How far would you travel from home in late pregnancy?

[moominsmummy]

I am aiming to finish work at about 38 weeks (have a son of 3 years at home so going to work is more of a break! )

Only problem is that my commute is 1hr15 mins each way (car/train/walk).

Has anyone gone into labour a long way from home? Did you make it home or go to a local hospital?

(I was induced for being overdue with DS so haven't done 'real' labour before)

i wouldn't like being this far from dh from about 34 weeks, but i have quick labours and tend to turn into a worrying wreck in pregnancy!

At 36 weeks I travelled from Sheffield to London for a weekend with friends.

At 40 weeks (my due date infact) I travelled to Doncaster (an hour's drive) to go out for a family meal.

Both times I just made sure I had my notes and my hospital bag with me - just in case. If I'd gone into labour in London I'd have gone to a local hospital.

Labour tends to take a REALLY long time. Worst case scenario, you start having contractions, you can't drive and someone has to come fetch you and take you to the hospital. Very few women have precipitive labours (ie oooh ooh, it hurts, ooh bugger that's the head between my knees). It's more likely to be 'feel a bit twingy' (nothing for several hours) 'feel twingy again' (and so on for up to three days).

Sorry Moomin - I see you've done this before How long was your first labour. Do you think you'll be able to do it? I'd have a back up plan ready in any case.

My waters broke with DD2 at my mum's house which was about a 40 minute drive from our house. I didn't have my notes, hospital bag anything and I was 6 days overdue..... and I still had plenty of time before DD2 arrived.
Not sure I'd be too comfortable relying on the trains though

We went 200+ miles to my mums when I was 36 weeks (but had been showing signs of a possible early labour)

It wouldn't have been ideal to have gone into labour down there, but wouldn't have been the end of the world either.

However, my DH can be anywhere up to 3 or 4 hours away with work, so I had kind of gotten over the thoughts of 'what if?'

Will probably be more of an issue with no.3, if a no.3 ever happenes, because my labour was only 2 hours last time

first labour was 12 hours for the first bit (when they keep telling you that you're not in active labour (FFS!!!!))

active labour was 17 mins but as it was all a result of induction and i overreacted to the pessaries I don't think I can count on it being any indicator for a natural labour??

my DH is disabled anyway so if at home have been told to call for an ambulance to take us to hospital

more of a logistical nightmare if I am at work, he is at home and DS is at nursery - arghhhh!