WWYD: Hospital a little far from my home

katiedollaz · August 2012

We live about 35-45 min. from our hospital depending on traffic. My Mom is concerned this is going to be a big problem when i am going into labor. She mentioned that if she didn't live 15 minutes from the hospital when she had me, then she would have not made it. She is trying to encourage me to stay with my MIL around my due date, who lives about 8-10 min. closer or to stay in a hotel around my hospital. My question is what are your past experiences for you 2+ moms out there? Is anyone else in this situation and What are your plans?

MichelenDave06 · August 2012

I am far too...45-55 minutes. This is my 2nd, and I am not doing anything special. Just making sure I am ready and get going when I have to. If this is your first, you will have plenty of time. I was in labor is DS for 26 hours. I could have taken a vacation before going to the hospital. Just mention to your doctor to see if they say anything special, but they will probably just tell you that you have plenty of time. GL!

starrysmile18 · August 2012

Ditto what Rora said, you never know how long you'll be in the first stage, so, just pray for green lights, and stay home.

My hospital is about 20 mins, but 45 isn't that bad....

mlf625 · August 2012

I think your mom is worrying way too much. I certainly wouldn't move into your MIL's to be 8 minutes closer, that's ridiculous.

I'm an hour from the hospital. I have a RCS scheduled but obviously anything could happen, and I'm not concerned at all.

tinabean00 · August 2012

I live an hour away from my hospital, depending on traffic. If it's a friday night I think we're screwed

I have arrangements to hang out at my brother's house during labor (he's 20ish minutes away). That way I can go when I feel like and then just go from his house when I get into active labor.

My MWs have a lot of people who drive 45-60 minutes. They all assure me that when I call to let them know when I'm in labor they can give me a guesstimate on when to leave. Of course every labor is different so there really is no way to know, but I trust them.

I look at it this way, in a big city it sometimes takes 45 minutes to get across town. People do it all the time.

ELCJet · August 2012

That drive wouldn't worry me at all, even if it were for my second. Just track those contractions and let your Mom sense guide you as to when to head for the hospital. If you err on the side of caution and get there early, just count on walking around in the area if they don't admit you at first.

ilovelife · August 2012

mlf625:
I think your mom is worrying way too much. I certainly wouldn't move into your MIL's to be 8 minutes closer, that's ridiculous.
I'm an hour from the hospital. I have a RCS scheduled but obviously anything could happen, and I'm not concerned at all.

This! Just because your mom had a quick labor does not mean you will!

melody921 · August 2012

I would not want to stay with anyone else at that point, and I would't want to pay for a hotel for who knows how many nights. Anyway, I think most FTMs don't have that fast of a labor. I'd just make sure that when labor starts, you get your stuff together and head over, don't wait until contractions are 2 minutes apart or something.

Manx4 · August 2012

My hospital is about 35-45 minutes with normal traffic. I'm not concerned at all. I highly doubt I'll have the child in the car.

mom2skh · August 2012

I live in Chicago, and while my hospital is only a few miles away it takes about 35 minutes with no traffic. If I go into labor during rush hour, on a weekend, event night, or fri/sat night my drive to the hospital could be more like 1-1.5 hours with traffic. A few times a year you hear about a woman giving birth on the expressway caught in traffic, but I am not worried.

Especially as a FTM you will probably be fine. Staying with MIL to gain an extra 8 minutes doesn't seem like a big help. I think mom is just worrying too much. You should have plenty of time.

bonjourbelle05 · August 2012

I'm 40-45 mins from the hospital and I asked my doctor if the 5 minutes between contractions will be the same and she said yup. She said the odds of me delivering in the car are so slim she is not worried at all....if she's not worried then I'm not worried.

senorita04 · August 2012

With DD1, I lived over an hour away with good traffic. I was really worried I was going to end up having the baby in the car. I expressed my concern with my OB and he wasn't worried. I ended up needing to be induced because I was almost two weeks past my due date, and even then she was born the next night. Labor is not a short process, generally speaking.

katiedollaz · August 2012

thanks so much I really am grateful for your tips. Eased my mind.

