How far will you have to travel to give birth?

[I Love Lucy]

It's about a 5 minute drive for us. 10 minutes if we on the road during rush hour traffic. I wouldn't be comfortable birthing really far away given how bad rush hour traffic can be around here.

 

[mammy2oaklen]

Theres a hospital 20mins away where i gave birth to ds but i hated it there so im choosing to give birth in one 45mins away i dont think its too far i wish my labour would be that quick but very much doubt it also dreading driving there and being told too early

 

[Dragonfly]

4 mile. Only up a dual carriageway.

 

[Girly922]

I will have a 30 minute (ish) car ride unless it's rush hour. If it is it'll more likely take 45 mins to an hour. There is a hospital about 10 minutes closer (in the other direction) but their facilities are nowhere near as good. I reckon we should be fine with half an hour though.

 

[Jess137]

I have lots of hospitals closer, however I work for one...so I don't have a choice where to give birth if I want my insurance to pay for it. That's why I'll be making the almost hour long drive.

 

[motherofboys]

Fingers crossed I won't have to go any where, my last 2 babies were home births and I hope to repeat the experience. However if that's not possible the hospital is only about 20 minutes away.

 

[R8ch]

I think I am in a very similar dilemma - think it might even be the same hospitals!

My local one, where I gave birth last time is 5 mins away. Now midwife only and have to go 40 mins to one with a consultant / doctor.

I was classed high risk at last moment with DD so I am now worried that I would have to be transferred in labour all that way.

I think I might just opt to go the 40 mins to start with to have the doctors. They are mad doing this!!!! I can't believe that a town our size should be downgraded.

It is a worry we don't need!

I think we are talking about the same hospital.
Stephen Lloyd published a message last week stating that these changes will be for at least 18 months and from what I've heard they are not increasing the number of midwives to cope with the increased numbers of mums who will have to use their facilities

It's absolutely shocking what they have done.

I think the midwife situation in our county is shocking. I am actually travelling 40 mins to a midwife only unit again (fingers crossed) but last time I got transferred to the hospital you are both talking about (for a retained placenta). Worst. Experience. Ever. Appalling. Left on the ward unchecked all day despite having come from surgery. Truly awful - totally understaffed and stretched and now they pull even more facilities from it.

I wouldn't worry too much about the transfer - just be ready
Rx

 

[history_girls]

Some midwives from the local hospital wrote in the local paper yesterday that they were supporting the move. It said the units were too small to attract doctors to work in them.

They fought a few years back to keep maternity services and it was promised they would be consultant led -it has not lasted long and I think we only have doctors for another 4 weeks - no good for me due in September!

I think I will chat with my midwife at the next appointment to see what she recomends. I have heard good things about Crowborough Birthing Unit and that is only 7 miles from a hospital with doctors and about 45 mins away from here. Better than going over to Hastings on that awful road.

 

[Katerz]

I think I am in a very similar dilemma - think it might even be the same hospitals!

My local one, where I gave birth last time is 5 mins away. Now midwife only and have to go 40 mins to one with a consultant / doctor.

I was classed high risk at last moment with DD so I am now worried that I would have to be transferred in labour all that way.

I think I might just opt to go the 40 mins to start with to have the doctors. They are mad doing this!!!! I can't believe that a town our size should be downgraded.

It is a worry we don't need!

I think we are talking about the same hospital.
Stephen Lloyd published a message last week stating that these changes will be for at least 18 months and from what I've heard they are not increasing the number of midwives to cope with the increased numbers of mums who will have to use their facilities

It's absolutely shocking what they have done.

I don't see any point in reducing it for 18 months! Terrible decision, i wonder how many lives lost it will take for someone to think oh maybe that wasn't such a good idea! Tut. I can totally understand your worry, that journey is a nightmare at the best of times!

 

[spunky84]

Ours is only about 30 minutes-ish away. If there's a lot of traffic, maybe 40 minutes tops. We have a hospital closer, but it's $4,000 more expensive. I can choose to deliver at one that is 25 minutes, but it's all about the same. The hospital that's only 20 minutes (same chain - they have a few) is currently doing some add ons to the hospital and should be opening a maternity ward there.

If the closer one wasn't so much more expensive, I'd just go there.

 

[Sassysas]

Some midwives from the local hospital wrote in the local paper yesterday that they were supporting the move. It said the units were too small to attract doctors to work in them.

They fought a few years back to keep maternity services and it was promised they would be consultant led -it has not lasted long and I think we only have doctors for another 4 weeks - no good for me due in September!

I think I will chat with my midwife at the next appointment to see what she recomends. I have heard good things about Crowborough Birthing Unit and that is only 7 miles from a hospital with doctors and about 45 mins away from here. Better than going over to Hastings on that awful road.

I've only ever heard good things about the Crowborough birthing unit! Unfortunately I'm not allowed to go there. I asked about going to pembury ( if we're going to travel miles we might as well go somewhere with up to date facilities) but unless my Gp refers me there and I have all my antenatal care there I can't choose it as a hospital for delivery >.<

 

[Sassysas]

I think I am in a very similar dilemma - think it might even be the same hospitals!

My local one, where I gave birth last time is 5 mins away. Now midwife only and have to go 40 mins to one with a consultant / doctor.

I was classed high risk at last moment with DD so I am now worried that I would have to be transferred in labour all that way.

I think I might just opt to go the 40 mins to start with to have the doctors. They are mad doing this!!!! I can't believe that a town our size should be downgraded.

It is a worry we don't need!

I think we are talking about the same hospital.
Stephen Lloyd published a message last week stating that these changes will be for at least 18 months and from what I've heard they are not increasing the number of midwives to cope with the increased numbers of mums who will have to use their facilities

It's absolutely shocking what they have done.

I don't see any point in reducing it for 18 months! Terrible decision, i wonder how many lives lost it will take for someone to think oh maybe that wasn't such a good idea! Tut. I can totally understand your worry, that journey is a nightmare at the best of times!

It's crazy isn't it. I was thinking the same thing...how many lives lost will it take for them to see sense. I dread to think what it will be like in the winter, it took 6+ hours to get from here to the conquest when we had all that snow last week

 

[R8ch]

Some midwives from the local hospital wrote in the local paper yesterday that they were supporting the move. It said the units were too small to attract doctors to work in them.

They fought a few years back to keep maternity services and it was promised they would be consultant led -it has not lasted long and I think we only have doctors for another 4 weeks - no good for me due in September!

I think I will chat with my midwife at the next appointment to see what she recomends. I have heard good things about Crowborough Birthing Unit and that is only 7 miles from a hospital with doctors and about 45 mins away from here. Better than going over to Hastings on that awful road.

Yes, that's the place - I birthed there last time and hope to go back to Crowborough again this time. Seriously, where else can you get your midwife appointments at 8.30 in the evening or on a Sunday, lol. I can't recommend it enough - I'm happy to answer any questions. It's just a shame that more ladies can't experience it when they are high risk - it really feels like a private hospital. Such a polar opposite from hospital.
Rx

 

[Katerz]

If everything goes ok for this one I think I will definitely try for crowborough for any future bambinos. Xx

 

[oneandtwo]

That is not too bad of a drive, especially in respect to labor. I delivered my last son at a hospital two hours away. I was just told to come in a bit sooner rather than waiting it out at home. If I was worried, like you. I would go early as well, if they dont keep you you can just go walking at a shopping center or around the hospital to get things progressing

I delivered my first two in hospitals 30 mins away, this last baby I will be delivering in a hospital thats less than a mile from my house.

 

[history_girls]

Some midwives from the local hospital wrote in the local paper yesterday that they were supporting the move. It said the units were too small to attract doctors to work in them.

They fought a few years back to keep maternity services and it was promised they would be consultant led -it has not lasted long and I think we only have doctors for another 4 weeks - no good for me due in September!

I think I will chat with my midwife at the next appointment to see what she recomends. I have heard good things about Crowborough Birthing Unit and that is only 7 miles from a hospital with doctors and about 45 mins away from here. Better than going over to Hastings on that awful road.

Yes, that's the place - I birthed there last time and hope to go back to Crowborough again this time. Seriously, where else can you get your midwife appointments at 8.30 in the evening or on a Sunday, lol. I can't recommend it enough - I'm happy to answer any questions. It's just a shame that more ladies can't experience it when they are high risk - it really feels like a private hospital. Such a polar opposite from hospital.
Rx

I think it sounds really good! I had to have an epidural last time as DD was round the wrong way and being difficult - I loved it! Just hope I am up to less pain killers this time around if I want to avoid going to Hastings My midwife is lovely but a bit unsympathetic and ticked Eastbourne, saying there was no way it was going to shut. Do you get your own room at Crowborough? Eastbourne isn't and not sure about Hastings. OH still isn't keen on the drive anywhere not when it could have been 5 mins away!

 

[MarcsMrs]

Our nearest hospital is a 90min drive if there is no traffic! I was terrified about this on my first but I ended up being induced as she was too lazy to come on her own! But Im not as worried about it this time since I know what to expect with labour!
Midwives tell us just to get on the road at the first signs & they wont turn us away as we have to come so far! If you feel you wont make it you can call an ambulance to meet you on route or if its really too far you can call the helicopter!! Hubby wants labour to be super fast so he can go in a helicopter!!!

 

[d_b]

Mine is under 15 minutes. In rush hour it could be double that. I have a feeling this labour will be short so I think I'll ride in the backseat and keep clean towels in the car just in case.. lol.

 

[Starry Night]

I drove 90 minutes to have my son. They still told me to wait until the typical 5 minutes apart for contractions. They nearly sent me home when I went in too and I nearly cried. I didn't want to go back when the drive was so long!

There is another hospital closer but they didn't give epidurals and if you ended up needing a c-section they would ambulance you to the one further away anyways. I had a high risk pregnancy so wanted to be in the bigger hospital right away (and I hear the closer one was horrible). I ended up needing a c-section so it was worth it. I had a good experience so will be doing the drive again.

 

[MommyGrim]

It's about an hour drive for me. I'm pretty worried that if something bad happens we won't be able to make it in time but with my DD we didn't have any issues, so I'm trying to stay hopeful!