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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To want to get a taxi in labour?

58 replies

cantheyseeme · 04/12/2013 18:39

Me and OH dont drive and live 16 miles away from family who drive and the maternity hospital. If i go into labour before my booked section i dont want to call an ambulance cos i feel like il be wasting resources when i have. put money aside for a cab but OH thinks im mad! Aibu?

OP posts:
Original poster
cantheyseeme · 04/12/2013 19:46

Im gonna stay at home until it feels right, and if they send me home im going to stay in the same town as the hospital and keep busy Smile

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 04/12/2013 19:48

Bless!

I had one of my babies in an ambulance due to a fall and a labour that went from nothing to full on in the space of about ten minutes, and we couldn't get straight in the car because we had to wait for my mum to arrive to look after the older one. It was not a comfortable experience! I'd been ready to push for about ten minutes before they arrived, but they were still desperate to get me to hospital before the baby made an appearance. They didn't get their way though! Smile

specialsubject · 04/12/2013 19:54

read 'nee-naw' (book and blog) to see why you are indeed correct to arrange a taxi. Only if it becomes an emergency situation do you call 999.

I imagine the driver will probably work out the situation!! Good to take towels etc as mentioned.

sounds like your OH needs a few biology lessons... and of course he won't let you push the pram up steep hills..

Original poster
cantheyseeme · 04/12/2013 19:54

That would make me panic so much! Tbf i cant imagine its going to come to that i have 13 days until section day and shes being stubborn Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
cantheyseeme · 04/12/2013 19:56

Noo i mean whilst pregnant not to go to the market Smile

OP posts:
WooWooOwl · 04/12/2013 19:57

Hope you enjoy your last couple of weeks of pregnancy, and good luck for your Christmas baby Smile

Original poster
cantheyseeme · 04/12/2013 20:01

Thankyouu WooWooOwl Smile

OP posts:
ems1910 · 04/12/2013 20:02

Don't get me wrong, they can deliver your baby safely if needed, OH has done about 28 deliveries and not all of them had to go into hospital afterwards as home birth midwives arrived after. (He did have an idea about delivering our baby but..no).

Hope all goes well for you OP! :o)

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/12/2013 20:07

my dc are 11 and 14 but my midwife told me to get an ambulance Hmm.
probably very different now though.

taxi driver kept looking over his shoulder at me while we went over speed bumps.......

i wasn't in labour but i was being admitted.

good luck cantheyseeme

Pixel · 04/12/2013 20:08

I got a taxi both times, didn't occur to me to call an ambulance and dh doesn't drive. The first time was quite funny, dh had rung up for a taxi to take us to the hospital but not said anything about me being pregnant/in labour, (not to be deliberately misleading but because it didn't occur to either of us that it could be a problem). When the taxi arrived and I came out looking massive possibly with a pained expression and dh carrying my bag the driver still didn't twig. We were pootling along the seafront I was gritting my teeth and the driver casually asked "which department mate?". When dh said "maternity" his foot went down and we got there in double-quick time. He practically threw the bag at us, wished us luck and sped off, no doubt relieved not to have to act as midwife!
When dd had been born and dh was going home so I could get some sleep he got the same taxi driver who refused to charge him for the journey home Smile.

pianodoodle · 04/12/2013 20:10

Good luck! I'm due Christmas Day and am still wondering about getting to the birth centre and also who's going to mind DD at possibly short notice - it's an awkward time of year :)

I'm going to guess the advice is not to drive yourself? It's only a five minute drive. DH doesn't drive but I do. If it was very early stages I could do it.

Although if it's very early stages I won't want to be bothered going in to hang around too long so maybe best forget the driving thing.

We could get me there in our wheelbarrow in under half an hour I reckon....

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/12/2013 20:12

Grin pixel. we got the 'where to' from the driver even though dh had phoned up before to check.

you feel like saying ' take a wild guess'

Pixel · 04/12/2013 20:13

It is a little more problematic if you are having a natural delivery because you could go in and find that you are not in established labour and be sent back.
Yes that could have been a problem as although I was in proper labour the contractions were every three mins which they seemed to think meant I could bog off back home, but actually when we explained that we'd come by taxi and it was quite a long way they sent me to walk up and down the many stairs in the hospital instead (maternity 14th floor!), which brought everything on nicely!

McFox · 04/12/2013 20:13

My DH doesn't drive so we'll definitely have to get a taxi. My mate is pregnant and her midwife told her to check with her local taxi firms as some of them won't take her.

whatsagoodusername · 04/12/2013 20:14

Just be sure you can get a taxi! I was going to for DC1, but needed it at rush hour and it was an hour wait before they could get one to us (London), then there would have been traffic to the hospital. I ended up on a bus.

Pixel · 04/12/2013 20:16

My mum walked to the hospital to have me. You are all wusses Wink.

pianodoodle · 04/12/2013 20:32

Well if mine is on his due date I'll be taking the tin of Roses with me.

Bad enough being sore when you come home without the horror of finding you've been left with nothing but chewy toffees Grin

autumnsmum · 04/12/2013 21:33

I took a minicab with dd2 as it was 3am and neither myself or dp drive .i didn't think to take a towel which is embarrassing best of lick

Pobblewhohasnotoes · 04/12/2013 21:34

DP drove me, I was sitting on a towel. He got lost too. Grin

AppleCrumples · 04/12/2013 21:50

I took a taxi for dd2 after discovering i was bleeding at 37 weeks..i did ring labour ward about maybe an ambulance but like you i would have felt like i was wasting resources. In fairness though i didn't realise i was actually in labour and i was panicking!

Oh and it was 11pm on new years eve so i was worried about actually being able to get a taxi :)

Driver was lovely and wished me luck and a happy new year when we got there :)

OHforDUCKSchristmascake · 04/12/2013 21:52

Pixel 14th floor? Brighton, surely?

Spatsky · 04/12/2013 22:02

I walked too!

Although admittedly I livd so close that the walk for the car park to the maternity wing would have been longer than from my flat.

Pixel · 04/12/2013 22:10

Ducks, you got me!

OHforDUCKSchristmascake · 04/12/2013 22:55

I couldnt go near the windows up there, gave me the willies!

hallowisitmeyourelookingfor · 04/12/2013 23:02

We got a taxi. I don't think you're supposed to call an ambulance just for going into labour!
Didn't even ring to check, just told them I was in labour and needed to get to the hospital.
Was thick fog along the hills all the way to the hospital and my contractions were getting to be 40 seconds apart, not sure who was the most terrified!
It was 3am, the metre was reading £40 and he just told us to get out, have a baby and buy it an outfit on his behalf! Bless him, lovely man :)