Getting to hospital with no car in labour? Help?

[DivaMommy2Be]

I'm only 24 weeks but I thought I'd try you ladies since you've maybe thought about it if you're in the same situation. I forgot to ask my midwife and won't see her until 28 weeks. FTM with no idea what to expect from labour.

Basically We have no car, and don't have anyone who could drive us to the hospital when I go into labour. If we got a taxi it would cost £50 and take about 40 minutes. But I live in a town where the taxi places don't open until 9am and close at 12. (God I miss the city) I'd have to go early to the hospital if I managed to get a taxi, and the hospital wanted to send me home I couldn't go back and forward. Both because of the car journey length and the price.

So I just wondering if anyone is in a similar situation or has any ideas, because it's stressing me out. I've been told you can get in trouble and be charged for calling an ambulance and charged for it.

Someone also told me if you were in the ambulance and someone needed it more they can put you out. Sounds ridiculously unlikely to me but who knows... :/

 

[pcct]

Mmm such a tricky one have you ever thought about a home birth?

 

[rachelleigh]

Is there a church or pregnancy resource center in your town that may have someone who would volunteer to take you?

 

[Olivette]

Eek I can see why your worried about it. We don't have a car either but are planning a home birth so hopefully won't have this problem. If it comes to needing to transfer they would call an ambulance as it would be an emergency. We are actually moving soon though and will have access to someone with a car in the new area so I haven't thought much more about it!

Perhaps you could call the local taxi companies and explain the situation and see if they would be willing to be on standby incase you go into labour at night? I can understand what your saying though with it costing so much per journey!

Do either of you have a licence? Could you hire a car for around the time you'd be in labour?

I would give your midwife a call and ask her what her advice is if it was me. I'd not want to wait till my next appointment as I would only worry about it! I'd pop her a call, that's what they are there for after all, to help allay any fears or worries you have.

Ox

 

[DivaMommy2Be]

Edit

 

[DivaMommy2Be]

Mmm such a tricky one have you ever thought about a home birth?

If love to do that but I'm not confident enough to try it, especially with the hospital so far away. Plus we get really bad snow when I'm due and I hate something to go wrong and be stuck

 

[DivaMommy2Be]

Eek I can see why your worried about it. We don't have a car either but are planning a home birth so hopefully won't have this problem. If it comes to needing to transfer they would call an ambulance as it would be an emergency. We are actually moving soon though and will have access to someone with a car in the new area so I haven't thought much more about it!

Perhaps you could call the local taxi companies and explain the situation and see if they would be willing to be on standby incase you go into labour at night? I can understand what your saying though with it costing so much per journey!

Do either of you have a licence? Could you hire a car for around the time you'd be in labour?

I would give your midwife a call and ask her what her advice is if it was me. I'd not want to wait till my next appointment as I would only worry about it! I'd pop her a call, that's what they are there for after all, to help allay any fears or worries you have.

Ox

I tied the standby thing. They said they couldn't make the commitment what with it being January and the snow we'll be likely to get. I'm in scotland. Neither of us drive either lol. Stressing out big time

I'm asking the midwife at my 28 week. To be honest they aren't the best and really only want to see you if something's really wrong. They wouldn't see me for pain I had at 18 weeks cause they said it sounded like normal pains. Had to call NHS 24/7 that night and turned out i had a bad infection, hospital doctor was furious If I phoned and told them my reason I think they'd refuse to see me and tell me wait for my next app.

 

[pcct]

Yeah am exactly the same gun home birth would be nice but I would feel more sucure in hospital! Plus being in Scotland my self yes the snow can be really bad that time of the year!

 

[Olivette]

Definitely a tricky one then! The fact your midwives are not more supportive is terrible . I'm guessing they wouldn't advise you over the phone? .

I can understand what you mean with being worried about the snow. We're due over Christmas and I'm glad that we'll be moved to somewhere we have access to cars.

I think the only other option you'd have would be to call an ambulance and hope they understand the situation your in when you phone.

