Commute & distance from doctors/hospital

Lmmtravels

Hi all,

My husband and I are discussing starting TTC in about 6 months. We currently rent (and will continue to) and my commute to work is about an 1-1.5 hours by bus. We're trying to decide if we should move closer to my work (and further from his) so I don't have to commute as far while potentially pregnant. I may be able to start driving to avoid bus issues, but that would still involve a good amount of traffic. We're in a predicament because we like the neighborhood we're in and the rental market is more affordable than being closer to my work. We would stay and deal with my commute if it wasn't for the potential of being pregnant and having a family! I would likely chose an OBGYN and hospital that is close to home, so then I’d also have the potential of issues with getting to appointments that are far from work.

This may totally be overthinking and I know it could be a moot point if it takes a while to conceive, but I want us to make a good decision when our lease is up and not have to move again. Has anyone dealt with this issue, if it even is one? Is there any concern about working 45 min-1 hour from the hospital you deliver at?

kyrenora

My husband has an hour long commute, and we share a car. During my last pregnancy, I had GD and had to go to the hospital weekly for appointments, an hour away. It was obnoxious, but not really a problem. 

Lmmtravels

Thanks so much for the reply! I'd love to hear others insight on commuting as well if anyone has anything to share!

hupp0013

As far as appointments go, depending on if any issues come up, you can make your prenatal appointments ahead of time and try to get the earliest appointments. My husband was commuting 1 1/2 hours away when I was pregnant with our first. He wanted to come for the appointments, so we scheduled them in advance so we could get the appointments as early as possible. I also think the commuting situation depends of what you both ultimately want to do in the long run. How close is your husband to work? We moved closer to my husband's job because he was never home when my oldest was awake.

Lmmtravels

Good to know about scheduling ahead. Right now my husband is about 15 minutes from work (he's also in school) and if we move I'd be closer to my work, but he'd be 30-40 min. It all depends on traffic which can become a nightmare where I am!

borgie05

My only worry with the commute would be not for doctor appointments (you can plan to leave earlier) but for when you go into labor. If I had to drive an hour to the hospital and if my son wouldn't have been stuck (he was not breech but he was facing the wrong way so they had to use the vacuum) then I would not have made it to the hospital with how fast I dilated from the time my labor started. Since you can't really predict when you will go into labor or what kind of labor you will have, I'd want to work and live close enough to the hospital for that. But that's just me... I mean women do deliver in cars and they end up just fine. Just not ideal. Take everything into consideration and then just do what feels right to you.

pourmeanothermocktail

Dirty Lurker from July 2016:

Something else to consider is how far into pregnancy you plan on working, and whether you will be going back to work after your LO arrives. I would personally say that a neighborhood I love and is affordable is more important than job distance-but I have a job only and no career. I plan on being a stay at home mom come June/July. My husband being close to his career is far more important in our home. Also, distance from job to hospital isn't a big deal for me, as I won't be working too close to due date and appointments are more flexible. Just my two cents!

borgie05

Also keep in mind that sometimes babies come early. Totally do whatever you feel most comfortable with... It's just nice to think of all possibilities to help in the decision making process

Lmmtravels

Thanks so much for the insight, everyone! I'm looking at a place this weekend that would be in the area closer to my work, but still not sure what I want to do...on the bus commuting right now in a traffic standstill !

Lmmtravels

I also meant to add that I'm struggling with how to make the decision based on something that might not happen for a year or more (we'll likely start TTC in June), but I'm a planner.

charmedlifex3

Lurking from Aug 2016
Our closest hospitals are ALL over an hour away.
I found a doctor with two locations, one by my job, and the other by the hospital. I also hired a doula (a labor coach) who is a certified midwife, who lives by our house. She is willing to follow us to the hospital, so if I go into labor at home and don't make it, I'm not dependent on  my husband keeping his head. We'll have quasi professional help in the car behind us. (Yes, I am an over planner too!) 
Also, I don't know what part of the country you're in, but in VT that hour drive can be three or four. If we didn't conceive within two months of when we did, we were going to wait until the next year. I did not want to be making a frantic hour long on a good day drive in 18 inches of snow - Or white knuckling it to work when I was heavily pregnant.  

borgie05

@Allisun85 Sounds like you have a great plan!! Hiring a doula was the BEST decision I ever made... I didn't have a long drive and made it in time BUT in general I felt like I couldn't have gotten through 5 hours of pushing (son was stuck) without her! She was the only reason I didn't give up and have them cut him out!