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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

how far from hospital are you?

30 replies

Annie456 · 29/12/2010 12:52

Afternoon all,
I'm trying to decide between 3 local hospitals and am leaning towards the one which happens to be the furthest away (St Thomas' in London) other options are Lewisham and Kings.

just out of interest, how far away is your chosen hospital and just how close do you need to be?

I think Tommys would take me about 20 mins at best but who knows during bad traffic!!

OP posts:

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oggybags · 29/12/2010 12:54

i had a choice of 4, all 10-25 mins (fastest possible) drive away... we've chosen the one which is furthest with worst parking & accessibility, but it has the broadest specialist facilities should anything take a turn for the worst failing that it will be a motorway baby

sh77 · 29/12/2010 13:19

I live 3 mins away from my hospital (C&W). Chose it because close to home, excellent high risk ante natal team, the consultant I wanted is based there, and it has one of the best intensive care facilities for babies in London. I heard that the post natal ward is a but dodgy but that is the case everywhere.

Mahraih · 29/12/2010 13:23

Kings is our closest, and 15 minutes drive away.

I actually have no idea what it's like as we've just moved into the area and I was previously at UCLH (which I loved!)

But anything from 15 minutes to 30 minutes sounds normal :)

Mmmaa · 29/12/2010 14:08

I'm only 5 mins drive from mine at the moment, hopefully will be even closer if we manage to move to the house we're looking at.

However if I develop any complications during pregnancy, they will make me go to a different one, which is at least 30 mins away, I really don't want to go there though.

ZeroMistletoeZeroTinsel · 29/12/2010 14:14

~4 miles, it's the only one for aaaages so no real choice in the matter.

SarahScotChristmasSpirit · 29/12/2010 14:38

It takes 40 mins to get to our nearest hospital. My last labour was only 3 hours in total - I'm shitting myself we won't get there in time this time . . .

Ladyofthehousespeaking · 29/12/2010 15:23

1.4 miles! Quite lucky really as it has reallygood facilities for premmies etc just in case!

Original poster

Annie456 · 29/12/2010 17:38

thanks everyone, I'll go for St Thomas's and cross my fingers that I don't go into labour at either 8.30am or 5.30pm!!

OP posts:

cowboylover · 29/12/2010 19:12

Going where you will be the most happy and comfirtable with the care is the main thing as long as none are to far away.

The one I have gone for is 40 mins away but the 3 are all about the same just in different directions!

Petalouda · 29/12/2010 19:23

We're lucky enough to have a maternity unit down the road (

jasmine51 · 29/12/2010 19:54

I am not allowed to go to my local hosp due to personal risk history so my nearest is a min of 45 mins away in Oxford. Its going to be 'interesting' when the time comes as DH will be rushing back from Iraq and may not be here to take me!
Echo advice from others - being comfortable with your choice is more important than the journey...ambulances can get through the traffic if necessary...just keep your legs crossed!

LunaticFringe · 29/12/2010 20:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Wigeon · 29/12/2010 20:50

For my first baby, I was at the nearest hospital, which was about 20 / 25mins drive. Although potentially longer if rush hour or match day (stadium adjacent to hospital).

Remember, if it's your first baby, you are likely to be in labour for a while, and so you may well be able to adjust when you set off for hospital in order to miss the rush hour. And the hospital usually won't let you come in until you are in very established labour (contractions every 3 mins for a 1st timer for my hospital). I laboured at home for 7 hours of my 10 hour labour, but would have set off sooner if we thought we'd've got stuck in traffic.

I wouldn't say you "need" to be a certain distance away - if there is an emergency then an ambulance will be sent to you anyway, and if not, you are likely to be in labour for quite a while (if you are indeed a 1st timer) and 10 mins vs 30 mins shouldn't make that much difference. Although to be honest, getting downstairs, into the car, travelling in the car and then getting out and to the delivery room in the hospital wasn't exactly a bundle of laughs while I was having frequent, painful contractions, so if you were happy with all 3 hospitals, I'd choose the one with the shortest journey. But as others have said, being happy with the hospital is more important.

For my second baby I will be 10 mins drive away (same hospital, have moved house - not to be closer to the hospital though!). But we are considering a home birth because my first labour was straightforward and uncomplicated. Have you thought about a home birth?

GrumpyFish · 29/12/2010 22:16

We're an hour away from the hospital, or slightly over. I think this is fairly normal in rural areas, I suppose it would seem like ages if you're in London, but everywhere is an hour away here! I worried a little about this with my first (although no nearer option) but it was absolutely fine - I just went in earlier than I might have if it had only been a few minutes away. I was still there for hours before DS was born.

CupcakesHay · 29/12/2010 23:05

I'm in Devon - so have about 45 mins to get to our hospital. Luckily they have beds aside for people in our area as we are so far away - whereas other people might get sent back home if they get to hospital early - we're admitted.

On the downside, it means that i need to be super organised with my hospital bag, cos once i'm there, assuming i stay overnight, my DH is going to stay at local b&B - so no chance of popping home for anything we've forgotten. And then my dad is going to pick all 3 of us up the next day.

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 29/12/2010 23:23

I'm in quite a rural area so we only have the one hospital to choose from and it's about 30mins from where I live.

bessie26 · 29/12/2010 23:36

Mine's a 10min walk away (doubt I will be walking though!)

Original poster

Annie456 · 30/12/2010 09:49

Thanks again for all the replies, I'm not considering a home birth for my first one wigeon but can see why you might be tempted after a straight forward first delivery!

Good idea about going in a bit earlier - from things I've read that would never be an option at kings as it is so busy but I believe st Thomas is less so. I'll go with my gut (sorry!) on this one and if there is any emergency I imagine an ambulance would take me straight to kings anyway! Ideally it will be about 3am on a sunday when the roads are all clear and it will take 15 minutes!

OP posts:

tigerbear · 30/12/2010 09:58

Annie - am in exactly the same predicament - having to decide between Lewisham, the other one in North Greenwich, and UCLH. Have already had my scans and appointments at UCLH and really want to stay there as it's so nice and shiny and new! Not keen on the thought of Lewisham...

thefurryone · 30/12/2010 10:45

I'm about 2 1/2 miles from the hospital probably about a 15 minute drive if the roads are clear and it's not rush hour, but unless you live right next to a hospital then rush hour may always be a bit of an issue!!

The location did play a small role in my decision as it the hospital I chose is on a bus route and in easy cycling distance for my anti-natal appointments. Whereas I'm really not sure how to get to the other one I was offered.

Bobby99 · 30/12/2010 10:49

I was 35 mins away from the hospital - it wasn't much fun being 6 contractions away from the hospital! I think if we have another one I'll opt for the midwife led birth centre 20 mins away (I was too scared to go there last time as I wanted an army of doctors on hand in case anything happened...)

nannyl · 30/12/2010 11:01

i too llive in a very rural area

my only 'choice' is a good 20 - 25 min drive (a LOT longer at rush hour)... but an ambulence could do it faster

When the time comes i hope to have a home birth anyway

Roxy33 · 30/12/2010 11:20

I have a friend who works for the NHS looking after the strategy for hospitals in London and he advised me not to go to Lewisham, something to do with a higher death rate than others (haven't researched it myself). I had the same choices as Annie456 and decided on St Thomas's as well. I've had all my scans there and the staff are very nice, even when i went in after a bit of a two day panic that the baby hadn't moved much....very understanding and didn't make me feel like a fool. Apparently one of the best in terms of medical care etc.

Only downside is the drive but my husband says if it's peak time we will call an ambulance and claim we don't have a car if asked. Parking costs are quite expensive as well but at least they take credit cards so at least you don't need tonnes of change!

Wigeon · 30/12/2010 12:20

Roxy - I'm not sure they will send an ambulance out to you if it's not a medical emergency, even if you claim not to have a car. And being in normal labour does not count as a medical emergency. I'm pretty sure they would tell you to take a taxi or ask a neighbour. And you would also be taking an ambulance - a scarce resource - away (or at least delaying it) from people in genuine medical emergencies and life or death situations...We had exactly this discussion recently on my local NCT e-group and the various medical members of the group all strongly urged against ringing an ambulance unless there was an emergency.

If your labour starts before peak time, set off for hospital slightly earlier than you might do otherwise, to miss the rush hour, or (if its your first and you are therefore likely to have a normal length labour - ie about 10 hours), just set off after rush hour. You will probably still have hours of labour still to go, even if you wait for rush hour to be over.

Unasked-for advice over! Good luck with your birth!

LunaticFringe · 30/12/2010 12:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

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