Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

Original poster

Those of you who had or planned homebirths- how far from the hospital were you if you needed to be transferred?

44 replies

bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:06

Hi,

Not expecting but planning DC3 for this year. I like the idea of a homebirth but we are now living 45 mins away from the nearest maternity hospital and I would worry that would be too far in case of an emergency. Although, I also think I'll worry about driving for 45 mins in labour so I could be a bit stuck either way! What are your experiences/thoughts?

TIA

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
CarGirl · 12/02/2011 21:08

Hmm, I'm only 10 mins away possibly more like 5 with blue lights!

It's a very personal decision but presumably your previous 2 births were very straightforward?

I booked for 3 homebirths but never went into labout before 42 weeks so didn't get one!

runnyhabbit · 12/02/2011 21:14

About 5 miles, so like Cargirl, 10 mins in car, less in ambulance.

I had homebirth (planned) with ds2. It was fabGrin

Dh was absolutely not keen on me having homebirth, but mw came did a home visit one night and went though everything with him. The easiest way she went through it with dh was that once I'm in labour, they had a timetable/checklist and if at any time I varied off it, then the mw would take control and decide what was best.

As it turned out, it was textbook hb, and dh now raves about hbGrin

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:16

Hi cargirl! 1st baby I planned a homebirth - 5 mins from hospital but he arrived early. 2nd birth went to maternity unit but had to be transferred due to meconium (3 days overdue) so maybe I won't even be eligible for a homebirth. Yuck! Hate the thought of labouring in the car again - 20 mins with dc2 was bad enough!

OP posts:
Original poster
bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:19

Thanks runny! Our midwife unit is about 10-15 mins away but can they do assisted deliveries there. It's kind of heading in the opposite direction as well so an even longer transfer in a worst case scenario :( maybe we should move house again! :)

OP posts:
TCOB · 12/02/2011 21:19

About 35 miles with DD's homebirth last summer. I had a hideous hospital birth with DS 7 years ago and to be honest felt much safer keeping away from hospitals. Also - if they need to transfer you - you would not believe the speed they get you to the hospital wth. A friend had a similar distance to cover and they did it about 15 minutes, plus of course in an ambulance they have a lot of the hardcore stuff you'd need in an emergency in any case. They really do not mess about if there is any hint of things not going to plan. My homebirth was the most magical experience of my life Smile.
Good luck with TTC and the future baby Bubbley!

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:19

That should be - can they do assisted deliveries there?

OP posts:
hastingsmum · 12/02/2011 21:20

I just had a planned homebirth. We are 10 minutes drive from the hospital.

PaperView · 12/02/2011 21:22

A 15 min walk - possibly the same via emergency ambulance (diff way, heavy traffic)

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:24

Thanks tcob! I just checked on googlemaps and it is coming up as 25 miles but I'd have to go through lots of towns. Still - maybe it would be about 25/30 mins rather than 45. Hmmm....

OP posts:
TCOB · 12/02/2011 21:24

Our midwife unit (about 5 miles away) could not (or would not) do anything that you could have at a homebirth in any case i.e. gas and air was their limit. Basically a homebirth but in a more medical surrounding (but far less so than in hospital) Some vary though and some offer pethidine etc in addition to gas and air but none I think can do anything more.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:33

So no forceps/ventuose deliveries then tcob?

OP posts:
TCOB · 12/02/2011 21:37

Nope, def not at my local one. I was told intitally that they could do Pethidine but now not even that as that 'cascade of intervention' is morel likely after that (dozy baby etc). Forceps and ventouse are not done without an epidural except in direst life-saving emergency I think and there is no way a midwifery unit cna administer the painkilling bad boys...but please don't be scared off by this! In my first labour they got trigger-happy with the painkillers which is why it ended up being a mess. In theory should have had the same labour with Dd (both DS and DD back to back) but the homebirth was ecstatic and not the horrorshow that DS's was. And remember they do not bugger about if they think there is the slightest hint of trouble ahead - they don't care about the warrior woman bit, they just want a healthy baby and mum!

missmehalia · 12/02/2011 21:40

We are 20-30 mins away, depending on traffic/time of day. As it was, we transferred bang on school run time in the afternoon. The thing to remember is, they put their flashers on, and roar through that traffic like a hot knife through butter.

Although I have to say it was an uncomfortable ride, I had gas and air so it was nice and hazy. And I felt that, when we got there, the hospital prioritized us like they never would have if we'd laboured in hospital.

First time round, laboured in hospital. The staff were lazy and thin on the ground. It was 45 agonising minutes before the anaesthetist arrived for my longed for epidural. Second baby, HB. As soon as I wanted it, two midwives arrived without delay. Brought gas and air, etc. I was in my own home, lots of control, lovely bath, food, wandering round, no doctors, etc. Part B, we transferred to hos when waters broke with fresh meconium in. But it was straight to the point when we got there, too - no delays.

That was my reasoning. And the fact that for a HB, they had to send two midwives to attend at all times. In hos, there may well have been bugger all for long periods of time, as they were so understaffed.

Ironic, innit.

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 12/02/2011 21:46

Thank you for all your posts. The homebirths do sound amazing. Tbh I'm not sure what exactly is making me worry about being close to a hospital. It seems that most issues would be picked up early enough to transfer and as you say missy they would be waiting for you. Definitely lots of food for thought!

OP posts:
AllDirections · 12/02/2011 22:04

I've had two home births and the midwife said that they can generally anticipate problems in time to get you to hospital. Hospital was 5 mins away with DD2 and 15 minutes away with DD3 but the births were straightforward, a bit of meconium with DD3 but the midwives dealt with it.

It was fab having home births. DD1 watched both hers sisters being born and even cut the cord with DD3.

InspectorGadget · 12/02/2011 22:47

I was booked for a homebirth, live about 20 miles from local CLU.

In the event we did have to transfer, which took about 20 mins, this was at 6am on a Sunday morning so best case scenario traffic wise.

togarama · 12/02/2011 23:03

About 15. Didn't need to transfer in.

Loopymumsy · 13/02/2011 09:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FutureNannyOgg · 13/02/2011 09:36

About 15 mins blue lighting.
For me the important thing was realising quite how much the mw or paramedics can do at home or in an ambulance.
I transferred and had emcs, which sounds rather dramatic, but it was a gentle car ride and 5 hours in hospital before surgery.

SnapFrakkleAndPop · 13/02/2011 09:50

Has anyone in your area had a hb and needed to transfer after or needed an emergency transfer and how long did it take?

Original poster
bubbleymummy · 13/02/2011 20:25

I'm not sure SnapFrakkle. I'll have to ask!

Future, that's a very good point. I would be in the care of an experienced midwife and paramedics in the worst case scenario.

I may have found another option. There is another birthing centre nearby. It is about 30 mins away - so further than the first one I considered BUT it is in the direction of the hospital so closer if a transfer is needed.

DH does not like the idea of a homebirth :( He reckons we should go straight to the midwife led unit in the hospital 45 mins away when labour starts. I need to consider his feelings too because he'll be absolutely useless if he's panicking! :)

OP posts:
SnapFrakkleAndPop · 14/02/2011 06:47

It might be useful to have some actual examples of transfers and how they went/how long it takes.

But ML birthing centre sounds a good compromise.

Oneof4 · 14/02/2011 08:51

I was told that if you're in hospital and need a surgical procedure it can take them 30 mins to get everyone together, prepped etc...., which is the time it would take you in an ambulance with the blue lights on from home - they prep at the hospital whilst you're on the way, so no time lost.

LilyBolero · 14/02/2011 08:53

about 3 minutes

Ushy · 14/02/2011 09:06

Oddly enough there is a piece research that shows that home birth is safer than midwifery units.

It surprised everyone but it is thought that because midwives in a midwifery unit have other midwives around them and an ethos of natural birth, they are reluctant to transfer as promptly as they should. In the home birth situation, usually one of the two midwives is in charge and that person holds the entire responsibility for two lives. The effect of this is that they stick by the book - first sign of problems they recommend transfer and so have better outcomes.

A midwifery unit is just a soundproof box with a midwife. There are not doctors, no SCBUS no operating theatres - they have nothing in terms of safety over a home birth at all and the disadvantage that you are not in your own environment.

Overall, homebirth is probably a teeny tiny bit less safe for a low risk woman and baby than having the baby in a consultant unit but the evidence is flaky. (Planned homebirth women having about the same risk as ALL women including the high risk ones in a consultant unit). This is based on a recent UK study carried out by a Dr Rintaro Mori of the National Collaborating Centre whcih does the NICE guidelines. You can Google it.