Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Walking to the hospital to give birth

49 replies

SarahAnderson · 26/10/2013 14:51

Is this a crazy idea? The hospital is only 1.1 miles from our house, down nice streets. Google Maps says it's only 4 minutes' drive away.

We don't have a car, and I think by the time I call a cab (which can take 20-30 mins to arrive) it would have been far quicker and less stressful to just walk there.

But this is my first, so I have no idea how practical an idea that is...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

SupermansBigRedBottleOfSpirits · 26/10/2013 17:07

My hospital is around the corner (0.3m), if I'd have walked I'd have gave birth at the co op!

SupermansBigRedBottleOfSpirits · 26/10/2013 17:08

My hospital is around the corner (0.3m), if I'd have walked I'd have gave birth at the co op!

Frecklesandspecs · 26/10/2013 17:12

At least you would have been well catered for superman! ;-)

ViviDeBOOvoir · 26/10/2013 17:15

I thought I was going to do this with DC1 but when the time came my contractions were only a minute or so apart and I could barely stand up straight never mind walk!
Every pothole on the road there was agony!
I would have a friend/family member on standby if I were you but also remember you can ring an ambulance if your contractions are very close.
DC3 came so quickly I had to get blue lighted to the hospital 20 minutes away.

Contractions less than a minute apart, ambulance came at about 9am and Dc3 arrived at 9.30.

I was very, very happy to get hold of their gas and air as well
Good luck!

heidihole · 26/10/2013 17:18

Ummm ... no!

If you can walk 1.1 miles you aren't in established labour and you won't be admitted. I could barely walk to the car.

It hurts. A lot. You'll look back on this post and chuckle after you've had baby :) Definitely get a taxi. Good luck!

NachoAddict · 26/10/2013 17:19

Its impossible to tell but I think generally if your able to walk a mile its probably too early to be going in. With that kids of wait for a taxi though it might be best explaining to the maternity ward the situation and they may let you admit earlier than usual.

Clargo55 · 26/10/2013 19:32

Have you considered a home birth? I would feel quite confident as your so close to hospital if you did end up needing to go in.

Hawkmoth · 26/10/2013 19:44

I dunno. I walked up and down for hours in all my labours. Got to say it might be alarming to passing traffic though!

NandH · 26/10/2013 19:48

I don't see why not, I drove myself to hospital which was a 40 min drive away, when I got there I was 7cm dilated. You can do it :) good luck!!!

BananaPie · 26/10/2013 19:50

Nope. By the time I got to hospital I had to curl up on all fours for every contraction - would have been slow progress walking down the street.

Afterwards, I couldn't walk more than a few hundred yards without it feeling like my insides were about to fall out.

NoComet · 26/10/2013 19:50

DMIL did, and nearly gave birth in reception. She says they had her in a wheelchair and in the lift in about 30 seconds.

She say's she only lived across the road.

VivaLeBeaver · 26/10/2013 19:55

See how you feel at the time but be prepared to call a cab.

WhatABeautifulPussy · 26/10/2013 19:56

I probably could have. I walked miles around the hospital but my contractions didn't change until my waters we t and then I was pushing (and I couldn't walk then). Thing is you don't know what your labour will be like...

ChipAndSpud · 26/10/2013 20:05

I think it's best to get a taxi or a lift from a neighbour. I really struggled to walk from the hospital car park to the hospital as I was having contractions.

And if you're anything like me, get a taxi back home too! I felt like all my strength had been zapped after giving birth and it was a straightforward birth and lasted 5 hours 50 minutes in total!

Frecklesandspecs · 26/10/2013 20:08

I think also in labour you want to feel ina roadsafe place. its natural. walking along a road in the middle of the night might seem fine for your physical self but you don't know how it Will feel emotionally. you also need to take the baby into consideration. what if you get stuck out somewhere, it could be freezing cold, raining, snowing.......it would be much safer to stay at home if you can't get transport.

BananaPie · 26/10/2013 20:22

Aside from the pain, if your waters have broken it might be a bit of a soggy-legged walk!

Curioushorse · 26/10/2013 20:29

Hmmmm. Yeah, you couldn't have stopped me walking until about 5 mins before i gave birth. I could have done it....but clearly, everyone is very different!

motherinferior · 26/10/2013 21:09

You really do have to plan for the worst. Please don't factor in a walk there or back. Labours and births simply don't go to plan.

I never knew it was called ambulatory labour - and I write about pregnancy and birth a fair bit!- I had one with DD1. Couldn't move much at all for a couple of weeks afterwards, mind, I had such a shitty time I felt as if I'd been kicked on the stomach by a horse. Quite apart from the stitches.

PicardyThird · 26/10/2013 21:13

With dc2, 8 days overdue and having started with incredibly moderate contractions 5.30 or 6am or so, dh and dc1 and I took the bus (10-min walk to stop and 10-min journey). Was pacing the aisles a bit but dc1 had taken soooo long I was certain I'd be fine. Got there and announced myself with 'I think I'm in labour' . Reader, I was 9cm, and a mum or two a brutal half-hour later. It's a funny story now but I would not do the bus thing again, and i don't think I'd plan to walk a mile once in established labour either, tbh.

PicardyThird · 26/10/2013 21:14

'a mum of two a brutal half-hour later', that should say.

ThoughSheBeButLittleSheBeFierc · 26/10/2013 21:25

Regardless of all the reasons that others have said about why this is a bad idea I don't think that it would be quicker than a taxi. That distance would be approximately a 20 min walk. However, you will be 9 months pregnant so this will take longer than this. Then take into consideration that you will only be going to the hospital once you are having frequent contractions. I don't think you would make it to the hospital any quicker than you would waiting a maximum of 30 mins for a taxi then the 4 min taxi journey.

Also, you may feel ok to walk when you leave the house but you may change your mind half way there as labour progresses. Freckles' point about wanting to be in a safe place is a very good one. Also, there is a difference between wanting to walk when in labour because it is helping and it feels natural to having to walk because you are halfway to the hospital but what you want to do is sit/lie down/ get on all fours etc.

Oh and when your see the amount of stuff that goes in your hospital bag whoever is going to carry the bag for you will definitely want to get a taxi

SaucyJack · 27/10/2013 12:01

Actually, I'm pretty sure I could've run a mile a four minute mile when in transition with DD2. Had a massive burst of energy and threw myself up and down the stairs a few times as it was.

But I certainly wouldn't plan it in. Not to mention that the hosp are unlikely to take you seriously if you're still capable of walking happily.

aNutAboveTheBreast · 27/10/2013 13:25

I could walk and talk fine up to transition, but I seemed to have a ludicrous amount of fluid and got wet legs with each contraction for a good hour and a half before he was actually born. That may not be so pleasant if you're walking and the weather's nippy! I would have a back-up plan as you really can't know how it will go.

I don't think a taxi would have taken me while leaking though. We covered MIL's front seat in bin bags and yy to every pot hole and speed bump - ouch!

IndigoTea · 27/10/2013 14:32

No ways, you won't be able to do it!

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread