How close do you need to be to a hospital to be considered for a home birth ??

[MRSHW]

The more I read up on home births, the more I would like to consider one however we live in the countryside in the UK and don't want to get my hopes up if it's a non starter. Does anyone know how close you need to be to a hospital?
Thank you!!!

 

[murmur]

I don't think there is a maximum distance. I live just over an hour away from my local maternity hospital and was actively encouraged by my midwives to have a homebirth. They said if anything happened that required us transferring to hospital the paramedics would get us there swiftly. Turns out they were right as even though the birth went smoothly my son needed a little bit of a helping hand as he was 'dusky' and we were blue lighted up to the Norfolk and Norwich. A journey which would take me just over an hour took the ambulance just over 30 minutes.

 

[elohcin]

As far away as you are comfortable with.

We are out in the country, about 15 minutes (on a good day) away from our local little hospital, but about and hour and a half away from any big hospitals. I've had 2 unassisted homebirths, and I'm comfortable with this distance. But I also have a family full of medical professionals (DH included) so that helps my comfort level.

 

[MindUtopia]

I agree, it's probably whatever you're comfortable with, though they might start to get nervous if we're talking 45 minutes-1 hour maybe? But still it's your choice. We are in the country too, maybe 15-20 minutes from the hospital depending on traffic and speed. I feel totally comfortable with that and would probably be content with 30ish minutes really too.

 

[solitaire89]

We were 40 mins away from our local hospital, and the mws were happy for my first to be a planned home birth HTH

 

[madasa]

The further you are away from the hospital, the more conservative they are likely to be about any decision to transfer.

If things did not go smoothly and you were to need a caesarean, it would take them 30 mins to prepare for that anyway.

Just out of curiosity, whereabouts do you live? How far are you from a hospital?

It is absolutely up to you and your comfort level. If you are told you are "not allowed" to have a homebirth, you can challenge that. It is YOU doing this, YOUR body this is happening to, so it is your decision. You do the considering and the allowing

 

[MRSHW]

We are near Shaftesbury so about half an hour to 40 minutes at a normal pace from Salisbury hospital! Just know I'll be so much more relaxed at home and the more I read the more it seems that interventions are so much lower when woman are relaxed during childbirth!

 

[solitaire89]

The 40 mins I talked about was at a normal pace - not on blues and twos. I'd say that if you're happy, the mws etc should be

 

[anita665]

We have two hospitals 'near' us. I say near but both are 40 mins away on a good day. One is NNUH which I noticed someone else on here said was their nearest and the other is QEH in Kings Lynn.

My last baby was so quick that by the time I was sure I was in labour it was too late so he was born at home. This time midwives have advised me to have a home birth based on the fact the hospital is so far away and I labour quickly.

They can transfer you very quickly if they need to. There was no chance of the midwife getting to me on time for my last baby so it was attended by paramedics who got there in 10 mins even though I live in the middle of nowhere.

 

[belle254]

My mums a community midwife and according to her theres no limit on distance. It's your baby, your body, so do whatever you're comfortable with. All the NHS can do is advise, they can never tell you you're not allowed to do anything, and they have a duty of care to you as well. I had a successful home birth for my first LO and our hospital is an hours drive away. xxx

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I am 40mins away too. That is by car though and following speed limits. In an emergency an ambulance would be about 15mins. x