DD was born with a midwife, I had a water birth. Wonderful birth experience, to tearing, no IVs etc. The hospital where I had her (the only one around where I can have a midwife) is about 90 minutes away from where I live. I do have a midwife this time around so if I want to have a similar experience, I can have it but I have that looong drive and I'm in Canada so it's winter (read: possibly stormy, snowy, icey road conditions). What I liked about this birth experience is that I didn't tear and the water really helped with the pain.
Now there is a hospital in the town I live in as well, about 60 seconds away from my house. I could labour at home as long as I want in my bathtub if I want to labout in water, and drive to the hospital when I'm getting closer to the end rather than at the very start (I think the 90 minute drive stalled my labour last time as I had to be induced with the breastpump). DH could go home to sleep and bring DD to see baby without having her on the (potentially) bad roads. The doctors there are on rotation and are a little hit-and-miss which makes me nervous, plus I work with many of them.
So, WWYD? Mentally prepare to make a long drive to have the midwife/water-birth or mentally prepare to labour at home and deliver very close to home not knowing which Dr. you could have for the delivery?
Re: NWMR: where would you deliver?
http://balletandbabies.blogspot.com
I think the place to ask this (if you haven't already) is the Natural Birth board. But if it were me, I would focus on what I could do to find out more about the hospital in your town and how to work within the rules and still have a natural birth. For starters, why won't you know the doctor delivering you? Can you have a doula? What's their policy on things like being able to push in whatever position you want and routine Pitocin?
100% the closer option. Second labors can be quite a bit quicker than first labors so I wouldn't want to have to consider in a 90 minute drive even in perfect weather conditions. Had that been me for second birth I would have been having my daughter in the car or on the side of the road. And, at that point, I didn't care who was delivering the baby.
Kelly, Mom to Christopher Shannon 9.27.06, Catherine Quinn 2.24.09, Trey Barton lost on 12.28.09, Therese Barton lost on 6.10.10, Joseph Sullivan 7.23.11, and our latest, Victoria Maren 11.15.12
Secondary infertility success with IVF, then two losses, one at 14 weeks and one at 10 weeks, then success with IUI and then just pure, crazy luck. Expecting our fifth in May as the result of a FET.
This Cluttered Life
So, another vote for delivering close by. With DD1, my water broke naturally at 1am, first contractions around 2am, DD was born at 9am. With DD2, well, see above. So the second was MUCH faster for me. Even though it's 60 seconds away, you'll still need to account for care for DD1, get out of the house, etc.