Travelling to hospital during labour

[Lottie87]

Right, I'm in a bit of difficult situation and I hope someone might be able to give me some advice.

I'm 6 months pregnant, and have just had to move temporarily back to my parents house (with my partner, two cats and all our belongings) because of a complete **** up regarding what was supposed to be our new rented home.

The problem is, my parents' house is in Sutton, and the local hospital is St Helier, statistically one of the worst in England (particularly for antenatal care). All of my appointments are still with Kings, and I will be moving back to the area, but it is looking very unlikely that this will be before the baby is born (partly because I can't cope with another move after doing it twice in one week).

What I want to know is...are you allowed to stay with King's for appointments if you're no longer in the catchment area? Also, how feasible is it to drive 25 minutes to hospital in labour? The answers might seem obvious but it's my first baby and stress has fried my brain these last couple of weeks.

Also, if anyone has anything good to say about St Helier, please pipe up and make me feel better. I felt really reassured by Kings, had heard only good things about it, and now I'm getting a bit nervous.

Ta! Lx

[Cora]

Think you can stay with kings as it is a foundation hospital which I think means it doesn't serve on catchment area - my understanding is that you can stay with them even if you move. Also you can travel to the hospital, depending on how quickly your labour is progressing but quite stressful to know you have a journey ahead....Is there a friend you could travel up to the moment your labour starts so that you are nearer by for when you are far enough gone to be admitted?

[KateW]

We don't live in ED anymore (I can't give up the forum though!) and had a 20 minute drive to hospital from where we lived in Cambridge. The majority of first labours (I think) are reasonably long and I wasn't worried at all that we wouldn't make it in time (when we arrived at hospital, I was about 3 centimetres, and gave birth about 10 hours later - so a fairly short labour I guess for a first baby). I'd say 25 mins was totally do-able, although a tens machine might help make the journey a bit more bearable. One thing to bear in mind though is if you have to go back and forth to the hospital a few times; I had to go in to hospital the day before as my waters had broken (I didn't know they had so they wanted to examine me to check) then they sent me home as I didn't want to wait around in hospital any longer than I needed to, to wait to go into labour (or to come back for an induction). So, it might be worth you having a back-up plan if you have to go into hospital in the early stages of labour but they they send you home; do you have a friend near to Kings whose place you could stay at for a few hours/a day if they send you home?

[Princess]

I had both my babies at Kings. The second one was born just as we sold our house. As a result, we put everything into storage for 6 weeks and rented an extortionately expensive short term let flat before we could move into our new home. We eventually moved in when our son was two weeks old. I understand how you feel!

We now live over in Raynes Park and whilst my children weren't born here, my baby was very poorly just after we moved in. We have spent a lot of time at St Helier over the past year. I have to say I could not fault them at all and whilst the building looks dodgy the care we have has has been superb.

I believe talking to other mum friends over here you can choose to go to Kingston or St George's as altwrnatives if you wish. Both of which are much closer than Kings. For me, I labour very quickly if I ever do it again, based on my experiences this far, I would be happy to go to St Helier.

[dulwichgirl2]

For what it's worth, I don't think 25 mins is long at all. It could take that amount of time in london if you got stuck in traffic.

Sorry to hear of all the moving etc. stress. The arrival of your first baby should be the best experience of your life so try to enjoy the next few months (and make the most of not having to pay bbsitters or, in my case, feeling physically attached to my first baby long long after the birth. Don't make that mistake!)

[Lottie87]

Thank you all for your advice, I spoke to the midwife today and she said it'll be easier for me to stay with Kings, 25 minutes in the car shouldn't be an issue. Bit of a weight off my mind!

[Smiler]

I had my second baby at st helier in august 2010 (antenatal care in ED, moved just before the birth) and found the care (for the birth and postnatal) much better than at kings. The statistics are about strange things when you look into them. St helier have a lovely, midwife-led birthing suite that's round the corridor from the labour ward / theatres, the midwives / doctors were open-minded, eg they said I could go in the birthing suite for a VBAC, it was quieter than kings. Think They have around the same number of staffed birthing rooms but only around half the number of births.

I was in for a week in total. I had really wanted to stay with kings, but was concerned about being stuck in traffic when in labour, journeys to and from hospital before/after the birth for my partner etc. it ended up being fine, indeed better.

They directly employ their cleaners, hospitality staff etc rather than contracting out. the healthcare assistants were excellent. And you can pay for a private room, which was expensive but fantastic!

Obviously this is just one experience! But it might be worth having a look around st helier and asking qs etc.

Special care for babies is there too, although not as specialist as kings. My daughter needed a few hours in there and some monitoring and was well cared for.

[Smiler]

(had first baby at kings in 2008 and also went there for pregnancy and gynae stuff in 2009/10).

[Smiler]

If you do decide to move, "booking in" was straighforward and quick, I visited for a ward tour etc, then phoned up and went to be booked in at 35.5 weeks, had baby came just short of 37 weeks!

[Lottie87]

Really good to hear Smiler! I've heard so many bad things, it is really encouraging to hear a positive experience.