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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect to be able to park at the hospital when in labour?

295 replies

Therareotherbooks · 07/03/2019 15:09

Last few antenatal appointments there hasn’t been a single car parking space on hospital site. The nearest on street spot I managed to find was 1/4 mile away and I had to call a taxi from the road side to drive me to the hospital doors.

I am now terrified about what will happen when I’m in labour. Obviously my DH will be with me so can drop me off but if he then has to go and park miles away I could be on my own for ages.

AIBU to expect there to be some designated car parking for women in labour?!

OP posts:
SnowyAlpsandPeaks · 07/03/2019 16:14

Ours is the same. When we arrived for ds to be born, there wasn’t a single spot. Dp said to the parking attendant I was in labour (continuous contractions at this stage), and he moved bollards and told dp to park on a grass verge, then wished us good luck- ds came 30 minutes later.

PCohle · 07/03/2019 16:15

Monte How is childbirth difficult to plan for? You have 9 months notice to sort out your transport! It must be the medical emergency with the longest planning period ever** Grin

Hospital parking is shit for everyone, including lots of people in great pain and suffering from (unexpected!) medical emergencies. In ideal world it would be better for everyone but I really don't think pregnant women merit particular consideration.

Barring (genuinely rare) cases of precipitous labour you will have plenty of time faffing around with forms and being examined .

bananamonkey · 07/03/2019 16:16

Yes you might think it would be less relaxing etc - but you will hve PLENTY of time to call for and wait for a taxi and it is so much easier than dealing with parked cars. Also you could be in the hospital for days - why would you want your car there

My local hospital redeems your parking ticket if you’re a patient/give birth so you don’t end up paying.

Dungeondragon15 · 07/03/2019 16:17

If you are close to giving birth it would be unreasonable to expect your DH to just drop you off. I think it unlikely that they will give you a ticket if you put a note on the windscreen. If they do you could appeal. Even if you lose appeal the fine isn't that big a deal in the grand scheme of things is it? I wouldn't worry about it.

Lovemusic33 · 07/03/2019 16:18

I was lucky that I went in to labour in the night (not visiting hours) so there was parking spaces. Our labour ward has a drop off point, get dh to drop you off and then go and park.

FreezerBird · 07/03/2019 16:18

OP, I could be wrong, but do you think you're worrying about this specifically as a way of pinning down any general anxiety or nervousness you have about labour and delivery in general?

I only ask because it's something I recognise in myself. Going to deliver in an unfamiliar city centre hospital because DS would need surgery when he arrived; taking DD for heart surgery -
Other people: you must be so worried
Me: yes a bit but where are we going to PAAARK?

Once I'd realised that's what I was doing, I allowed my brain to hang all my worries on the 'parking' peg because it felt like the one thing I could try to plan for. In the end parking was a very minor detail and no hassle at all. (Or if it was a hassle, it was one someone else dealt with).

It just helps to realise that's what's happening, sometimes. Ignore me if not.

Crunchycrunchycrunchy · 07/03/2019 16:19

I've been thinking this. Our hospital has a women's health car park that is used by people quite clearly toddling off to other places - they probably couldn't park where they needed to go. But it takes me about 35 mins to get parked for my scans.

A midwife has told me that DH can drop me off and stay for 20 mins and then go off and park.

Sirzy · 07/03/2019 16:19

Our hospital can’t even sort the idiots parking in disabled spaces without blue badges let alone specific spaces for women in labour!

Dungeondragon15 · 07/03/2019 16:19

Barring (genuinely rare) cases of precipitous labour you will have plenty of time faffing around with forms and being examined .

I am pretty sure that my labour experience was not that rare. Not everyone hangs around for hours being examined.

Honeyroar · 07/03/2019 16:21

I empathise with you, but you’re being unreasonable. Labour comes way below many other things in terms of urgency when it comes to a hospital. OHospital parking can be a nightmare. My husband is currently in intensive care, and this hospital has given me free parking whilst he’s in it, but it took 40 minutes of driving round to find a space and I’m right at the other end. I’d love to be able to get public transport but we live very rurally so that’s out. I agree with whoever said go at night - between 11pm and 7am it’s not busy at all (I’ve spent far too much time here this year!)