Ox

 

[Mummymelie]

It maybe worth calling the hospital to see if the do a transport service? I know my hospital does so if your stuck they can pick you up with out calling the emergency number! I doubt very much you would be refused as labour can turn emergency at alny min! Hope you can get something sorted soon

 

[whistle]

It says in my pregnancy booklet from the nhs to call a taxi or speak to your midwife about patient transport. If your midwife is unhelpful maybe call the hospital directly. Luckily my oh drives so we have hired a car for a few weeks but I understand your feelings and even if taxi was available I'd be a bit embarrassed to labour in front of the poor taxi driver, hee hee.

 

[bassdesire]

Do you have friends with a car? Surely someone-even a neighbor-could take you? Maybe try to get a license (or SO) so you can rent a car?

Tell the hospital you can't get there? They may have something they can do? Otherwise do home birth. It's pretty great!!

 

[DivaMommy2Be]

Do you have friends with a car? Surely someone-even a neighbor-could take you? Maybe try to get a license (or SO) so you can rent a car?

Tell the hospital you can't get there? They may have something they can do? Otherwise do home birth. It's pretty great!!

Nope. MIL did drive but doesn't now so that was the only one. I'm originally from Northern Ireland now living in Scotland so none of my family are an option obviously lol. My mum will be here but she doesn't drive. Due to our location etc theres literally nobody .

Honestly I'd love a home birth! I'm wanting a natural water birth anyway, so wish I could take that extra step and have her here. But I'm too chicken to be at home

 

[sherple]

With my dd's 1&2 i called an ambulance but that was 17 and 15 years ago and thats what the midwife told me to do. I think i'd ring labour ward and ask their advice. As long as you explain the situation fully to them, i'm sure they'll be able to offer a solution.

 

[Prinny]

Yehh I think see what your MW says, but maybe your MIL could hire a car? (you pay for it of course but then she could take you) if it was me I'd just wait call a taxi and wait the 40mins or so it takes Once at the hospital if They send you home I'd explain about the distance and they probably won't send you home, (well I know some hospitals have different policies but some allow this in certain circumstances) or maybe if you could rent a room at like a bnb if they do send you home, if all of this wasn't possible then I'd just use the ambulance I doubt they would through you out if your in labour lol, I've actually never heard that before..x

 

[Girly922]

I don't know if its different in Scotland but I know around here you can get an ambulance if there's no other option. They don't like it but its a better option than you having an unassisted birth at home and ending up with complications. They just score you lower down than say a cardiac arrest when you call through to ambulance control.

My sister, both her and my BIL drive, ended up getting an ambulance to hospital to have my niece but she was 7 weeks early. I've had several friends who've had to call for an ambulance because they went into fast labour at home and their midwife couldn't get there in time. Admittedly, one friend gave birth before the paramedics arrived but she got him out in one push. Lol.

 

[Mummy Bean]

I would ring round the taxi firms first and just make sure that they are willing to take some one in labour. Then when the times comes get one asap - then if you get to the hospital and ur not dilated enough you can ask to be put on the ward if your explain your situation.

Or ask your hospital about patient transport - they may be able to help.

If not like some one else said perhaps contact a local church - see if there any local people who would be able to help if you covered costs.

Or finally look more in to the home birth option - perhaps if snow is really bad maybe this would better - then if youneed transferring the midwives can call an ambulance.

 

[Gemie]

We called an ambulance with dd and we drive and own a car. I woke up in estsblished labour to the point I was nearly pushing as I woke up, my husband phoned triage and they told him to ring 999 for an ambulance. I was definitely not told off or chucked out!

 

[Louise88]

I don't know if its different in Scotland but where I am the midwives would send an ambulance for you. The hospital wouldn't leave you just because you couldn't get there it would be very unprofessional and something that you could take to the papers if they made you give birth at home with no medical team because you didn't have your own transport to the hospital. I'm sure when you speak with your midwife about it I'm sure transport can be arranged for you via ambulance, nhs also do a little ambulance bus as well for transporting people when not an emergancy so they may send one of those for you instead

 

[Foxy37]

Do either of you drive or is it that neither of you drive ?
Maybe a hire car ?
Or im sure as soon as you have pains if iyts a good time of day the hospital wont semnd you away due to your situation xx