admittedly this was the 2nd child, but they then backed it upp by saying 1st arrived within 20minutes of first contraction.
compared to 54hrs for my kid...
I think a lot of people worry too much (understandably), I'm riding local and will carry on doing so I'll never be more than 1 hour from home if needs be, the 55 mins mentioned above for the first one I think is quite rare.
8 days till due date and the wife is still at work as well, good for her.
I was told to go and do the Gap Road route the day before ours arrived and he was already 10 days late by then. I could have been 3 or 4 hours away at worst, but she said to go, so I did. Her first contraction was as I crested the Gap! 
He was born about 18 hours later though after we left for the hospital at about 3pm the next day.
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