Really, I want a home birth. But my fiance is totally against it and too afraid. However, he's cool with a natural water birth and using a midwife. The only birth center where they specialize in these things and have midwives is about 30-40 minutes away.
This is my first pregnancy and I realize this is probably a very silly question. But is it too far away to travel to when that moment hits and I realize "it's time?" I don't WANT to use the hospital in my town because I don't want to use any OB and I hear bad things about the ones available immediately close to me.
Re: Is the birth center I want too far away?
Not too far away...
My birth center is about 35-40 minutes away with no traffic. I delivered my second there and my entire labor was only 2.5 hours and I made it to the birth center with a bit over an hour of labor left.
  My first labor was only 4 hours so I made the decision to go with the birth center knowing full well there was a chance for an extremely fast labor.  And I'm going back there for my third, who might be faster or might not be.  Either way I expect it will probably be okay.
I do'nt think so, especially since you know your wishes will be supported, you won't feel like you have to stay home as long as possible before going in.
I'm with you- I would prefer a homebirth this time, but dh is against it, and it just wasn't a battle I was willing to fight. A birth center attached to a hospital is our compromise.
I'm a FTM so take this for whatever it's worth, but my birthing center is about 30-45min away, across a bride and through a tunnel. So if there's traffic I can't just find another route! But I asked before I signed up for it and they assured me that it shouldn't be any problem at all. But ask me again in March
30-40 min is my regular commute time and was my time to the hospital, so no big deal.
I have a feeling when you get that itchy feeling you just want to "get to location B and be done with it," it'll be time to go. Or you'll err just a little on the side of leaving sooner. At least you'll be at the birth center on their clock, not a busy hospital's.