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Original poster

Woman told to walk to hospital gives birth in street

129 replies

kathyis6incheshigh · 17/08/2009 12:41

Here

OP posts:
poopscoop · 17/08/2009 12:42

OMFG - that is terrible. Poor woman.

Greensleeves · 17/08/2009 12:42

that is atrocious

as is the pissy response from the hospital

Sheeta · 17/08/2009 12:43

Would be interesting to know just how far she lived from the hospital.

ShoveTheDailyMailUpYourFanjo · 17/08/2009 12:47

Bloody hell

justineandcarrieneedanewlawyer · 17/08/2009 12:48

good old physiotherapists

Greensleeves · 17/08/2009 12:48

I don't care how fucking far it was, she was in labour! They should have sent the ambulance and they know it

Sheeta · 17/08/2009 12:52

yes, totally agree. All I meant was if she was really close then they may have thought it quicker for her to walk?

I always thought that if you asked for an ambulance then they HAD to send one.. thing is, she may have been waiting longer at home - which would have been preferable in the end!

Sheeta · 17/08/2009 12:52

and Greensleeves, chill please - no need to swear at me

Disenchanted3 · 17/08/2009 12:52

My god thats awful,

even if she lived next door how can they justify a lone woman, in labour walking any amount of distance??

It takes 10 mins from reception to delivery rooms at most hospitals anyway.

Scotia · 17/08/2009 12:53

That baby is beautiful

Even if she lives next door to the hospital, she obviously needed help, and help should have been sent to her.

What a traumatic experience, glad it all worked out ok and mother and baby are both well. It could have ended quite differently.

Greensleeves · 17/08/2009 12:53

Sorry Sheeta, I am angry at the hospital, not at you, and I swear a lot

didn't mean to upset you

Scotia · 17/08/2009 12:55

Sheeta, I'd rather have had the baby at home while waiting than in the street.

juuule · 17/08/2009 12:59

Was she told to walk in or to "make her own way in"? Makes a difference - perhaps they thought she could get a taxi or someone to run her in.

Why on earth would she even set off walking to the hospital? Why didn't she sit tight and phone them to get someone out to her?

All seems a bit odd.

Sheeta · 17/08/2009 13:01

Scotia, that's what I was saying (albeit rather badly)

s'ok greensleeves

Someone should have been sent to her though.

muffle · 17/08/2009 13:01

Maybe I'm missing something but aren't most women in labour meant to get themselves to hospital? Obviously in this case it would have been better if she had had one - but people regularly have fast labours resulting in babies being born in taxis, in cars, or at home because they didn't get to hospital in time. Just because she was walking doesn't make a huge difference.... and she could have got a taxi - if it was that close it would hardly have cost much.

Plus when I was in labour I was told to go for a walk!

Yes she's annoyed but this sounds like a case of hospital made a decision, it turned out to be wrong in this case but seems to have been fairly reasonable. And they said they would investigate any complaint so fair enough. What are they supposed to say?

Original poster
kathyis6incheshigh · 17/08/2009 13:01

If she's ridiculously close, like next door, couldn't they have sent a paramedic with a wheelchair?
When I arrived at hospital with minutes to spare they rushed out into the carpark with a wheelchair so they could zoom me in as fast as poss!

I imagine it's another of these things where the woman in labour isn't taken seriously when she says she thinks things are happening fast

OP posts:
thedollshouse · 17/08/2009 13:02

But hospitals never send ambulances if you are in labour do they?

Greensleeves · 17/08/2009 13:02

I agree kathy

why do they not LISTEN to women in labour?

OrmIrian · 17/08/2009 13:03

Agree with juules - why they hell did she try to walk? I have always been told to 'make my way in' when in labour. Not walk.

Greensleeves · 17/08/2009 13:03

I had an ambulance when I was in labour with ds2

we don't have a car and the hospital is several miles away

Original poster
kathyis6incheshigh · 17/08/2009 13:04

muffle - her baby arrived 3 weeks early so perhaps her transport wasn't there? You don't necessarily have a dh with a car sitting around waiting at home with you for 3 weeks in advance in case anything happens and taxi firms very often have a wait of half an hour or so!

OP posts:
muffle · 17/08/2009 13:04

Well it might be that they do listen but they have to go by experience. I had very fast and painful contractions and was told to make my own way in - I did - by car - I was 2cm dilated and was sent home. If they sent an ambulance to everyone who thought the baby was coming there would probably be no ambulances left for road accidents etc.

juuule · 17/08/2009 13:04

More about it here. According to this she was with a friend. What was the friend thinking about letting her walk to the hospital?

reikizen · 17/08/2009 13:05

Sorry, but I can't agree. There is no way an ambulance should be sent for every labouring woman! The person she spoke to on the phone obviously made the decision based on what they were told that she had time to get to hospital. We don't know what was said, and her contractions may have been 30 mins apart at that stage! I agree that I personally would have been uncomfortable with a woman walking in alone but we don't even know if that was made clear to the staff. I have been told many things over the phone by women only to find them to be significantly different when they arrive!
If the woman was that unhappy with the advice she should have rung an ambulance herself (going back to the thread about taking personal responsibility for our health and wellbeing). Having said all that, if the woman was clearly in strong labour when she rang an ambulance and/or a midwife should have been sent.

OrmIrian · 17/08/2009 13:06

I live 5 mins from hospital (not the one i gave birth in as it happens but it could have been). The ambulance station is about 20 mins walk away - and the ambulances have to fight through busy traffic to get to me. It would be quicker for me to walk than get an ambulance

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