I am 21 wks prego with DC #3. We had originally intended to go the birth center route with a midwife for this baby, but the doctor we had been referred to to get clearance (since I've had a previous c/s) said no way, he doesn't approve any c/s. The doctor I go to now would clear me to birth in the birthing center, but my question is. The hospital I'm intending to birth at is approximately 1 hour & 15 minutes from my house, give or take that 15 minutes for traffic. The birthing center is basically 1.5 - 2 hours away given traffic at that time.
Do you think the birthing center is too far for me to travel when I go into labor?
Opinions, please! :goodvibes:
OneFabMama
05-31-2008, 09:50 PM
Depends. I don't think so, if you go right when you feel that you should. Do you plan to go at the first start of labor? Are you going to labor at home for awhile?
I would travel that distance to a birthing center. I drive an hour to my MW's house for appt.
LoveSunshine
05-31-2008, 10:02 PM
That's something I hadn't 100% decided. With my first son, my dr. told me to come in to induce so he could deliver me on his on-call weekend. I labored for 38 hrs on my back before I gave in to a c/s. My second son, my water spontaneously burst and my dr. was good for a VBAC. I did end up with pit and an epidural, but my labor only lasted about 12 hrs. I know my third will probably be shorter, but also I wonder how different it'll be since I'm going completely natural, you know?
I don't know if I want to labor at home for a bit, or if I should load up and go at the first definite signs. And then again, I don't really know what I'm looking for as far as definite signs go! It's all so nerve wracking.
Edensmomma
05-31-2008, 11:06 PM
I think you would be fine, but birth can pretty unpredictable! :) I would say if your traveling that far you might want to leave in early active labor.
I went 40 minutes to my birthing center and was 9 cm dialated...she was born within 1 hour of me being there.
JeDeeLenae
05-31-2008, 11:55 PM
I, personally, wouldn't be comfortable with either. After my water broke with number 2, he was born in 1 hr 45 minutes. So, to drive at least 1 hr 15 minutes, just seems to be cutting it close.
LoveSunshine
06-01-2008, 07:36 AM
Unfortunately, where I live doesn't leave me much room for choice. I live in the country, my closest parish (in Louisiana we have parishes, not counties) hospital is 35 minutes away, and I have had to be there for my husband's appendectomy and for myself getting kicked by my horse into a barbed wire fence. I learned that under no circumstances would I being giving birth at that hospital. It is very backwards, country, and in my opinion, dirty. The closest big women's and children's hospital is the hr and 15 min away. It is the a really decent hospital, they let you labor in the shower/tub, they will let you give birth squatting, they don't make you stay hooked up to an IV, you just have to have a heplock. I haven't visited yet to check it out, but it seems to be a great option. I am thinking that might be the better option for me due to cost (we are on a very limited, tight budget and of course insurance pays more for the hospital birth than the birth center birth) and due to drive time. Thanks for all the opinions and sorry for the novel! :giggle:
Katherine
06-01-2008, 07:53 AM
Well, I'm traveling an hour each way for my appointments with my midwife, and the hospital I can deliver at with them is an hour and a half away. I am also vbac-ing. I tried to go with a more local OB and hospital, but the restrictions she put on me were ridiculous and self-defeating.
I ended up switching care at 36 weeks - I'd rec. not taking that long to make your decision - the only reason I was accepted into the practice is b/c my mom is a nurse who the midwives work with, so I had an in. If you truley believe this is your best shot at a vbac and are really committed to one, then it's worth it (at least, it was for me). I know this whole thing may end in a c/s again, but I had to know that I had done everything within my power to get a fair shot at a vbac. I have also found that the midwives give much better, more thorough care. They actually took the time to ask about family history with birth, my beliefs about birth, and to (start to) help address some issues I have with my previous birth - they actually acknowledged that the anger I have over it is valid. Wish I'd switched earlier, even with the drive and cost of gas.
mcbruhn
06-01-2008, 07:55 AM
I would lean towards the shorter drive myself. Sounds like you've researched your options really well and are being a very informed consumer. The women's and children's center sounds great. How is your current doctor? Are you comfortable giving birth with him instead of a midwife? If so, I say go for it.
We're in an odd situation here. Midwives are being eliminated from the one practice in our town that has them. At least one of the two that plan to stay in the area is interviewing at hospitals in nearby communities--there are 4 possible practices that are all between 35 and 60 minutes away by car. I plan to follow her, rather than bow to the silly decision by the higher-ups at my practice to get rid of their midwives (apparently because an incoming OB/GYN was a friend of the director and because with the midwives there they didn't have enough office space for the new dr.). Plus I've had an incredibly positive experience with the midwives and haven't met any of the doctors. I checked into it, and my insurance works with all the places where the one midwife is interviewing. So a 35-60 minute drive it is! Although I've promised my husband that we'll also do the tour of our local hospital, just in case we need to go there in an emergency. And if we have to go that route, it will be OK--I've met several of the nurses, and I really like their lactation specialist. They also have a nice rooming-in policy and the possibility of using a birthing tub.
LoveSunshine
06-01-2008, 08:01 AM
Well, I'm traveling an hour each way for my appointments with my midwife, and the hospital I can deliver at with them is an hour and a half away. I am also vbac-ing. I tried to go with a more local OB and hospital, but the restrictions she put on me were ridiculous and self-defeating.
I ended up switching care at 36 weeks - I'd rec. not taking that long to make your decision - the only reason I was accepted into the practice is b/c my mom is a nurse who the midwives work with, so I had an in. If you truley believe this is your best shot at a vbac and are really committed to one, then it's worth it (at least, it was for me). I know this whole thing may end in a c/s again, but I had to know that I had done everything within my power to get a fair shot at a vbac. I have also found that the midwives give much better, more thorough care. They actually took the time to ask about family history with birth, my beliefs about birth, and to (start to) help address some issues I have with my previous birth - they actually acknowledged that the anger I have over it is valid. Wish I'd switched earlier, even with the drive and cost of gas.
I have had a successful VBAC, although it was with pit to speed up labor and an epidural after I couldn't handle the crazy contractions anymore. I do love the idea of a midwife, but I am having such a hard time deciding about the drive! I just wish I could homebirth, but the closest homebirth midwife is 4 hours away. *sigh*
LoveSunshine
06-01-2008, 08:04 AM
I would lean towards the shorter drive myself. Sounds like you've researched your options really well and are being a very informed consumer. The women's and children's center sounds great. How is your current doctor? Are you comfortable giving birth with him instead of a midwife? If so, I say go for it.
I was so impressed with the hospital here when I got all the info on it. I like my current doctor ALOT. He is not intervention crazy (I can only go by what he says, and his stats, haven't birthed with him yet) and I am comfortable giving birth with him. The only cruddy thing is the practice he belongs to is a 5-doctor practice, so whoever is on call is who I deliver with. I'm not crazy about that idea. I loved the midwife at the birthing center, and my dr's practice actually does have a midwife but she is MEAN. How weird is that?? I would have figured she'd be super duper nice, but I did not have a good feeling when we interviewed her.
