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Childbirth

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

Original poster

Third baby and a 45 minute journey to the birth centre?

14 replies

Sleepingallday · 09/05/2026 21:16

Hi, looking for some advice about birthplace for third baby please!

i would ideally like to go to the birth centre which is about 45 mins drive away. Had my first there and it was a great experience, it being the first I actually went in twice and got sent home the first time! For DC2 wanted to be there again but he was born in distress with meconium in water and we went to the hospital 25 mins away. He was born quite quickly after we arrived there.

this time around I would love to go back to BC but something is nagging telling me the journey will be too long. I would love to get to use the pool and have the nice calm environment for once DC3 is born. But feel nervous about it due to how quickly DC2 was born after arriving at hospital. The car journey in labour is obviously also awful.

ive spoken to a couple of midwives about it and they have mostly been reassuring that I should be able to get to the birth centre. Just wanted to ask if any other third time mums had a similar length journey for their third?

for reference previous labours from first twinge to birth- DC1 19h, DC2 5.5h

OP posts:
Lifeisexpensive · 09/05/2026 21:19

My first was 6hrs, my second was 40 mins. I'd look at a birthing pool at home I think.

CarCarTruckJeep · 09/05/2026 21:49

My first labour was around 30hrs and ended in instrumental delivery after over 2hrs of pushing.
My second was around 16 hours, again ending in an instrumental delivery after over 2hrs of pushing.
My third was around 3.5 hours with involuntary pushing for about 15 minutes as I was trying to get dressed to go to the hospital, we had to call for an ambulance and my baby was born before they arrived even though they took less than 10 mins to arrive.

I think in your shoes especially because your second labour was so short I would opt for the closest option tbh. Home birth is another option but personally I wouldn't choose that if the nearest hospital is 30 mins away but you may feel differently.

RandomMess · 09/05/2026 22:00

I would be booking for home birth tbh

wobblychristmastree · 09/05/2026 22:26

Home birth…

Perfect28 · 09/05/2026 22:28

Home birth 💕

Original poster
Sleepingallday · 09/05/2026 22:41

Thank you all for your replies. I am a bit nervous of a home birth as I live semi rurally with unpredictable/long ambulance wait times and would prefer to be either in a hospital already or at a birth centre with ambulances pretty much at the ready.

this feedback is making me think I should aim for the closest option though so maybe the hospital is the best bet.

OP posts:
Peopleshouldhavetails · 09/05/2026 22:43

I’d be a bit nervous about a 45 min drive with a 3rd one.
My first one was 3.5 hrs, the second 35 mins 🫣😂

MeetMeOnTheCorner · 09/05/2026 22:54

@Sleepingallday Don’t opt for home birth if you aren’t near a hospital. You will have who you need at the hospital or birthing centre. Can you not choose the birthing centre with hospital as back up? If you have care lined up for other dc, you should get there? Who wants to risk an ambulance from home?

RandomMess · 10/05/2026 09:21

I would book for home birth with the intention of going to hospital. It just means that the kit will be at yours if you need it.

Eenameenadeeka · 10/05/2026 09:34

Hmm that's tricky. It's a long time to be quite uncomfortable in the car, I remember feeling like I desperately wanted to get out of the car each time.
My first was 17 hours, 2 was probably about 4 hours, then 3 was only about an hour and a half, and that was a half hour drive. It was stressful! Might be good to be prepared to be at home in case. Do you have any family or close friends closer to the hospital?

Owlsintheforest · 10/05/2026 13:11

Sleepingallday · 09/05/2026 21:16

Hi, looking for some advice about birthplace for third baby please!

i would ideally like to go to the birth centre which is about 45 mins drive away. Had my first there and it was a great experience, it being the first I actually went in twice and got sent home the first time! For DC2 wanted to be there again but he was born in distress with meconium in water and we went to the hospital 25 mins away. He was born quite quickly after we arrived there.

this time around I would love to go back to BC but something is nagging telling me the journey will be too long. I would love to get to use the pool and have the nice calm environment for once DC3 is born. But feel nervous about it due to how quickly DC2 was born after arriving at hospital. The car journey in labour is obviously also awful.

ive spoken to a couple of midwives about it and they have mostly been reassuring that I should be able to get to the birth centre. Just wanted to ask if any other third time mums had a similar length journey for their third?

for reference previous labours from first twinge to birth- DC1 19h, DC2 5.5h

My journey time to the hospital and MLBU is 50 mins, 30 mins of the drive is through the forest roads. I have opted for homebirth because of this and am so grateful to be in the capable hands of 5 amazing community midwives who have had 17 homebirths between them. They have explained all the risks and what would happen should I need to transfer in..

Is homebirth an option for you?

Owlsintheforest · 10/05/2026 13:15

Sorry I just read your follow up post regarding the ambulance situation - is this something that you can check with your community midwife team? This was also a concern of mine, they have a great process in place for hospital transfers which reassured me. I would feel a lot more comfortable transferring in by ambulance than be driven alone with my husband. Nothing to do with his driving - it's just the road for 30 mins has no signal and there are a LOT of deers running around.

curliegirlie · 10/05/2026 13:23

How old are you? I’ve just had my third, and as I’m 43 they made me have an induction at 39+4, so a birth centre wouldn’t have been an option. As it was an induction, and I chose the gel rather than the drip, it took 2.5 days from the start of the induction (mid-afternoon on a Monday) to the birth (22.11 on the Wednesday).

Bridgertonisbest · 10/05/2026 13:24

I went to a coffee morning when I was in labour with my third child. On the way home I dropped of ds2 at my friends as as she’d offered to have him when I went into labour.

BUT I was planning a home birth and by the time we called the midwives we needed them NOW!

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