Getting to/from from the hospital

[starrysimon]

Me and DH are a bit stuck with how we get to and from the hospital in a few weeks time for the birth. We live about 30 minute walk (15/20 if not heavily pg) from the hospital but it’s up a massive hill! It really doesn’t seem fun to walk up whilst in labour and creates a dangerous situation of me possibly giving birth on the roadside (fast delivery with first baby, barely made it there with her). We’d also have to walk back pushing baby in a pram. Won’t be fun to walk back either, especially if I end up having a c-section for whatever reason.

Relatives and public transport obviously isn’t an option. Planned for my DM to take us before the lockdown/isolation was put in place. I’m thinking about discussing it at my next consultant appointment next week. Would it be unreasonable to ask for patient transport if there is any available? There’s no other way other than walking.

Taxi?

Get a taxi

Don’t feel comfortable getting a taxi during the virus lockdown. Due in 3 weeks and I doubt it’ll be lifted by then. The walk would be fine if it wasn’t up an insanely steep hill😂

The NHS is stretched enough as it is and won’t be any safer than getting a taxi.

Taxi sounds like a good option written down but I feel it would be irresponsible of me to get in one and then immediately enter the maternity/birthing unit after I’ve been isolating for weeks. Loads of people will have been in the taxi and not all of the driver will be reliable when it comes to hygiene in the car. Could be spreading the virus without even realising. It’s also counteractive to my DM not taking us and us not having any contact with our family if we’re getting in a car within breathing distance of a stranger whilst not knowing who else has been sat in it that day. I presume patient transport would be a lot safer and more hygienic for everyone involved. Thank you for the suggestions though

Surely your mum could drive you on this occasion, as it's a medical need and certainly extenuating circumstances! If anything it's less risky than getting a taxi and if it's only a 15 minute walking then it must only be a 5 minute drive so the chance of the police pulling you over is pretty slim.
Alternatively could you have a home birth, or is your hospital no longer offering these.

Yes the NHS is stretched but me walking up a steep hill when previous labour was too fast (baby got stressed due to the speed and her hear rate kept dipping) is quite dangerous and puts baby at risk if born outside next to a road. We did not plan for this, as many others haven’t either. We had to give up our car to move house ASAP as our previous was very unsafe and resulted in an improvement notice being served to LL. Also out of our control.

If the government instructs that we cannot have contact with people from other households then we cannot have a lift to the hospital as planned. It should also include taxis as much more likely to contract the virus that way.

I may even end up giving birth at home anyway so we would have no choice but to get an ambulance in that case. I slept through 80% of my first labour and barely made it into the maternity unit before my waters broke I was 8cm dilated.

I was hoping there were a few others in the same boat. I will confer with my consultant next week and see what they suggest. I highly doubt they would be comfortable with me getting a taxi and then entering the maternity unit unless the driver was wearing PPE and the vehicle had been heavily sanitised. I’m sure there was a similar thread on this a few weeks ago and OP was recommended patient transport by the birthing unit (not an ambulance, the mini bus kind hope posters aren’t confused). Not sure if I’m going crazy or if I did actually read that😂

A woman in labour is still a patient regardless of the current medical climate. It’s not like I’m going to be asking for a community ambulance mini bus for a sprained ankle. If I had a slow first labour I wouldn’t bother but baby (and me) could die if something goes wrong whilst walking

There was a q&a on TV other day regarding this and also what to do with other children and the government have said yes we are in isolation but you can't stop giving birth so you are allowed to get someone too look after other children and take you to hospital but get someone who isn't in one of the high risk groups to do it I'm having a c section in 19 days and my children will be going to my friend's house for 2 days and my other friend who is my birth partner will be driving me consultant said this is absolutely fine as we should all be following the guidelines therefore both my friends who are involved should have been in house for 5 weeks by then so not had contact with others . Also one of main reasons home births have been cancelled is due to if there is complications the hospitals don't have the resources to send and ambulance too you in the time you would need it there too streached I think u will be advised to stick with your original plan and your mum drop you off or get a taxi wear gloves and a mask getting in a taxi is just like opening your post loads of people have touched that too and it's come into contact with various surfaces but we still open it so I think during this global pandemic you will be advised of those two options

Also the guidelines state you can leave your house to help with someone who is vunerable or high risk pregnancy and labour comes under that so u are allowed to get someone to take you but I'm sure if u fetch it up with your consultant he will tell you the same xx

Completely unreasonable to ask for patient transport. Can you imagine if everyone labouring did this? And it’s more likely to have had a COVID patient in than a taxi. Make your own way in, get your DM to take you. Services are stretched enough as it is.

