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.

If you giving birth is going to anywhere near as dramatic as you claim surely your consultant would have put plans in place for you to be induced early or scheduled you in for a section to eliminate these risks?

Even if you’re close to the depot I wouldn’t be relying on an ambulance arriving in a timely manner.
Not sure why you’re considering walking up a hill to the hospital though considering what you’ve said about your previous labour - I agree with PP you need to talk this through with someone sensible.
Why don’t you get your Mum over ASAP once you’re in labour as at least then she will be there to help if baby is born before the paramedics arrive if things go quickly (sounds likely from what you say) and if things are more steady she can give you a lift to hospital.
Unless you’re not mentioning a very serious shielding condition then you’re at much much higher risk from labour complications than COVID - you need to be thinking about the fastest most reliable way of getting to a hospital once labour starts which is unlikely to be via ambulance especially in the next few weeks (your local team will know more about local pressures).
Once you’re in a hospital anyway that covid risk is way way higher than whatever you’d be exposed to on the journey there.

Also - unless you’ve misunderstood the risks involved or are giving an overly dramatic account - I would be really interested to know why you’re not being induced or having a planned section?

Posters need to remember that I’m not just a ‘pregnant woman wanting free transport’. It’s a high risk, consultant led pregnancy (pre-eclampsia risk) and there is a 90% chance I will birth at home alone anyway due to the speed.

That wasn't your original question though was it..? You literally just asked, as a pregnant woman, how should you get to hospital.

Fine to call an ambulance if that's how they situation goes, but that shouldn't be plan A. I'd go with using your mum (assuming she's not vulnerable) and otherwise get a taxi. Most patient transport is just volunteers in their own cars, and I wouldn't have thought you'd get it anyway. Obviously you can't walk and nobody suggested you should.

Hope you're feeling ok OP and not getting too stressed. Just because your first one was fast and scary, doesn't mean this one will be :)

there is a 90% chance I will birth at home alone anyway due to the speed
Has your consultant told you that or have you just made up a percentage? A 2 hour labour with your first baby is quick (mine was around the same) but it's not that quick and theres no guarantee this one will be the same. I think you're getting a bit worked up and dramatic about it.

Surely if you call your mum/taxi at the first sign of labour they will be able to get you there in time. In any case you obviously can't walk there, whether your labours are 2 hours or 30 hours that's just not realistic, and as others have said an ambulance won't come to you.