Original poster
Therareotherbooks · 07/03/2019 16:21

I live 30 miles and a 50 minute drive from the hospital- taxi is a no go.

No-one to drove us, our only family will need to stay with my 2 year old.

Last baby arrived within a few hours so am expecting this one to be reasonably quick although obviously they might not be.

OP posts:
SnuggyBuggy · 07/03/2019 16:21

Loving the lack of sympathy for pregnant women

DrWhy · 07/03/2019 16:24

Our hospital parking is a nightmare. Baby one DH parked in the drop off, helped me waddle in and passed me to a midwife, then went and parked the car. Back before anything exciting happened, baby born 3 hours later.
Baby 2, drop off full, pulled up in the ambulance bay with me trying not to push, yelled a lot for midwives who got me to a room, panicked about car being in the way of ambulance and a midwife ran back out with him and told him to put it in the disabled space by the door ASAP and move fast. He arrived back just in time to see the birth. I was officially in the unit 6 minutes. He moved the car to a proper space an hour of so later once stitches etc were done and he wasn’t needed for baby holding. Pragmatic approach from the midwives and all was fine.

Confrontayshunme · 07/03/2019 16:25

I totally understand the anxiety, but as someone who rode my bike to hospital at 41 weeks at 4cm in 10 minute increments, you'll figure it out. My husband met me there 30 mins later, and we still had 3osh hours before 2nd baby was born.

Don't find things to worry about. Practice breathing and eat a bunch of fibre. It will serve you better.

VanGoghsDog · 07/03/2019 16:26

1/4 of a mile is only a 5 minute walk.

No it's not. Most people walk at 3 miles per hour. A bit of pace is 4mph and dog walking is around 2.5mph.

Even at 4mph 1/4 mile is 15 minutes.

thedisorganisedmum · 07/03/2019 16:26

Loving the lack of sympathy for pregnant women

a pregnant woman does not need her husband to hold her hand.

If you want to create priority parking, give it to parents who are rushing their young children - they need to be seen immediately so should be dropped off at A&E, but are too young to be left alone safely. That should take priority, not a woman in labour who has to spend 10 minutes without her partner.

Crunchycrunchycrunchy · 07/03/2019 16:27

Why is everyone saying go at night actually like the time of day you go in to labour/the stage of labour that means you go the the hospital, an optional thing

Crunchycrunchycrunchy · 07/03/2019 16:27

*acting

thedisorganisedmum · 07/03/2019 16:28

as someone who rode my bike to hospital at 41 weeks at 4cm in 10 minute increments, you'll figure it out.

as much as I think the OP is being completely over the top, that's a bit extreme! Grin Hats off to you, I am very impressed, but couldn't have done that without crashing into something at the first contraction.

kaytee87 · 07/03/2019 16:28

@VanGoghsDog it takes the average person 20 minutes to walk 1 mile.
One quarter of a mile would take 5 minutes.

My 2yo can walk a quarter of a mile in 5 minutes 😂

kaytee87 · 07/03/2019 16:30

*No it's not. Most people walk at 3 miles per hour. A bit of pace is 4mph and dog walking is around 2.5mph.

Even at 4mph 1/4 mile is 15 minutes*

Your maths is off. 4 miles per hour means 1 mile in 15 minutes. 3 miles per hour means 1 mile in 20 minutes. So one quarter of a mile is about 5 minutes.

Blastandtroph · 07/03/2019 16:32

There's usually a drop off point. Maybe check this out when you are next in clinic or call maternity triage to ask them. Hopefully it'll be at night anyway when the car park will likely be empty.

LynseyLou1982 · 07/03/2019 16:32

There was a drop off point when I was in labour where you could park for 30 mins. Sadly it was full. DP dropped me off then had to go park in the short stay car park. Once I was settled in the delivery suite he moved the car to long stay. The charges are extortionate though.

cuppycakey · 07/03/2019 16:33

YABU - DH can drop you off and then park up. 1/4 of a mile is nothing!! It will take him 5 minutes to get back to hospital.

goldengummybear · 07/03/2019 16:34

Yabu. Labour isn't more urgent than people who are bleeding, people who have passed out, people with broken limbs, people having a heart attack etc