Location, Location, Location? Or OK to not be close?

[Ucledu]

How important is it to live relatively close to the hospital where you are to deliver? We live in NW3 and for private delivery are being faced with a choice of a. great, well-respected and recommended consultant across town at Chelsea and Westminster, or b. the 2nd team at closer places (e.g. Lindo wing). Is it true that the emergency drives to the hospital with junior coming out are mostly the thing of movies?

Thanks a lot for any help - we're having to make choices before we're in a position to start speaking with friends who've been through this already.

Don't worry, go for the Dr you feel most comfortable with. I don't know many people who have made a mad dash in labour and even the an extra half hour is unlikely to make a difference, although it might be more of a comfort to you in later stages to have dr close by. Congratulations and Good luck.x
p.s. we like about 45-60 minutes drive from closest hospital and didn't have any problems

C & W is not fun I assure you

Who is the consultant?

I went with a Dr I was happiest with and he happened to be at the Lindo Wing - I live closer to C & W, but would not have made any difference time-wise - it only took us about 15 or 20 mins to cross London in Monday evening traffic.

I wasn't registered with a local GP when I got pg with DS1 (just hadn't got around to it) I went to my local mw run clinic for antenatal appointments instead. I knew about it because my SIL ghad used them , and my family planning clinic was in the same centre (different day ) As the MWs were all from St Thomas' in central London that's where I was booked in, even though I lived a good 45 min/an hours drive away. My two local hospitals (Mayday in Croydon, and St Georges in Tooting) didn't have a great maternity reputation at the time, so I was happy to travel. SIL had been really happy having her three there.

I never came anywhere close to giving birth in a car, and that was having my Mum drive me (DH doesn't), which meant a 30 minute drive from hers, before we even started to the hospital! Went in far too early with DS1 just because I was worried about getting stuck in rush hour traffic and having that happen though

cons - well, I had a lot of problems while carrying DS1 and 2 and it was a hassle to keep driving up there, but at the same time I felt safer with them dealing with it than I would have done at the local hospitals.

I think in the end it does come down to which you're going to feel more comfortable in.

I lived 35-45 mins drive (depending on traffic) from the only hospital onthe island I lived on when dd1 and ds were born. Both times arrived in loads of time - the mad dash is not that common.
Had dd2 in hospital where I had been admitted for complications. It was nice not to be bumping over the humps in the single track road while contracting!