LyndseylovesHugh · August 2012

My hospital is 45 minutes away and my midwife did not seem concerned about it at all, so I am not either. I am sure that my labor will take far longer than 45 minutes.

kellelle01 · August 2012

Mine is about the same distance as yours and I'm not worried about it. Odds are high you'll labor for hours. Just don't want until you're in unbearable pain to go to the hospital.

herlysgirly · August 2012

I wouldn't worry. This is my second time, and the hospital is actually moving to a new (farther) location a week before my due date. I think it'll be a 35ish minute ride rather than the 15 minute we had the first time. I still plan on staying home as LONG as possible. If I start getting the urge to push, DH better step on it is all! Wink

hunter91011 · August 2012

I am a FTM, but I had this same concern, so I asked my Dr if I needed to go to the hospital sooner because of the distance. He said since this is my first baby he does not forsee things moving that quickly, if I leave when they are 5 minutes apart. The story might change though if I am already dialated a bunch before I go into labor.

amanda2424 · August 2012

mom2skh:

I live in Chicago, and while my hospital is only a few miles away it takes about 35 minutes with no traffic. If I go into labor during rush hour, on a weekend, event night, or fri/sat night my drive to the hospital could be more like 1-1.5 hours with traffic. A few times a year you hear about a woman giving birth on the expressway caught in traffic, but I am not worried.

Especially as a FTM you will probably be fine. Staying with MIL to gain an extra 8 minutes doesn't seem like a big help. I think mom is just worrying too much. You should have plenty of time.

I feel ya! Although I am in Des Plaines and my hospital is in Evanston so in traffic it can definitely take 45 minutes. I was worried at first, but my doctor reassured me that it will fine and I will have plenty of time.

hmp1 · August 2012

That doesn't seem far to me. FWIW, I was in labor for 14.5 hours from the time my water broke until I delivered.

LauraJB313 · August 2012

One option to ease your/your mom's mind is to plan to leave your house a little earlier than the 5:1:1-2 point (contractions every 5 minutes, lasting a minute, for an hour or two) and pick a comfortable spot (a park, mall, friend's house, etc) near the hospital to hang out until you "need" to be at the hospital. I don't think that would be necessary with only a 35-45 minute drive but if you find yourself obsessively worrying about making it there in time, it is something to consider.

stella_blu · August 2012

I live about 30 minutes from my hospital and don't plan on staying anywhere but home. My parents house is closer to the hospital and if I wasn't GBS+ we'd probably labor there for a little while like we did with DD. There is plenty of time!

isacdimi10 · August 2012

My hospitals an hour away if traffic is good. Since there's contruction all the way from my house to the exit for the hospital its more like 1hr and 30 on a decent day, worse during rush hour.

I'm not concerned.

You're a FTM chances are your labor is not going to be lightening quick. When you're in labor remember you have a drive so err on the side of caution as for when to leave.

beh3e · August 2012

LauraJB313:
One option to ease your/your mom's mind is to plan to leave your house a little earlier than the 5:1:1-2 point (contractions every 5 minutes, lasting a minute, for an hour or two) and pick a comfortable spot (a park, mall, friend's house, etc) near the hospital to hang out until you "need" to be at the hospital. I don't think that would be necessary with only a 35-45 minute drive but if you find yourself obsessively worrying about making it there in time, it is something to consider.G

This is a good idea! This is something I was worried about as well, but there's a huge park right near the hospital that I could go walk around in if it's not too hot and I still am not ready to go to the hospital. Hopefully by the end of September it will have cooled down a little.

MrsL0908 · August 2012

Yeah, I'm 45 minutes away from my hospital. I don't plan on staying with anyone else. I'm pretty confident that we'll make it there on time.

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