How long/how far will it take you to get to the hospital when you are in labour?

[My Miracle Baby]

Yesterday as most of you know we drove to the hospital to have our ultrasound. We had to drive in peak hour (in Melbourne) and it took 1 hour and 15 min approx. Normally it takes 30 - 40 min.

So I am starting to hope that I do not have to drive to hospital in labour during peak hour.

Just wondering what situation you guys are all in. How long or how far do you have to travel to get to hospital?

Do you have plans for worst case scenario like peak hour?

[lizzymcfizzy]

Fingers crossed you don't go into labour at peaktime!

We are very lucky that we live about 20 minutes drive away from the hospital. So if I end up in an ambulance I dare say it would take 10 minutes.

[My Miracle Baby]

Oh ambulance sounds like a great option during peak hour.

[bambino]

Hi Miracle.......Our hospital is 15 minutes away......I had my bubs last Friday (3rd) and funny enough, when it was time for us to go to the hospital, it was peak hour traffic........and there was a fatal car crash on the way and the road was shut..........traffic was at a standstill and here I am in the car having contractions and DH in the drivers seat going damn damn damn.
Where I live there is only one road in and one road out.
Lucky enough, we have a 4WD and we did an illegal manouver over the median strip and down the bike lane past all the traffic, pulled up to the police man, he took one look and said "Go through hurry hurry"
We arrived at the hospital with contractions about 2-5 minutes apart, but then it took another 12 hours to deliver anyway so we would have fine in the end if we stayed in the traffic jam !!!

[Merlion]

pulled up to the police man, he took one look and said "Go through hurry hurry"
We arrived at the hospital with contractions about 2-5 minutes apart, but then it took another 12 hours to deliver anyway so we would have fine in the end if we stayed in the traffic jam !!!

He'd probably was too scared to stop you in case he had to deliver your baby at the side of the road :D .

We live about 15-20 mins drive to the hospital. My only problem is that we may have to drop off Jess at my in-laws place which is 10 mins away but nearly a 1/2 an hour drive away from the hospital :eek: . Hope that I can keep my legs crossed that long.

Also the hospital has heaps of speed humps which I'm worried about considering when I had to go for my u/s a few weeks ago and having to drink 1 litre of water I nearly pee'd my pants

[TickledPink]

we live about 15/20 minutes from the hospital straight up the freeway, so hopefully we arrive in plenty of time.

[FourAngelKisses]

We have a hospital 2mins away, but they don't deliver babies (haven't done so for about 25yrs), so we have to go to the one 50km away. No peak hour traffic out this way, so it will take me about 40-45mins.
A friend of mine ended up giving birth in the car in front of her 4 children 2yrs ago because of the distance. :eek:

[belinda]

oh gosh i really dont want to go into labour in PEAk hour as it will probably take us an hour... but if the traffic is just normal it will take about 20 mins which isnt to bad....

[Cristy]

We're just under 20min non-peak and just over 1/2hr peak. But hubby-to-be doesn't drive anyway (something I am trying my best to rectify!:banghead: ) so we have made sure we are ambulance members so we can take a nice ambo ride when the time comes. Although I think my Mum has offered to come stay and help with things like cooking, cleaning, animal tending, husband calming:laughing: etc. so she'll probably drive us in.

[skyejax]

we r about 45 mins from hosp i am going to. i am having a c/s though so luckily wont hav to worry about traffic jams/ peak hour/ accidents or the latest obsticle around us at moment ....roadworks in every direction.

[zada]

where we lived when i went with dd hospy was only about 5 mins away. With ds we lived around the corner lol both times i went to hospy at 3am but i tell ya the 2 second car trip was enough for me! i feel sorry for the rest of ya

[FourAngelKisses]

All 3 times that I've gone into labour has been at night.....hopefully it will be the same for all you ladies who have peak hour traffic to deal with.

[ButterflyMama]

We're about 15-20 minutes away from the hospital I'm going to. :thumbsup:

[SairBear]

ill b living about 5mins from hosp...

last pregnancy we lived 75kms from hobart in tas and it was all windy up and down rds , not good when ur having contractions...