Get a taxi. I doubt patient transport would be available as most clinics that require it are cancelled and they won’t be able to send it if you go into labour during the night!

Patient transport would not be acceptable for this.

Just get a taxi. Or get someone to drive you.
I have to go into hospital for cancer treatment and I’m in the worst virus hot spot in the country. I take either public transport or a taxi. There’s no other choice.

Go with the plan for dm to take you. If she is unable to, get a cab. The hospital will be well prepared for admitting people who may have been exposed on the journey in.

We had a similar situation as my partner doesn't drive and I am due any day now. Our original plan was my mum was going to drive us to and from the hospital. Given the new situation I spoke to my midwife about it and asked for her advice on how to get to and from. She said that my mum is still perfectly fine taking us as long as we sit in the back and keep distance as much as we can, so that's what we'll be doing ☺️

Don’t feel comfortable getting a taxi during the virus lockdown.

From what you have said it sounds like you don't have another option. Patient transport is not for this.

Also due in 3 weeks and have been having the same dilemma. Would normally get the train/ walk but I think DH will have to drive us there. No idea what will happen with parking charges as it is extortionate...
I wouldn’t want to ask for patient transport - in your case I would definitely ask your mum rather than a taxi driver if she has been self isolating too.

Get over yourself and get a lift from your mother as you had planned, the staff will be more than ready for people coming in having possibly come into contact with the virus. I'd imagine you'll be made to change as soon you go in and you should be sanitising hands any time you enter a hospital anyway. Besides there's nothing to say this will be anything like your first birth so be prepared for anything.

There is absolutely nothing in the current legislation and surrounding guidance preventing you from getting a friend or family member to give you a lift. I think people have this idea that they aren't 'allowed' to have anything to do with anyone ever, and that's not the case.

First off, the requirement is that "no person may leave the place where they are living
without reasonable excuse" and then the subsequent list of reasons are down as things included as 'reasonable excuses', not presented as an exhaustive list of everything that could be one. And secondly there are lots of provisions in there about providing care to a vulnerable person, which quite clearly someone in labour/someone who has just given birth would be. You are absolutely fine to ask someone to drive you. I do think it would be unreasonable to ask for patient transport (not to mention that in the unlikely event you were able to have it, I doubt it would be immediate - why would having around the hospital for longer than necessary be a good thing in these circumstances?)

Personally my plan is to walk to hospital (I'm being induced so won't be in labour, and frankly I could do with stretching my legs!) and then I have friend lined up to give me a lift back home with baby afterwards.

You can’t walk to the hospital in labour ffs, what a bonkers idea! Patient transport is not used like this. And don’t even consider calling an ambulance!

Get a taxi or your mum to do it. It’s lockdown, not the apocalypse, you can get to hospital.

I’d go with your mum, there’s an exemption for helping a vulnerable person. I agree I’d rather not use a taxi atm, and I can’t see public transport or walking working out.

Hospital transport won’t be reactive enough for a precipitous labour. They don’t take people needing acute care. They offer a slot as wide as several hours not a come and collect when you start contractions.
PTS is for routine and planned appointments such as dialysis, radiotherapy or an outpatient appointment.
You won’t get an emergency ambulance for a healthy labour at the moment.
Use a family member or neighbour with a car - it’s pretty essential travel. Use good hand hygiene to reduce risk. Keep windows open to reduce potential viral load in the car. Ask for both of you to shower when you get to the hospital: Take something clean to change into. Put worn clothes into a bin bag and seal it ready for laundering.

You will NOT get patient transport for this. Patient transport has to be pre-booked and can be quite unreliable, not really what you want in labour. It's an already overstretched service and their criteria is strict.
Get a taxi, or a lift from a relative. Sit on a plastic sheet. Alco-gel your hands before and after.

If you book patient transport you will in all liklihood get one of the NHS volunteers, who have signed up through the volunteer scheme, taking you in their car. I think you should stick with the arrangement with your DM.

Assuming that your mum loves fairly close by, this would certainly count as "essential travel" and also "providing care for a vulnerable individual". You're less likely to catch anything in your mums car than in a taxi or patient transport, especially if your mum has been following guidelines to remain indoors as much as possible.