Hospital 1 Hour away?

Thank you Hasie!

Hi Em,

Babies don't just fall out, with both my first pregnancies we lived an hour away from the hospital where I gave birth. We left when we knew that labour was well established and got there with plenty of time to spare. In your mind you will know if you want to get to hospital and the hormones you secrete will match your state of mind. If you don't mind giving birth in the car, your mind will let it continue but if you do want to get to hospital, your mind will hold out until you get where you want to be...

I have clients who drive 3 hours to get to their birth venue and make it with plenty of extra time.

Thanks so much ladies! I appreciate it!

Hi Emj

In my first pregnancy I lived an hour away from my delivery hospital, my gynae helped me calm myself, cause like Lauz said above, and my gynae also said, things don't happen as fast as they do in the movies.

As soon as my bed was booked, my gynae told me if you feel anything or suspect anything, don't wait to dilate further or take a chance to wait and see, she told me go directly to the hospital and the maternity ward, and she would be notified, gynae said because I know you live far away I will not send you back if the baby is coming, your pre-auth is done and you can stay in hospital until baby arrives, I think once you establish this with the gynae, you will feel much better, they do understand everyone has different circumstances. just never compromise your or babies health if you feel you need to go now to the hospital, go. And don't feel foolish if there are false alarms, babies come when they want to, these professionals are expecting that and they will accommodate you.

All the best with your decision.

Oh with me as soon as I felt the first contraction, and saw the plug I left for the hospital, it did take time but baby did arrive that night and daddy got to stay longer with me (outside of the norm hours, back then) cause they staff understood it's was hard for him to go and come back with the distance between home and the hospital.

Hi EmJ16,

I would look at it this way, check your family history, im not saying you will follow the trend but if all family members have had a quick birth it might be something to consider in this case.

However most of the time its nothing like the movies, where your water breaks and you in active labour. I had my plug come out on the sunday morning (whick they say is a sign that you can go into labour within a few hours up to a week) I had only dilated to 3cm on the monday afternoon and was in active labour 7pm Monday night so an hour away doesnt seem so bad when you look at it this way.

I would recommend speaking to this gynae first and confirming what they think, theyll give you an idea of what to look out for and at what point to be on your merry way if you are an hour away.

Good luck and have fun on the planning side

Hi everyone!

I'm not pregnant yet but we plan to start trying soon and I was wondering about something.

I'd love a female Gynae but our town doesn't have a female one - plus I'm not too impressed with the private hospital here either.

The Gynae I'd love to go to is an hour away and so is the hospital she works from. Now the issue is - I'd love to try for natural birth (open to c-section obviously if she advises that eventually for medical reasons).

But how practical is it to want natural but at a hospital 1 hour away? (Halfway there, there's another town, so at least another hospital on the way there).

I'd LOVE to hear from others who have went through this or who also plan something similar?

Thank you!

xxx
EmJ