[Open] Too far?

[ChristianMama84]

Now that I'm in MS and my insurance is getting ready to kick in, I'm looking into hospitals a lot more. I've got a good hospital here, Baptist Memorial, that just updated it's birthing center in 2005. Then, I have North Mississippi Medical Center, which has a women's and children's hospital, female obstetricians, and lactation consultants an hour and twenty minutes away.

So, my question is, would you have wanted to travel an hour and twenty minutes when you were in labor? I'm just wondering if it's worth it when we have a good, not great, hospital here that only has male OBs and no lactation consultants.

 

[ChildByGrace]

I think that i would try the journey several times at different times of the day to see how you feel about it.

We have two hospitals in our area - based on clear traffic one takes 5 min to drive to and the other about 20 min to drive to. Both are pretty good. The closer one does not have an on-site anethatist so if you need an epi you have to get transferred to the other hospital. That's not too bad - however we've just found out that the hospital 20 min away is extremely busy and they are having to send women to 1 of two other hospitals - both of them are about 1 hour away from us!!!! I don't know if i would choose to go that far but you have to see what you are comfortable with.

 

[Kazamataz]

I agree with Child By Grace, try doing the trip several times and see how you feel.

Living in country Australia there are alot of women i know who've had to travel up to 2 and 1/2 hours to get to our hospital.

Most of them think thats just way too far and alot of them have ended up having there bubs in the backseat of the car!!!

So i guess they would say have the baby at the closer hospital but it's really up to you and what you feel comfortable with.

 

[ChristianMama84]

I did some more research last night and I think Baptist Memorial will be just fine. Since this is my first, I really don't want to travel that far to give birth. Especially if any complications arise, I wouldn't have a clue on what to do. Plus, the OBs are also an hour and twenty minutes away, which I'm not comfortable driving by myself.

Good news, though, I found one female OB here about ten minutes from my house. So, I'm going to see about using her. If I can't for some reason, a very, very, very nice lady at the gas station recommended a male OB who she used with both of her kids.

 

[Leanna]

My hospital has been 45 minutes away both times, and it was fine. Especially with a first baby I do not consider that too far because first labors are often longer than subsequent ones.

 

[RoseofLima]

No way I'd wanna be in the car that long in labor...even 10 minutes feels like an eternity to me...

 

[Redstiletto]

The closest hospital to me is about 45 minutes away. So we really didnt have a choice. But its a great hospital, and they just redid the birthing center in 2000 and they have all different options for your birth plan, its pretty nice.

Except for the 45 minute drive home at 9:15 at night after Childbirth class!

 

[ChristianMama84]

No way I'd wanna be in the car that long in labor...even 10 minutes feels like an eternity to me...

This is what I was thinking. I feel better now since I found out they redid the b.c. in 2005, so it's probably better than the women's hospital which was built in 1998 and has not been updated since.