Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Original poster

TO Call an ambulance in labour?

164 replies

1997r2017 · 14/10/2017 21:55

So I’m 39 weeks today and we don’t have a car. For the past week I have had pain all down my leg, my midwife said I can take cocodamol occasionally so I did but it didn’t really help with the pain.

Today I rang the hospital explained to the midwife there, and was told to go in. So I went in and the senior/head midwife just laughed in my face saying ‘what do you want morphine?’ Obviously not, just preferably a stronger dose or codeine or anything that would help, I was very upset as that is why I called up beforehand .. she didn’t check me or anything. However this hospital isn’t my local hospital as I moved during pregnancy.

On Monday I will be going to my GP to ask to transfer, although I understand this may be late, so my question is if I call am abulance in labour will I be allowed to go to the local maternity unit.. I have had a low risk pregnancy so there is nothing to ‘plan’ about the birth and I can provide blood group info etc.

To help this make sense I have really bad anxiety battle anciety hospitals/ medical professionals and the thought of this midwife being on duty when I’m not in labour has had me crying all day etc ..

OP posts:

Bisquick · 14/10/2017 22:56

OP you're panicking and don't think you've understood it correctly.

However you get to the hospital you want to go to, if you are in labour they will admit you. Don't waste ambulance time on this, take a taxi

You seem to be registered at hospital A. You don't want to go there anymore. You want to be transferred to hospital B. This will ideally happen on Monday / Tuesday. If it takes longer or you go into labour before then, take your notes and go to Hospital B. It is your closest hospital. They will see you on the NHS.

This whole process will be easier if you are correctly registered etc, but it doesn't matter too much. Sometimes the hospital you are registered at is full when you go into labour so you may anyway be transferred to a different hospital.

Again:

IF YOU ARE IN LABOUR : Call the hospital you WANT to go to, Take your notes with you, take a Taxi, and show up there

Obviously everyone is jumping on you for the ambulance bit, but it seems like you think unless you show up in an ambulance they won't admit you. That's not true!
Good luck with labour.

Billben · 14/10/2017 22:58

I have just come back from a shift at work during which a little old lady went completely flat out on us. Unresponsive, foaming at the mouth, eyes rolled backwards etc. An ambulance arrived within 5 minutes and another one after that. I am so thankful for those ambulances and the paramedics and the speed they managed to get to us. They are there for situations like these and not to be wasted on women in labour who have had a low risk pregnancy and just want to use them as a taxi service.

Original poster

1997r2017 · 14/10/2017 23:04

Hi, so basically I’m calling my midwife on Monday and seeing my gp to try and transfer to the local hospital (I’m in London), unfortunately my only birth partner is dp and as I am quite young I feel as if they don’t listen. If this doesn’t work I may go to my home town (up north approx 6 hours away) and transfer to the hospital there where I can have my grandma labour with me. I have anxiety with hospital due to my mother being in/out bc of mental health issue growing up and witnessing things I shouldn’t have. Failing this I will hopefully be able to request that I am not seen by said midwife as she has been very rude on both occasions I have seen her. I’m not stupid, I am aware labour an be painful etc and worse than my leg pain, this issue is more it’s been constant for a week and I knew they would say rest etc.. but I called up bc I didn’t wanna waste my time going in, then I was told to go in only to be laughed at. Which I don’t find acceptable.

OP posts:

UnicornSparkles1 · 14/10/2017 23:05

When you are in labour just go to the hospital that you want to give birth in. They won't turn you away.

Original poster

1997r2017 · 14/10/2017 23:06

Also I will ring the maternity ward that I want to go to and ask about finer details, ‘if’ I am coping ok in labour I will be able to walk there etc.

OP posts:

mogulfield · 14/10/2017 23:07

Op- it sounds like your birthing partner is the real issue here then? It sounds like you’d feel more reassured and in control in your home town with your gran and not with your parents? Do what you feel is right, don’t let family pressure you.

BakedBeans47 · 14/10/2017 23:08

As others have said unless an emergency arises it is not appropriate to call an ambulance to take you to hospital in labour. It’s hardly the hospital’s fault you don’t have a car and have moved. Call a taxi or get a lift.

mogulfield · 14/10/2017 23:08

And unicorn is right, unless full (which is rare) a hospital labour ward won’t turn you away if you show up in labour.
I checked this out when we were 3 hours away from Home at a wedding when I was 39 weeks.

statetrooperstacey · 14/10/2017 23:10

A midwifery unit is usually unstaffed though, so you might hit a snag there! They meet you there after you have called them, often coming to your house first to check you. If you just rock up last minute you will possibly be giving birth in a&e.

With my last baby When we called the hospital to say I was coming in they insisted on sending an ambulance as they didn't think we would make it, was rush hour traffic. It's common for that to happen here after they took away both our maternity unit and midwifery unit. Bastards.

Have you thought of a home birth op?