[BlakeNatsMum]

We are about 15 mins from the hospital here, which is okay, I can live with that!.. When I had contractions with my son, DF couldn't get me to the hospital quick enough, he said he wasn't gonna deliver a baby at home! I think he was freaked out byt the whole thing then cos it was our first baby!

[Jodiee]

So far, so good for me, all were born at either 10pm or 2am, so no peak, hospital is about 15mins, but we dont have a peak really, Im in the outer suburbs.. Mind, I almost left it too late with Ainsley (2nd bub) and she was crowning at arrival, but they lifted me on a bed in emergency, and I pushed in the hall, and she was born 2 foot in the birthing unit room, so I just made it, but it was embarrassing going through the ward at 10pm, pushing like that, but I had no choice.. Luckily for me, they have all changed the birth Unit around now, and it has its own emergency bay, so its straight into the room from the car..
My last 3 labours were under an hour, so heres hoping Ill make it in time..
(ainsley was 55 minutes, Callum was 40 minutes, and Charli was 45 minutes) from first contraction to 3rd stage.. I am not getting a sweep done this time, it works too well for me..

[Kaz240]

Hospital is only about 10 km away but have to drive the Pacific Hwy through all the road works for the Lane Cove Tunnel and it can probably take 30 min in peak hour :mad: - hopefully bubs will wait until the day of the booked caesar and not decied to come earlier !!

Hold on ..... I think the tunnel will be open by then ????? Who knows whether that will improve the flow on the highway ???

[lizzymcfizzy]

. I am not getting a sweep done this time, it works too well for me..


umm... a what?

[FourAngelKisses]

I'm hoping that I wont have a problem when I give birth. They are currently building a new hospital in Bathurst and I am hoping that the maternity ward wont be in the middle of being moved or anything.
And they are also going to be in the middle of building a new bridge 5km out of town, hopefully we wont get stopped at traffic lights or anything for 10mins, lol.

[Jodiee]

Lizzy, a sweep is where they (sorry, TMI) put up 2 fingers, and basically rub along the rim to seperate the membranes from the cervix, it doesnt hurt, and often will remove your "plug". Here is a link I just googled, makes more sense than me..
I have had it done with all of them, and went into labour with all bar the last, when I had to have it done twice.

http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/labourandbirth/labour/membranesweepexpert/

I think most Mums have it done who are overdue.

hope that helped
Jo

[SammiJane]

We only live 10 to 15 mins away and its all down hill. I really want to stay at home for as long as possible, hospitals make me nervous.
No peak hour from where i'm coming from. Just have to make sure my two boys are organised before i go. My mum will be meeting us there as she live about 2 mins from the hospital.

Sam xx

[mamesmumma]

lots of hospitals with english speaking doctors in Tokyo, only 1 hour on the train... a little under 2 hours by car normally. But in peak hour Dh estimated minimum 4-5hours!!!:eek:

So staying local-ish. Birth Clinic is 30mins away in non peak, only done it the once so no idea what the peak is like. Its Dh's stomping ground so he knows all the back roads...I just hope it isnt peak coz he'll have to get from work 20mins non peak - around and hour peak to our house to take me to the clinic.

They want you to come in once contractions are 20mins apart at this clinic so Im sure Ill have enough time...:fingerscrossed:

[mumbron]

hi we are about 50 mins away from our hospital but over an hour in peak hour hopefully bubs decides to come during the night

[Mummy2Noah]

Im sooo lucky i live about 10 minutes away from the hospital!!!!:thumbsup:

[FourAngelKisses]

They want you to come in once contractions are 20mins apart at this clinic so Im sure Ill have enough time...:fingerscrossed:

What will they do if you leave it till they are around 5mins apart?? I honestly couldn't stand going in when they are 20mins apart because you could be there for 12hrs or more waiting to give birth.

[mamesmumma]

I dont know...it has to do with getting the epi. If I want it it has to be done before the cervix is dilated...I think exactly I dont know...translations, sounds like if its dilated at all they wont do the epi. Normally in Japan they get you to come in when contractions are 15min intervals so not all that much difference, and still a lot different than home.

By the looks of things you need to bring your bag in a few weeks early too. A heavily pregnant lady brought two bags in and left when I was there. The nurse checked they were tagged and stored them away. Will find out that info at the seminar they give in two months time.

[FourAngelKisses]

Sounds so complex and confusing............