Dilemma - how to get to hospital when in labour

[Lucky13]

Hi,
I thought i was all organised and now my plans seem to be falling apart.

I'm booked in for a c section next month, but i've just realised suddenly that if i go into labour early i'll have no-one to take me to hospital in time.

The problem is that if i go into labour - i have to go in asap for an emergency c/s as i'm unable to have a natural birth or its curtains for me!

The dilemma is that DH is now between 1-2 hours away (plus 30 mins at least to get to hospital) and all my other back ups are either no longer available or just as far.

Ok, so the first stupid question is - could i drive myself in v early labour? By the time i realise that i'm in labour would i be in too much pain?

Do all first pregnancies have a really long labour - i keep hearing of first babies out in an hour or two?!!

I have thought of a taxi, but i'm out in the middle of nowhere and they would take just as long - if they could find my house! Same again for an ambulance - would feel like a fraud for using them and there's nothing they could do to help anyway - other than blue lights!

I'm really starting to panic now as DH promised he would be at home for the last few weeks.

Any ideas would be helpful as i can't see a way round it.

if (and I know it's a big if!) you need to get to hospital in the normal working day, your GP might call a non-emergency ambulance for you. It happened for me when I went to see GP just before labour - it looked like I had pre-eclampsia, the GP told me to go to hospital, I said 'oh, I'll have to get the bus, or drive I think, dh is 2 hours away', and GP said don't be silly, I'll call you an ambulance. One arrived at my door half an hour later. It might be worth talking to your GP if you have an approachable one?

I don't know if this is a stupid suggestion, or even possible, but is it worth (to put your mind at rest) contacting your local ambulance service, explaining that you're worried they may have difficulty finding you, and ask for their advice? They know what systems they use, and could maybe even double-check that you are on their sat-nav system, for example.

yep call the local ambos and tell them your circumstances and give them a map. also make sure that your place is easily identifiable from the road, something like we have a green gate with a sign on it or something else that distinguishes your place.

As this is such a big worry to you, I think you should explain the full problem to your midwife and the hospital staff and see what they suggest. I don't think it is a particularly good idea to hope that an ambulance will find you if you live in the wilds of the country and your home is not on Sat Nav. Surely, the hospital midwives will not expect you to risk being left on your own, without any help for miles, when you are in the final stages of labour. When I lived in Great Yarmouth, on the other side of the river to the hospital, I was instructed to travel to the hospital as soon as I went into early labour - to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the elevating bridge. Your safety and that of the baby has to come first.