Anyone else considering a long journey to hospital?

[bigbadwritersblock]

Just wondered if I am the only one considering a longer journey to birthing hospital. I am currently in North London and spoilt for great hospitals - I'm under UCLH which I think is considered the best birthing hospital in London, and when I move I'm not comfortable giving birth in any of the local hospitals and think it would be a really bad start to my labour to be nervous about the hospital.

I think the journey time will be 1 hour - I think the only other option I would be happy with would be a home birth but as I am moving at 36 weeks i'm not sure that I'd be able to get that set up in time (plus I don't think any of teh local hospitals allow it - which shows me how backwards thinking they are)

obviously if I have any emergancy problems I'll go to the nearest hospital but in a normal situation I'll go to UCLH (I think)

Thanks

I think a lot depends on whether the hospital mind you coming in a bit early - ie i think an hour journey would be dreadful in full on established labour.... and it would also be very frustrating if they send you home if you were not advanced enough... so i think important to speak to them to establish when to come in bearing in mind the distance.

I am going to Whittington - was thinking of home birth but decided to go there because of new MLU but even in middle of night will still be 20 mins and could take an hour at rush hour.

Personally for me don't see attraction of UCH - would take ages to get there and birth centre much old and with less pools than Whittington although would consider if I was high risk and needed Consultant lead care in labour. Royal Free is slightly nearer but only just. BTW Royal Free & Whittington def both do homebirths.

Hi

I've also got a 1 hour journey to our nearest hospital, longer if travelling through rush hour.

My preference is a home birth, for reasons other than distance to the hospital, and then the MLU which is much closer. However, I do realise that neither of these may be achievable and we may need to get to the hospital.

10 weeks to go and DH has been practising different routes to the hospital at different times of day to see which is the best way to go. We're also hindered by road works so he's trying to work out the best way to get there avoiding those!

Have you spoken to midwife services in the area you're moving to to see if they provide home birth services?