Would DS be allowed in the ambulance if i had to transfer?

[JellyBeansHaveNoAgeLimit]

Am planning a home birth but just thinking of a contingency plan.

My mum lives in the next road over from the hospital. If i need to transfer I am assuming this would be via ambulance? If so would they allow DH & 2yo DS to travel with me? DH could then take DS to my mums and hopefully get back in time for the birth!

We don't drive & neither does my mum but i have a feeling they won't allow DS to travel with us.

Surely if circumstances are such that you need to be transferred as an emergency (in an ambulance) you wouldn't want DS there?

I think you need your mum to come to you by taxi once things get going.

No I don't think so, there's no where for him to sit let alone an appropriate car seat for him.

My mum is disabled and can't get up the stairs to our flat. We are really rather stuck for options when it comes to DS being at the birth!

I very much doubt it. I think if you need to transfer you should plan to go in the ambulance alone while DH takes DS in a taxi to your mum.

I transferred from home birth to hospital in an ambulance, it was with DC1 so it didn't arise but I really can't imagine I would have been able to take a child in with me.

I don't think your DH would be allowed to travel in it either. As soon as the MW calls the ambulance, your DH will have to call a taxi to take him and your DS (and yours bags!) straight to your mum's and he can then walk over to the hospital.

I transferred in after delivering and was allowed to take the baby and DH but we were both patients iyswim.

You really want your 2yo at the birth? Each to their own I suppose and may be great if everything goes smoothly but what if it doesn't?

If mum is your plan if you need to go to hospital then I think DS needs to go to hers as soon as things start. Could she collect him by taxi?

Otherwise you need a plan B that doesn't include your mother. Any friend/neighbour, even one that isn't very close would be happy to help out in this circumstance.

Nope. Sorry, but neither your dh or DC would be allowed.

In the nicest possible way OP.... It's an ambulance. It's for medical emergencies . It's not a taxi service

My DH was allowed in the ambulance, because we didn't have a car. But you have reminded me, we were asked if he had a car & could he follow behind the ambulance. I guess they were feeling kind in not making him get a taxi as we didn't have one.

I think your best option is to keep cash for teo minicab fares in a place in the house where you won't spend it on something else, have DH take DS to your DM, and then come to the hospital.

I don't think they can come in the ambulance. However, I think you can ask your midwife to take both your husband and your toddler. Maybe you could give your midwife a ring to ask this?

If you need an ambulance because a it's an emergency your ds would be better not being there.

Just want to point out that being transferred in from a home birth to hospital by ambulance doesn't necessarily mean "terrifying emergency no children should be there" - as I said upthread I was transferred in by ambulance because there was meconium in the waters & I was getting very tired (had been labouring for 12hrs). It wasn't a panic situation, things were very calm & I laboured for a further 12 hours at the hospital!

I transferred in after home birth. It wasn't a massive rush or anything, but there was no question of DP coming in the ambulance. One midwife came, holding newly born DS. DP met us at the hospital (he got there ahead of us) and took DS.

I don't think there would be room for anyone else - given your mother is close to the hospital sounds like taxi to your mum's for DP and DS would be best.

Looks like a taxi then. Thanks for confirming. My mum is kind of the last person i would want gto take my son but in an emergency we wouldn't have a choice. In an ideal world i would have a doula to look after my son for our home birth but can't afford that so we are hoping he will either be asleep or content to play in another room with DH checking in.

anecdotally women labouring at home with older DC in the house tend to do it at night when they are asleep! I did with DC2 - it was perfect good luck JellyBean

In an emergency the midwife goes in the ambulance with you. So she couldn't take them either. So there is her and the paramedic in the back of the ambulance with you.

Sorry - am I being thick? Could very well be but if your mum is looking after DS in an emergency, he couldn't just be taken there where things start hotting up so to speak? Then he's there whether you transfer in or not?

I have an 18 month old DS and a 5 month old DD. DS was looked after by a neighbour until my parents could drive to get him. I found once I went into labour thT having him in the house was very distracting

Thanks ElizabethMedora, that it what i am hoping!

elizabeth - I was hoping for that but went into labour proper at 9:00am. Massively inconvenient!

Clearly there is room for variation as when I was transferred in the midwife went in her car, & DH went in the ambulance with me & the paramedic. The midwife met us there. Maybe it depends on the emergency?!

Gobbo, i don't actually want my mum to have my son unless absolutely necessary. He would be picked up from her house the second the hospital says he's allowed in!

isn't there a friend or a neighbour?

Ok - but I would say, do have a contingency plan. As I said, I found it very distracting having DS in the house and DH didn't like not being able to give me his full attention.

It might be fine, but we were very relieved we could call on our neighbour as arranged and my labour sped up considerably once I knew DS was away being spoiled and playing with the neighbour's cat!