Need a taxi to the hospital?

[AngelofTroy]

Just a warning really.

At my antenatal class yesterday, the midwife suggested that if we don't have our own transport, then we contact taxi companies in advance to check they will take a woman in labour.. I was a bit shocked! I didn't realise they would be so cruel as to turn away a paying customer in pain! But apparently many taxi companies do!

So I just thought I'd pass the advice on in case anyone else is relying on their usual taxi company on 'the big day'.

My mum will almost definitely be able to take us, but we wanted a taxi number for back up really.

For those in the Bristol area, my midwife recommended Streamline Taxis 0117 9264001 and I've phoned to confirm that they will take a woman in labour, and I quote "as long as you're not in the late stages and about to give birth". I assured him I hope I'd be at the hospital by then but if not I'd call an ambulance!

 

[x-ginge-x]

Most of them worry about the waters breaking in their taxis, its apparently very difficult to remove amnio fluid and valeting costs are a fortune so my advice would be have an old towel just in case or an absorbent bed mat

 

[miss cakes]

wtf! ive always got taxi to hospital in fact they usually dont even charge you the fare must have good taxi ranks where i live but i never heard of one turning someone in labour away i cant imagine they would tbh

 

[Flutterly]

Ours said the same thing about the waters breaking! They said they would take us but not in the late stages. Not that I need to worry too much now since he's breech!

 

[JasperJoe]

I will prob call a taxi too if it's in the middle of the night, my hubby is a deep sleeper and I can imagine he would be alseep still before he realised i was in hospital lol! x

 

[AngelofTroy]

Yup she even said some might bill you for cleaning if your waters break!

 

[SleepyBaby]

Its a wonder my local taxi company even pick me up normally anymore as i threw up in the back of a taxi on the way to 1st scan lol without a bag or any kinda help to keep it off the seats lol luckily the wee taxi driver laughed it off saying it reminded him of his wife in the 1st tri on back of a bus lol

Can understand why you would need to ask them 1st, Ive planned to have an extra few quid handy just incase i muck up the back of there car, its our big day but its there work place, if we mess the back of there car then they are out of work and out of pocket until they can get it sorted, tbh ive even thought about having a box of chocolates to thank them for taking the risk lol

Im more worried about getting to the hospital than the actual labour lol have planned it out more!

 

[expectingno2]

I don't blame taxi companies for not wanting to take women in labour, as there is the chance of your waters breaking in the car and also a chance of even giving birth!!

Both my husband and I have cars less than a year old so I'm not worrying about anything like breakdowns.

If we couldn't use either of the cars then my parents also drive so they would do it.

Failing THAT - ambulance!

 

[Mummy May]

Yeah a lot of people won't take ladies in labour understandable really! xxx

 

[Twister]

I can understand why they'd refuse, but surely if you had something to protect their seating, like a waterproof mat or plastic seat cover there wouldn't be an issue? Oh will be driving us to the hospital when the time comes so it won't affect us but I can imagine it would be a pain if you couldn't drive and didn't have anyone to drive you.

 

[lindblum]

When I had my first in 2007, I called a cab and asked to be taken to hospital. It wasn't until the driver heard my 'labour noises' that he realised and even wished me good luck after dropping me off.

I hadn't heard of taxi drivers turning people away, that would be a total nightmare being refused in labour!

 

[Ran]

Meh, I just wouldn't tell them. None of their business. I'd pay for the cleaning, if necessary.

 

[LilOopsy]

Meh, I just wouldn't tell them. None of their business. I'd pay for the cleaning, if necessary.

This is my theory too... Don't tell em... Lol


For all they know you could be going in to an antenatal class lol... You just gotta keep your pain face away haha

 

[cheshire]

We don't really have much choice as there is no where to park and the hospital is in the cogestion zone. Last time I flagged down a black cab and he said "if you go into labour on me I've got a towel" but he didn't refuse. My plan is for DH to hail a cab but I have been given permission to call an ambulance due to the speed of last labour, I have known people charged for calling an ambulance but then one of them had hours left and lives within walking distance of the hospital!

 

[discoclare]

Last time I got a taxi to hospital, but they sent me home as was only 1cm. Then a taxi home, then another back to hospital half and hour later when 4cm! They were all different companies (as it was rush hour and we kept calling to find the ones with the shortest waiting times to next cab) and none of them had a problem taking me (my waters had gone and I was leaking waters).

I know loads of people in London who have taken taxis to hospital (since a lot of people here don't own a car) and never heard of anyone being turned away. I think the only story I ever heard of someone being refused was a lady on one in these threads (she was in the huge minority, most people said they had no problems). I think it's something midwives tell you just to prepare you for any eventualty, but in practice is not a problem like they make out.

My OH's grandma had one of her children in the back of a taxi though...... (she opted to have the one after that at home!).

 

[C_baby]

I can imagine there are a minority of drivers who would refuse because like in every workplace some are arseholes, I had one the other day who must have been waiting outside the hospital when I called so I got outside and was stood waiting for ages because I couldnt see the side of the car with taxi sign, he made no attempt to alert me it was him. Then he sat there and let me struggle on my crutches with the door, with my notes in my hand. Didn't even ask where I was going just assumed it was where the phone operator had put, then blabbed on the phone all way to my house. BUT What pissed me right off though was he then had the nerve to ask if I wanted my change - too right I want my change bellend!! Ahhhh

Most taxi drivers I have though are lovely.

 

[mellyboo]

Thats so strange! I hate our taxi drivers here they look so sketchy lol... But we have "taxi money" hiding in our cupboard encase i ever need it or something goes wrong because i have gallbladder issue's too and some times i cant breath or walk when i have my attacks and the boyfriend works nights so we have it just encase... but honestly when i have my attacks he has to come home from work for an hour in the night to drive me to the hosp i cant even deal with calling a taxi.. but apparently labour is a different pain we will see... there's "emergency money" just encase!

But not taking some one because your in labour is honestly so dumb, what do they want you to do call the ambulance... here we have free medicare but we have to pay if we call an ambulance its like 150.00!

 

[katlin]

All cabs were I an have leather interiors so that's not an issue but an ambulance ride is like $400 here so I wouldn't call them unless I had no choice