To/From Hospital with no car

[Redling]

Husband and I don't have a car at the moment as he works in London and I walk to work so we don't really need one, but people are starting to act like how could I have possibly got pregnant without the use of a car for getting to and from hospital for the birth! Midwives started when they kept recommending I go to miles away midwife led units when the hospital is about 1 mile away, and were shocked when I said I didn't drive. Does anyone have any experience of getting to hospital in labour in taxi's? I do have friends who can take me but just in case! Also coming back, we have a car seat to put in other peoples cars, would that be acceptable to the midwives? Again, people act like I'll not be allowed to take my child home if I don't have my own car!

I also am annoyed that people claim I won't possibly cope without a car when I have the baby, but that's another whinge!

You don't need to be in a massive rush to buy a car when you have a baby. After my 1st child was born we didn't have a car (I didn't drive either): we used to travel locally by public transport (admittedly we're Greater London so transport is good), then we used to hire a car whenever we needed one to go further afield - we found a car-hire place with a really good weekend rate. Adding up all the car hire in a year didn't come anywhere near the cost of maintaining your own car when you add up road tax, insurance, parking fees, servicing etc. Obviously, petrol costs the same regardless! Big bonus is that hired cars are usually less than 3 years old, often even less than that, so we were always driving a round in a newish car when we hired one!

Admittedly, we do have a car now, but to be honest, the most significant benefit is the ability to be more spontaneous: we could easily manage without one, using grocery deliveries, public transport and car hire when needed ...

Ignore those people putting pressure on you, they don't get to live your life for you!

Yes squizita I can't think of any reason not to if you are feeling well. Obviously would avoid rush hour etc..
I'm expecting dc3 and planning on walking to and from hospital if all normal (10 min walk)

I think you might find it a bit hard squizita. I had a straightforward birth with no tears, and a very quick recovery, doing walks around the park for the first couple of weeks and back to running in 4 weeks - I still felt a bit like I'd been hit by a bus the first few days and felt a bit shaky when I walked about 5 mins round the block on the second day. By all means do it if you feel fine but I thought I was feeling fine (high on hormones!) and after 5 mins was all shaky and like, "ok, let's go home". Would have felt wretched on a train.

Most people I know were at least a few days before they were walking around much.

No reason why you can't hop in a cab and DH take the baby home on the train though, if you don't have a car seat etc! Though you might not want to be separated from baby :)

Also agree with posters above who say ignore what people say you need - people love to be all doom and gloom about this. I got told I couldn't have a baby in a flat (why not, it's brilliant), that I needed a bigger car (I have a little three-door, it's been absolutely fine), that I needed a pushchair, a cot etc (I did buy those things, but not for a few months after the birth).

The car comment was for Redling!

I'm not in London but some family is. They are also carless. They've had two babies and done just fine.

I thought it was the standard in London???

Where I live they checked id put DD in the car seat correctly and let me go. My family did tell me you couldn't leave hospital without a car seat so he borrowed one from his friend. That's it really.

Your midwives are obviously totally different to mine. I lived a similar distance to hospital at the time and during antenatal classes they advised I walked to help the labour progress

I'm not in London but some family is. They are also carless. They've had two babies and done just fine.

I thought it was the standard in London???

Where I live they checked id put DD in the car seat correctly and let me go. My family did tell me you couldn't leave hospital without a car seat so he borrowed one from his friend. That's it really.

Your midwives are obviously totally different to mine. I lived a similar distance to hospital at the time and during antenatal classes they advised I walked to help the labour progress

I'm not in London but some family is. They are also carless. They've had two babies and done just fine.

I thought it was the standard in London???

Where I live they checked id put DD in the car seat correctly and let me go. My family did tell me you couldn't leave hospital without a car seat so he borrowed one from his friend. That's it really.

Your midwives are obviously totally different to mine. I lived a similar distance to hospital at the time and during antenatal classes they advised I walked to help the labour progress

Live in London and although we do have a car it's way too much hassle to park it at the hospital car park which is always very busy and extortionately priced as well.
Will probably get a black taxi as they can whizz down bus lanes etc which will get us there much faster! I'm also going to speak to the mini cab firm right near where we live to see if they would agree to take me if we can't flag down a black taxi quickly. I agree with a previous poster about taking a bed mat with you and a towel or similar just in case your waters go on the way there. In the front pocket of my hospital bag I'll pack a fiver and plenty of change to pay taxi with so we are not hunting round for cash on the day!

Yes. Got there in a taxi. No problem. And home again in taxi, again no problem at all and not worth worrying about

I'm not in London but when i had my first baby i was living within walking distance of the hospital. My walk to the delivery suite took three minutes stopping just for contractions!

I still got a lift home and it took longer than the walk there (stuck on a one way loop).