Thishatisnotmine · 14/10/2017 23:11

There are lots of midwives at each hospital, you will probably never see her again. But even if you did she most likely wouldn’t remember having seen you before. My dh called an ambulance during my second birth as it progressed very, very quickly and by the time he knew I was in labour (I went to the bathroom for a poo and sort of lost track of the contractions!) it was evident there was no way he would be able to get me downstairs to the car or whether I would make it that far as I needed to push. The lovely paramedics, once I had convinced them that I wouldn’t start pushing and could make the journey, took me to the birth centre that I was booked at. But if there had been any sign of a problem they would have taken me to the nearest, although I live pretty much equidistant between two.

They don’t automatically send an ambulance just because you call them in labour though. The 999 operator was on the phone to us for about half an hour with dh getting more exasperated that this wasn’t my first and I needed to push. Two ambulances arrive too in case the baby is born and also needs to be taken to hospital. You would be much better calling a taxi if just in labour, it will turn up faster and be far less stressful.

Original poster

1997r2017 · 14/10/2017 23:11

I Wanted a home birth but I live with my boyfriend/his mum and brother, and the flat is quite small so it isn’t appropriate.

OP posts:

statetrooperstacey · 14/10/2017 23:12

Sorry I misread your post I thought you said a midwifery unit. Ignore my first paragraph!

Venusflytwat · 14/10/2017 23:12

I'm sorry you had that poor care today. I think you're overthinking it, which is easily done at this stage of pregnancy.

When you go into labour just take your notes and go (by taxi) to the hospital you want to give birth at. If anyone questions why you're there instead of the other hospital just say you don't have a car and can't get there. You'll be fine.

Good luck. Not long now x

chocolatespiders · 14/10/2017 23:14

If you are in labour I think you can go to any hospital.if you were away from home you would.

FrankiesKnuckle · 14/10/2017 23:19

Turning up at another unit other than your booked one is not a good idea!

They won’t know you, they won’t know of bloods, medical issues or any safeguarding issues.

Yes there are ‘notes’ but a patients history is more than that.
You said you are in London, I work in London - have you any idea just how busy every maternity dept is in London? You turning up at one you fancy may mean another labouring mother is turned away from her booked hospital, and the midwives there may take a dim view too. It’s not fair nor right, please think about your decisions as they have massive ramifications.
I appreciate you dislike a midwife there, but really in the grand scheme of things it’s minor.
Ask for a change by all means.

soothers · 14/10/2017 23:20

Called a cab when I was sufficiently far into labour, easy peasy.

More to the point - would it be 'wrong' to turn up to the incorrect hospital?...

coffeekittens · 14/10/2017 23:22

Are you taking the fucking piss?

GinIsIn · 14/10/2017 23:25

@Rachie1973 that's why I said OR the most appropriate place of treatment, which would be a pre-existing hospital

Original poster

1997r2017 · 14/10/2017 23:25

I’ve said, I’m going to try and transfer London hospitals, if not then go back up north. I’m not just gonna turn up at a random hospital.

OP posts:

stopbeingadramallama · 14/10/2017 23:25

are you taking the fucking piss

I swear if you turn up to a hospital they can’t turn you away unless there’s no room?

BrickInTheWall · 14/10/2017 23:27

OP, you can turn up at any midwifery unit when you are in labour and they will not turn you away. You can change your hospital at any time you want to! So many people are unaware of how much power they have.. you make all the decisions!! If you turn up and a midwife you don't like is assigned to you, you can request another.. you can refuse to have the horrible midwife!
Maybe you could try to find a local doula, It's maybe a bit late but they would be really helpful as support/advocate for you.

CotswoldStrife · 14/10/2017 23:29

I thought the OP was only thinking about an ambulance if she hadn't managed to change her birth hospital in time (planning to ask the GP about it on Monday). So if not possible to change from the hospital she has been going to, that an ambulance would take her to the nearest one instead - which would be her preferred one anyway.

OP, I think your anxiety is making this seem worse than it is for you. Do you really want to make a 6 hour journey at that stage of pregnancy if you don't have a car - how would you travel up there?

squishysquirmy · 14/10/2017 23:30

"They won’t know you, they won’t know of bloods, medical issues or any safeguarding issues."

When I went into my (local) hospital to have dd, they didn't know any of that about me either. All previous contact with midwifes etc had been out of gp practice, and the hospital knew nothing of my history that wasn't in my notes. I thought this was normal?

zeeboo · 14/10/2017 23:31

Ambulances aren’t taxis. They won’t take you to an MLU because you fancy going there rather than a hospital.

ShiftyLookingBadger · 14/10/2017 23:33

Haven't read all the posts but isn't the OP just asking IF she ended up in an ambulance due to unforeseen circumstances could she choose where it goes (I think?) in which case the answer is no. It sounds like she plans on getting a taxi all being well so I think the comments about not wasting an ambulance are perhaps already understood.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7