Bad weather - v worried!!!!!!!!!

[andierox]

Does anyone else have snow? We have had a huge fall and keep getting more everyday. I live in North-east England and although I'm not due until 18/12/2010 the long range forecasts keep getting worseand I'm worried sick!!! I have lots of questions floating around in my head eg Do the NHS have any contingency plans at all for getting women to Hospital? What If I have to deliver at home - i e no pain relief?Would DH be able to do the job?!?! Are they able to send someone to your home etc,etc ?!?!!

Do any of you have snow where you are? Is anyone else worried about giving birth in these adverse weather conditions

Andie DD#1 11 years old , DD #2 due 18/12/2010

try not to worry, Im sure it will all be ok. I dont have any practical advice, but I am sure that medical services must have plans/vehicles that can cope with this weather. I know my friend arrived in snot in very early labour a few years ago and they told her to just stay at the hospital (whereas usually they would have sent her back home). Im sure you wont end up being delivered by dh. How far are you from the hospital? why not right your midwife and chat through all this with her?

Good luck, Im sure ytou will be fine

Arriving in snot geraldine? :o
That must have been traumatic!

I'm due in January, and spoke to the mw about this.
Hospitals have 4 wd ambulances which will be able to get to you in an emergency, and apparently mw's have been known to be taken to homebirths in police landrovers.
If you end up booked in to be induced, gp's can book a 4wd ambulance to take you to hospital if you can't get in yourself.
If you're still worried, I would ring your mw for a chat.
Try not to worry though, the country seems a lot more prepared for the snow this time!
Good luck :)

Luckily I'm not far from the hosp - just over a mile but snow keeps getting worse here and no signs of it going!! x
.

Yes the emergency services have cunning plans and midwives are well used to being tucked in to landrovers and then having to slog a bit. You will have help if you need it. If the baby arrives so quickly the midwife can't get to you then yes your dh will be able to do it. Your body knows what to do and quick births are usually very,very straightforward. Tbh - if conditions are bad then you will be much better off labouring at home with a hale and hearty midwife getting to you than you would be trying to get to hospital with dh flapping and you labouring. At least at home you and baby would be warm

It will all be fine - there was a live snowed in labour on here last winter - it was all very exciting and involved mountain rescue - will have to look out the thread for you to read and be reassurred by

Thanks - you have all given me some piece of mind!!!! I'm not worrying now!!!

hahaha oops, sorry about that! Snow, not snot!!

good luck, lunaticfringe, try not to worry, I am sure you will be just fine xx

I'm glad others of you know of emergency plans that assist rather than hamper. Bizarrely a friend of mine was told, when due last winter, that if it was snowing she couldn't have her planned home birth and instead would have to get herself (carless btw) to hospital!

i'm 38+4 and in the north east, not been able to get out in 4 days - bigtime worried about this.. no idea how we would get to hospital.. usually only 20 mins away but can only imagine how long it would take now!

The roads where I live are pretty clear now so fingers crossed for you HappyGirl 1 !!! Lets hope we get some of our Normal North East rain and that it manages to clear all of the snow away!!! x :o

It will probably be fine. But if you are snowed in, call 999 and wait for help. I gave birth twice with no pain relief at all at home - by choice so was mentally prepared - but it was really OK - lovely in fact. I'm sure you'll be able to get out but if things are looking difficult PLEASE try to stay calm, go with the contractions, labour at home where it's warm and safe, don't tense up and anticipate each contraction - work with them and remember you and your new baby are a team going through this together, and trust in the strength of thousands of years of women who have born wonderful healthy children in much worse circumstances.

Very good luck to you and I hope you have the birth you wish for whatever the weather...!