Midwife has suggested getting ambulance when I go into labour

[Sophia1984]

Hi everyone,
I'm due in a month or so. I live about a half hour drive from the hospital where I'm booked to give birth and we don't have a car or family very close by. I had assumed we would get a taxi when I went into labour, but at my last appointment my midwife said 'So just ring the obstetrics department and tell them you need an ambulance when you're ready to go in.' Does that sound ok?

I would feel really guilty using an ambulance when it's not an emergency but equally I am in quite a rural area so taxis may be limited/late. I have also had anxiety from before and throughout my pregnancy, so getting an ambulance would probably help with that as I would know it was going to get me on time and get there quickly.

Has anyone been in a similar position? What did you do? Did the hospital look at you aghast when you turned up in an ambulance?!

[HeadDreamer]

I don't know about the ambulance, but I don't think you'll be able to get a taxi. I think they'd refuse to take a woman in labour.

[HeadDreamer]

Have you considered a home birth? Would that be better for you? That way you wouldnt have to worry about getting to the hospital?

[Hawkmoth]

If it's arranged through the hospital it's more patient transport than emergency ambulance so don't feel bad.

Give it time though. I called an ambulance in labour because the midwives weren't going to arrive and it still took 45 minutes. They left after the placenta was delivered.

[Gileswithachainsaw]

I was told to call an ambulance by the midwife after my ecv if I went into labour.i assumed it was as I had complications in pregnancy.

anyway when my water broke and I called hospital I was told they don't do that and I had to make my own way

then presumably read my file changed their minds and called me back

[tabulahrasa]

"I would feel really guilty using an ambulance when it's not an emergency"

Ambulances are used for all sorts of things that aren't emergencies - especially in rural areas.

If you're booking it through obstetrics then it won't be a case of stopping an ambulance mid blue lights going to an emergency.

[Yankeetarts]

I've got 2 dc,I went to the hospital in a taxi both times no problem

[whifflesqueak]

I'm in a fairly remote area too and received similar advice. in the end though dp and I made it in plenty of time in his pickup truck.

we didn't hang about and set off as soon as my contractions showed any regularity.

have you discussed your plan to call a taxi with any local firms? the only taxis that cover my area are REALLY unreliable. like, you call them at 10pm and they say, "sorry love, I'm in the pub/gone to bed"(!?!?!?!?)

[Thurlow]

I got a taxi when I was in labour, no problem at all. You can always call and ask if they are ok with it. But you certainly won't be the first woman to travel in a taxi when in labour. If your waters haven't gone, you could always put a towel or a plastic bag underneath you to protect the seats?

[RadicalPessimist]

The fact that she suggested ringing the obstetrics department rather than 999 suggests the ambulance would be non emergency transport? Can you check? If so then don't feel guilty at all, that's what it's there for.

Plenty of people get taxis to hospital while they are in labour, though.

[RavioliOnToast]

I got an ambulance with my first, not jntentionally. I thought I'd have a sneaky poo before I went in to have her and it turns out that's what labour was and I'd been pushing ages so the labour ward rang an ambulance for me and I was blue lighted to hospital

[trumpybum1]

I would ring obstetrics first just to make sure that they will do this. The last thing you want is to be ringing them when your in labour just to be told they don't! I didn't have a problem getting a taxi to take us to hospital when I was in labour. Even though I did end up delivering g at home (long story)

[Ifailed]

not being rude, but I expect the midwife knows more about the best way to get you into hospital in your area than you or MN does. If in doubt, give her a call to confirm, write the number down somewhere, sit back and relax - it'll be the last chance for a long time!

Good luck.

[Sophia1984]

Not being rude at all ifailed :) My community midwife isn't in the same health authority as where I am giving birth though, so not sure on her advice! Think I will ring them and check trumpybum1 and also contact some taxi firms to see if they're happy to take me :-)

Thanks for the advice everyone :-) I know I am procrastinating on this - probably cause I'm still in denial that I'm going to be responsible for a small human in a matter of weeks!

[Mummyme87]

I am shocked re advice for an ambulance, never heard of an obstetric unit arranging transport for a labouring women. I would look into finding a few taxi companies. I'm innlondon and can easily take over an hour for people to get to hospital but we would never advise an ambulance based on labour alone unless the baby was coming.
Taxis should and usually will take you in to hospital

[AppleMagic]

Taxi service is a bit more reliable in Lindon than in rural areas though Mummyme. Where we lived in the UK was similar to whiffle. There was one local "taxi company" ie one man with a car. If he wasn't available that was it.

[AllChangeLife]

London is very different to a rural area Mummyme87.

It might take time to cross london in a cab/bus, but at least these are readily available. If you are in a more rural area, as someone said upthread, the taxi drivers are probably at home in bed/in the pub and buses are long since shut up for the night.

Hence an ambulance has been suggested by the Midwife.

[Jellybeam]

I live in south London and when I went in to active labour (when I could barely speak), I rang the labour suite at my hospital and they told me to call for an ambulance. When I called 999 the woman over the phone asked me how far apart my contractions were and reassured me until the ambulance arrived at my address.

I've no idea why anyone wouldn't call for one. Something might happen to mum or baby.

[rachc21]

Being in labour IS an emergency in your circumstances. By the time I got to hospital with my second she was here 2 hours later, progressed very very fast. You'd be much better in hospital xx

[CelticPromise]

I would try a taxi if you can, but of course if you can't you will need an ambulance and if you need it you need it. Unless you fancy a home birth of course. In my area you'd be offered a home assessment and if you were comfortable with it and 'low risk' you could decide on the day to stay at home.

I don't know where all these non emergency obstetric ambulances are though... where I am an ambulance in labour certainly does take an emergency ambulance off the streets. It is also quite possible, especially if a community midwife is there, that a woman will wait a couple of hours for it. If you were to speak to the hospital midwives and they thought you needed to be prioritised they would of course let ambulance control know, but normal labour isn't considered an emergency and the service around these parts is on the bones of its arse.

[Sophia1984]

Emailed a local taxi company and they've said that's no problem and that their drivers will be happy to get me, and to ring the hospital en route if necessary! Feeling very reassured!

[moobeana]

I was told to call an ambulance if I went into labour at home. My labours are very fast (dd2 was 55mins) and so even though I drive and my DH drives we wouldn't necessarily have time to make it!

Ambulances like labouring women (so a paramedic told me) they aren't likely to be drunk and its happy pain.