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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Taxi in labour?

18 replies

Mumcah · 04/05/2010 11:44

Hi all,I'm due on may 13th.I'm having the baby at King's in London and the parking situation in the daytimes is really bad,usually a 40+ minute queue for the car park.
Also our car is on the verge of breaking down so unreliable.
So,we're planning on getting a cab to there.Has anyone else done this?Is it a stupid idea?
I'm assuming that loads of people do this?

I don't want to be worrying about it!

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rainbowdays · 04/05/2010 12:13

some taxi cabs are reluctant to do this as if your waters break in the cab they have to get it cleaned up.

If it is a problem, then calling an ambulance might be your only option, but if it were me I would try the taxi first, you might be lucky with a nice taxi driver!

TaurielTest · 04/05/2010 12:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TaurielTest · 04/05/2010 12:21

I took a black cab (from Ealing area to QC Hospital), we had no car so it was the only choice really. It was great, I'd completely recommend it. My DP had gone to the rank ahead of time to sound them out, they all said they would be happy to take me, wouldn't dream of refusing. (Maybe it's a black cab versus minicab thing?).

I did grab a waterproof pad to sit on as my waters had started to go a bit by the time I was in the taxi, there was never any question of paying extra.
The driver drove carefully, nice and slow over speed bumps, came back to the birth centre later to drop off my mobile which I'd left in the back, and was delighted a week or two later when we spotted him again, introduced DS to him and found that we'd (accidentally) given him his name as a middle name.
Go for it!

Beans33 · 04/05/2010 12:39

I used the Keen Group to go to St Thomas's from Battersea. Used them to take me at 3am, then take me home again at 9am. They knew I was in labour and happily took me again at 4pm that afternoon when I was in full labour. I'd recommend them.

Meantime, on my first visit, DH had got the bus home, cycled his bike in and locked it up. Then when I'd had DD and was going to be sent home soonish, he hopped on his bike, cycled home, picked up the car, then picked up DD and me! Sounds terribly anal and organised, but actually was his spur of the moment idea nad it worked well as we didn't have to pay a fortune for parking either!

Would definitely recommend a taxi!

deaddei · 04/05/2010 12:41

I arrived at hospital at 5am ON MY OWN in a taxi- dh looking after dc.
Taxi driver got there very quickly

MumNWLondon · 04/05/2010 12:56

i suggest buying some bed mats to sit in just incase your waters went. i sat on one even in our car. in the end DH drove our car as it was the middle of the night at the weekend hence no parking issues but had it been during the day we'd have got a taxi

Original poster

Mumcah · 04/05/2010 13:12

Thanks all.I will definitely get some bed mats and also take a towel.I'll ring some local firms too just to sound them out.

OP posts:

Firawla · 04/05/2010 13:38

I went in a taxi it was fine, I felt sorry for the driver as I was quite far on in labour and didnt wana freak him out moaning too much or anything :s but we dont have a car so was our only choice, driver was good he didnt make ne fuss at all and tried 2 drive quick. i didnt even think about waters going, luckily they didnt.. bringing a towel would probs be a good idea if you are organised, just in case.
I think in London you're right a lot of people do go in taxi, so shouldn't be too much of a problem

TaurielTest · 04/05/2010 14:04

Incidentally, my waterproof mat thing was one of these, which washes really well and has done sterling service as a fold-up changing mat/picnic rug/nappy-free-time mat ever since - it was a v good buy

Beans33 · 04/05/2010 18:10

God, I was effing and blinding in the cab - felt so sorry for the driver! Then quite normal between contractions! No wonder, though, as got to hospital and was 9cms dilated. No wonder it had been so bloody painful!

Linnet · 04/05/2010 18:24

I got a taxi to the hospital both times as dh doesn't drive and we had no other way of getting there.

hippopo · 04/05/2010 18:33

MumNWLondon visited Whittington birthing suite on Sat and thought it was fab. From your post I am right in thinking we can park on weekend no probs? Is that at hospital or on side streets.

Thanks in advance

MumNWLondon · 04/05/2010 19:07

yes, can park there for £1.50 per hour out of hours (ie other than 9-6 on weekdays), annoyingly we paid the £25 and then found the exit gate was open (we left at around 9pm on saturday) so might be worth checking this before you pay up. alternatively you can get your DH to move the car.

i have found very good parking 10 mins walk from the whittington which is free other than 10-2 on weekdays and even then you can pay for 2 hours for £1.20. if you are coming on the A1 from the north, take the little slip road right after suicide bridge and park there - less than 10 mins walk (go under underpass) we just didn't bother moving the car...

Sonilaa · 04/05/2010 19:23

I took a minicab in east london. was a hassle, because it was saturday night just before christmas...it took me over an hour to get transport!
Taxi drivers cannot refuse to transport you, even if in labour, but mw advised me just to say it is for transport to hospital. my driver was really nice, took care with the bumps and we had a lovely chat about his grandchildren between contractions

heth1980 · 05/05/2010 08:22

I had to get taxis with both of my DD's. The first time the driver was blatantly feeling rather anxious as he sped through the 30mph streets much much faster However the 2nd time round the driver was completely chilled.....and also worried about me cos I'd had to leave DH at home with DD1 so was on my own. He even carried my bags into the delivery suite for me! I think the difference was that the second driver had kids of his own and the first didn't.........

Both times though we said that I was in labour when we called them. It was the middle of the night too so there was no wait and no traffic.

cory · 05/05/2010 09:03

I had lots of false alarms and had to get taxis to hospital as we don't drive. Taxi drivers were totally unphased even when they thought I was in labour; one assured me that he would be happy delivering me as he had done that before, another told me of her own experiences at the same hospital and how wonderful they had been.

somewhereinlondon · 05/05/2010 09:16

I got a taxi too - and one home again!

DS1 we got the bus home, stopping at Primark to buy the granny knickers I needed post C-section, short coffee break and then home. Everyone is horrified hearing about that one, but we didn't know at the time that prams could go in a black cab and we really didn't know how to get home otherwise. The walk was too far and not recommneded in the middle of winter. Ds2 just had the cab organised pre-birth ready with car seat.

PS - do tell anyone you know to have the granny knickers on standby - if you do have an emergency C-section they are a god send.

Squitten · 05/05/2010 11:55

I had my son at Kings and we don't have a car so we took a mini cab. I did bring a towel, just in case my waters went but it was fine!

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