Walking to the hospital to give birth

[SarahAnderson]

Is this a crazy idea? The hospital is only 1.1 miles from our house, down nice streets. Google Maps says it's only 4 minutes' drive away.

We don't have a car, and I think by the time I call a cab (which can take 20-30 mins to arrive) it would have been far quicker and less stressful to just walk there.

But this is my first, so I have no idea how practical an idea that is...

[MrsCakesPremonition]

If you can walk 1.1 miles to hospital then I suspect that you probably won't be in established labour and you might find yourself being sent home again to wait it out.

I barely managed to walk from the car to the ward - about 20 metres and that involved stopping every few steps to contract. But DS did arrive within 15 minutes of climbing on the bed.

[morethanpotatoprints]

I don't think its such a bad idea per se, but doubt it will happen according to your plan.
My first labour was 2 hours from start to finish and no way could I have walked anywhere as contractions were intense and immediate, we were lucky to get to the hospital in time as we lived about 20 miles away at the time.
I would definitely have a back up plan.
Also will you have company on your walk, what about a bus is this a possibility. Failing that it may be safer as well as more practical to call and ambulance depending on your labour, or a taxi.
Good luck and hope it all goes well for you

[AndIFeedEmGunpowder]

I considered this... madness! Apart from anything else you won't want to lug your labour bag there. Get a cab.

[BrianTheMole]

I agree with mrs cakes. I'm only a mile from the hosp, we got a cab. I could barely walk from the cab into the hosp, theres no way I could have walked all the way there.

[Jenjii]

Sorry but I don't think it would be possible for most women to walk 1 mile while in labour. Took me about 20 minutes to get to my car a couple of hundred yards away. By the time you are ready to go into hospital you just won't be comfortable to walk that far. Also you will probably have a reasonable sized bag to transport. Think you should go for the taxi or ask someone to give you a lift.

[ceramicunicorn]

I could barely walk from the car to the ward either. If you're determined to do it could you borrow a wheelchair from somewhere so OH could push you if needed?

[mercibucket]

I quite like the idea but the problem is that it might get labour going and leave you stuck halfway there
Someone following you in a car would be ideal but kind of difficult to arrange
Walking is great in early labour tho

[dashoflime]

Mine was an elective CS so I've no idea what being in labour is like, but apparently its completely normal to cycle to the hospital in Copenhagen

[gallicgirl]

Give birth at home.
Problem solved.

[mercibucket]

Hmm everyone else says they couldn't walk
I could and did at about 5 or 6 cm and cx every 5 mins but at 7 cm and cx every 2 mins, no way
When do hospitals like you to go in these days?

[MrTumblesKnickers]

I walked two miles to hospital to be induced. I walk everywhere though! Not sure what walking in labour would be like though, you might speed things up and end up giving birth on the side of the road with a white van man delivering your baby.

[CbeebiesIsMyLife]

When I was in labour with dd2, dh parked in the car park around 400m from the door. I walked 50 couldn't do anymore sent him back for the car he dropped me at the door and went an parked the car again leaving me to walk 200m to the delivery suite. Which was agony and I was holding on to something the whole way.

In all likely hood, unless there are complications and you have to go in early, when you're in established labour walking isn't an option!

[GobblersKnob]

Depends on you really, first labour could barely walk after about 4cm was in immense pain, all body was like jelly.

Second labour, happily walking about and chatting right up to transition (when I decided I very much didn't want to do this anymore ). I had been and collected ds from school though some quite big contractions that I was sure were BH, arrived at the hospital half an hour later because my waters broke and was already 7cm and felt fine, and tbh could have been walking around between pushes.

[DoudousDoor]

I wanted to. Walk to hospital was 20 mins at start of pregnancy. 35 by my 38 week check up. And when enough in labour to go into hospital there was no way I could have walked it.

We got a taxi with a driver who told me I wouldnt give birth as I was only 38+5

[squiddle]

This has made me laugh... You will know why once you've had your baby! You won't be able to walk a mile in labour unless you are superwoman. Hope it goes well.

[badguider]

My hospital don't want to see anyone till you're having at least three cx in ten mins - so that's roughly three mins apart, each lasts about a minute and I don't know anyone who could keep walking during one so imagine stopping still to breathe for a minute every three minutes... It's going to take a looooong time to walk a mile.

[MortifiedAnyFuckerAdams]

By all means walk home, but definetly cab it there!

[motherinferior]

I think it is slightly bonkers to assume you'll be able to walk there or back. I couldn't walk more 50 metres or so for a week after my first baby.

[McBaby]

Not a chance I could barely sit in the car for 4 minutes and walk to maternity ward took a while! I was only 3 dilated when I got there but she was born 2 hours later. So if I had gone earlier when I could walk I would have been sent home again.

I would find a taxi company or someone to drive you.

[IneedAsockamnesty]

Badguider,

Your hospital would be screwed with me then,I don't have contractions my waters don't tend to break until about 15 seconds before baby arrives and the only sign I get at all that I'm going to give birth in the next hour is a bout of the shits.

Once they didn't listen to what I was saying and sent me home I got as far as the car park before waters went and head came.

[jchocchip]

walking in labour may be great to get baby into a good position... But personally I would book a home birth rather than carry a labour bag!

[Frecklesandspecs]

I'm 39 weeks with my 3rd baby. I ve been walking aboyt 3-4 miles a day up.until last week to get dd1 to nursery and back. I've always been a good walker and I feel its really helped this time.....

but trust me, once you are in proper laboyr ready to go in you Will be kidding youself. I'm worried about having.g to walk the corridors to get to labour ward as like the others say I could barely gett from carpark to ward.

[meditrina]

Well, I had an ambulatory labour, and only stopped pacing for (intermittent) monitoring and about 10 mins before actually pushing out.

You've no idea how you'll be in any particular labour. It's not madness o think you might want to walk and be able to do so (upright is good). It would however be silly not to have several layers of back-up plan.

[CreatureRetorts]

I walked quite a lot (in local town centre) while in labour. But this was early on and my second. By the time the contractions came thick and fast, I could barely walk!