How far are you from your delivery hospital?

mooncusp22 · February 2014

As I have mentioned on here before...DH & I are moving the last week of Feb. Having to move, change everything from cable to doctors has been a bit daunting! We are moving to a tiny tiny town. There is 1 ob/gyn there and I called the hospital today and found out that there is no neonatal care. I come from a family of doctors that want to make sure I have the best care around (and I am a high risk pregnancy) . Anyway, I asked the small hospital "what is something went wrong that needed immediate attention for myself or baby?" and they said they put you in an ambulance and speed you to the nearest large town.

So, I told DH this and we agreed to just set up our doctors and hospital in the larger area. It is 37miles from our house. I am used to having everything at my fingertips living in cities so this seems really far to me. Will it be ok?

MapleLeafMama · February 2014

25 minutes in traffic from our hospital.

KatieGummow · February 2014

10 minutes with lights and traffic from our garage to the maternity ward entrance. I would have traveled a little further to go to the hospital I will deliver at. For you, I think it should be fine... I am sure that they are very well versed in emergency situations. Do you know how long it would take in the ambulance?

cjpell0 · February 2014

No traffic, 25 minutes. Rush hour, at least an hour.

Jennpjc414 · February 2014

30 minutes with no traffic, but if it is rush hour time, would definitely be over an hour or two!

Rrrrrachel · February 2014

I think it's fine. I'm 30 minutes away.

LittleLady77 · February 2014

I would absolutely go with the hospital 37 miles away if you are high risk. We have a facility really close to us and we are opting to go to the one further away because they have a better NICU and we are high risk as well. The further one for us is 25 min in no traffic and 45 in bad California traffic (assuming no accidents)

thomas930 · February 2014

I live in a rural area and the hospital I'm delivering at is an hour drive from my house.

sking72 · February 2014

My hospital is Minimum 45 minutes away, and i think that's being generous. It's probably closer to an hour.

DemoDoll · February 2014

I think you will be just fine.

My hospital is 7 miles away (from both my house and work) and 10 minutes with no traffic...25 minutes with traffic.

snmetz7 · February 2014

it is 5 mins from my house and about 45 mins from work.

Relish1025 · February 2014

20-30 minutes max to our hospital, with several local ones on the way.

beautifulstr13 · February 2014

A little over an hour away. The closest hospital to us is 30 minutes away but they don't deliver babies.

spano41 · February 2014

I work at my hospital which is awesome if I go into labor while at work. It's also only 15min from my house normally or 30 min in rush hour. I would definitely go to a bigger hospital though over a small one. If the time comes and you are going to give birth in the car or something, you can always just go to the closer one.

avidkeo · February 2014

I live in a small rural area - the hospital is about 20 mins away from home. But the hospital I am delivering at is only primary care, meaning its just the midwives and GP's (it's standard practice here in NZ to have GP's who have extra training in obstetrics). I can only delivery at the hospital as long as no complications arise. If there are complications, I have to go to the main center hospital, which is a 2hr drive away, or if its really bad a 20 minute helicopter flight.

They have things very well set up where there are strict guidelines to follow. For example, if my waters break, and I don't to into labor within 48 hrs, I have to go to the big hospital. If I fail to dilate approx 1cm per hr then I go to the big hospital, that sort of thing. If I have to be induced or anything beyond just needing pethidine or gas, off I go (I am really really hoping to avoid going to the big hospital)

They also cannot do a delivery before 36 weeks.

I would suggest discussing things with the hospital, and find out their guidelines. I am someone who likes as much information as possible and knowing the above makes me feel much more comfortable.

Brigie029 · February 2014

Any chance that you could choose a different practice and deliver in a bigger hospital from the get go?

joyfullyfound · February 2014

We're about 15-20 minutes away, depending on traffic.

Cecilbear · February 2014

It sounds smart to just opt for the larger town! That's what I would do too. We are changing practices this week (eek!) and the new hospital will be about 25 minutes with light traffic. My doula keeps telling me that for FTM, we have much more time than we think we do. So there's both a sobering and comforting thought for you

ashcole28 · February 2014

My hospital is about 45 minutes away.

NavyMrsOT · February 2014

20 mins without traffic. Could be over an hour with traffic. And coming from work? Probably over an hour with traffic

kseccomb17 · February 2014

Im about a block away from my hospital. So it will take me 2 minutes to get there. I would definitely go to one further away if I liked one better.

shawnsgirl06 · February 2014

1 1/2 hours if the road isn't snowy. This is the closet hospital with labor and delivery (no NICU) the NICU is a 40 minute ambulance transfer. Living in a rural area all of my life this is part of my lifestyle heck I have to drive my kids 25 minutes to go to school and 45 minutes one way for a real grocery store. You'll find that the emergency medical care will tend to be excellent and an air transfer is likely available in a true emergency.

maelic · February 2014

20 minutes in no traffic. Rush hour? Eeek, I don't even want to think about it. Closer to an hour, depending on how many bridges/tunnels are closed that particular day (thanks, Boston!).

Bluebird2318 · February 2014

30-40 minutes away, no NICU. The one with the NICU is more like 1.5 hours away.

cfthoct292011 · February 2014

20 to 30 minutes...there usually is no traffic because we are surrounded by farm land so we take the back roads.

katiedidthat · February 2014

The nearest hospital to us that delivers babies is 15 miles (1/2 an hour). I wouldn't deliver there unless it was an absolute emergency. The next nearest hospital is over 20 miles away. The hospital I'm delivering at is 40 miles and almost an hour. Its just a fact of life living in a rural area or small town that you travel farther. The town hospital here hasn't delivered babies since 1990 and uses life flight to move moms in labor from there to the hospital in the next county if they show up.

mallyandryan · February 2014

About 5 from home. 20 from work.

ambarnett1 · February 2014

20-30 mins for my L&D with a NICU. I think even though your high risk, 37 miles isn't too bad. Plus you can speed and get there quicker if something is really wrong.

amhah09 · February 2014

I think you'll be fine. We live in a small town with no OB or even a hospital. The nearest hospital with OB services is like...20 minutes away? But I see my midwife 45 minutes-1 hr away and she's right across from the hospital I'll be delivering (and delivered my two previous babies).

Mustardseed2007 · February 2014

We're another one that traffic makes a huge difference. 20 minutes in no traffic. In traffic 45 minutes. In rush hour, 1 hour.

RocksInTheWater · February 2014

We are less than 10 minutes to the hospital from our house and about 30 min from my work.

I would go to the larger hospital if I were you. You should be fine being 37 miles away.

sweetpeace13 · February 2014

No traffic 15 minutes, 25 with traffic

Rogue237 · February 2014

2 miles. We're in Ann Arbor and delivering at u of m hospital.

sdo_082989 · February 2014

Our closest hospital doesn't deliver babies so we have a little over an hour drive. The nearest hospital with a NICU is over 2 hours.

rtv3 · February 2014

My hospital is right between work and home, about 10 min from either. But if I go too early (before 37wks), I'll go straight to the big hospital downtown, which is about 30 min away. Hopefully, that won't be an issue though

RebeccaY1 · February 2014

I'm about a 5 minute drive from the hospital. They have a NICU there, but since I'm no-risk I don't think I'll need it. I plan to labour at home for as long as possible since I live so close.

CurlieWhirlie · February 2014

About 10 minutes from work, and 30 minutes from home — both with no traffic. With traffic, it could easily take 30 minutes from work or an hour from home.

sweetmelissa0707 · February 2014

I'm about an hour from the hospital that I will deliver at, there are ones that are closer, but they aren't that great. I'm hoping to not hit any traffic/ bad weather.