Would you travel 45 mins to a birth center?

[IndiaInk]

I'm fairly sure I already know what the consensus will be, but I am looking for some more input for my thought process.

I live in crunchy hippy western Oregon and half my friends have had home births attended by midwives.  A few more have given birth at birth centers and the rest used our very good local hospital.  I am currently being seen by a Nurse Practitioner connected with our hospital and I love her, but she doesn't do deliveries.  I also have some very deep-seated apprehensions about hospitals, based on some personal experiences and I do NOT want to deliver my baby at a hospital.  Of course, I want to be safe too and I am researching the heck out of the safety of all my options.

The two nearest "natural" birth centers to me are 1 hr 12 mins away and 49 minutes away, respectively. I asked my NP what she thought about traveling that far while in labor, and she said she thought it would be absolutely fine.  She pointed out that most first-time moms have long labors. She had heard great thing about the birth center that's 1 hr 12 mins away, and recommended it. Keep in mind, this is the hospital-connected NP telling me this.  

My big worry is that I'll get super sick of driving all that distance for exams.  Don't you have to go in for checkups on a weekly basis toward the end of the third trimester?  

I'm not crazed about the idea of a homebirth.  I think it's mainly because I envision it being super messy and it seems weird to give birth in your house.  But I could be swayed.  

Help me think this through?  I know it's early still...I'm just considering my options. 

[Jalapeñomel]

I would. I travel almost 45 minutes one way to the doctor here, as the same will be true for the hospital.

[litasail]

I would. The hospital I gave birth at is at least 30 minutes away (depending on traffic) and it was fine.

[trafficgirl]

It would depend - is it 45 minutes if traffic is fine and longer during commute hours? Or pretty much straight up 45 minutes? The former I would not be cool with, the latter would probably be okay.

Also, how are they with being on-time? If they're running late a lot and I had to drive 45 minutes to get there (and back), that's a good chunk out of my day doing jack squat.

And yes, near the end of the third tri there are typically appts every week. If you develop some sort of complication though you may end up needing more appts, which would lead to more driving around. All things to think about.

[Yankees21]

I would if those were my choices. The long drive isn't ideal for appointments, but for me would be preferable to a home birth.

[CrazyLucky]

I gave birth at a hospital 45 minutes away. I live in the middle of nowhere. My doctor is also 45 minutes away. NBD.

[IndiaInk]

Sept 20, 2013 12:42:57 GMT -5 gravytrain225 said:

Do the natural places do emergency c-sections?

No, but the 45 min one is connected to the hospital (and you can see the hospital from the window) so that's additional peace of mind.  

The other one is like 25 mins from the nearest hospital.  

[IndiaInk]

Sept 20, 2013 12:54:55 GMT -5 trafficgirl said:

It would depend - is it 45 minutes if traffic is fine and longer during commute hours? Or pretty much straight up 45 minutes? The former I would not be cool with, the latter would probably be okay.
It's straight up 45 minutes, mostly on an interstate freeway.  We are not in big cities and don't have a lot of traffic. 

Also, how are they with being on-time? If they're running late a lot and I had to drive 45 minutes to get there (and back), that's a good chunk out of my day doing jack squat.

Good things to think about.   I will definitely be asking about this when I do a tour. 

And yes, near the end of the third tri there are typically appts every week. If you develop some sort of complication though you may end up needing more appts, which would lead to more driving around. All things to think about.

[winecheery]

I 100% agree with gravytrain225 on this. My mom had to have an emergency c-sec with my youngest sister. Not to be scary, but there were complications that led them there, to say the least. I'd like to prepare for all possibilities. GL!

[2curlydogs]

Sept 20, 2013 12:56:39 GMT -5 CrazyLucky said:

I gave birth at a hospital 45 minutes away. I live in the middle of nowhere. My doctor is also 45 minutes away. NBD.

This.  In December.  In WI.  We ended up traveling to the hospital in the middle of a snow storm.

I found a hospital that was hippie crunchy (complete with labor tubs and aromatherapy and OBs that taught/practiced self-hypnosis for pain control) that also had a Level 3 NICU.  Best of both worlds, IMO.

[IndiaInk]

Sept 20, 2013 13:17:52 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Sept 20, 2013 12:57:28 GMT -5 IndiaInk said:

No, but the 45 min one is connected to the hospital (and you can see the hospital from the window) so that's additional peace of mind.  

The other one is like 25 mins from the nearest hospital.  

A lot of birth centers connected to hospitals still have to follow hospital time lines for labor progression. So if you are concerned about staff pushing drugs or csection because you have been in labor "too long" then I would not go with the one connected to the hospital. 

Really?  That is very interesting.  I will add that to my list to ask them about. 

[IndiaInk]

It's silly, but one of the reasons I like the farther away birth center is that it's in a beautiful old farm house and they bring you homemade breakfast in bed afterward. Lol! It just sounds so lovely and homey.

[Velar Fricative]

I don't think a drive that long is a big deal if you take the tour and determine that it's the right place for you to give birth.

[sonrisa]

We are 20 minutes, no traffic to our hospital - but we have to cross the golden gate bridge to get there. It can easily take more like an hour in traffic. I would be okay with the 50 minute drive, but 1 hour 15 minutes is pushes things to far for me, especially when you throw in the distance to a hospital.  If they send you home a few times, it will be extra annoying. Usually first labors are long, but not always. What if you need to drive yourself (because DH is unexpectedly unavailable)? That would be a long way while having contractions.  Plus, accidents, construction and detours can happen.

[sonrisa]

Sept 20, 2013 13:17:52 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Sept 20, 2013 12:57:28 GMT -5 IndiaInk said:

No, but the 45 min one is connected to the hospital (and you can see the hospital from the window) so that's additional peace of mind.  

The other one is like 25 mins from the nearest hospital.  

A lot of birth centers connected to hospitals still have to follow hospital time lines for labor progression. So if you are concerned about staff pushing drugs or csection because you have been in labor "too long" then I would not go with the one connected to the hospital. 

You can find out their policies on these things, though.

Not all hospitals follow draconian timelines for c-sections. I went 40 hours after my water broke before mine (my first contractions started about 9 hours before that). It still wasn't for time. I'd been pushing for three hours, she hadn't moved a millimeter. Laboring was causing damage to my sciatic nerves and harming my kid rather than birthing her. Without intervention, at least one of us would not have survived. 

[sonrisa]

Sept 21, 2013 11:32:40 GMT -5 namasteak said:

Sept 21, 2013 11:19:51 GMT -5 sonrisa said:

You can find out their policies on these things, though.

Not all hospitals follow draconian timelines for c-sections. I went 40 hours after my water broke before mine (my first contractions started about 9 hours before that). It still wasn't for time. I'd been pushing for three hours, she hadn't moved a millimeter. Laboring was causing damage to my sciatic nerves and harming my kid rather than birthing her. Without intervention, at least one of us would not have survived. 

I know not all hospitals follow short time lines (before csection) but a lot do. And many women think that by going to a birth center those rules won't apply to them. So I was just encouraging the OP to double check.

And I agree csections are sometimes necessary and apologize if I came across as anti all csections.

Oh no, you didn't. I just meant she should find out policies since even hospitals differ there. (And then, as always happens, I get a little weird when talking about my labor. Oops.) 

[blushing]

I can't go to the local hospital, I have to go to the high risk hospital and that is 45 minutes away in no traffic. And I had a short labour last time, so I am little bit nervous, but my midwife and specialist are both fine with that.

It's not an exact science by any means, but check with your mom and maternal aunts how long their labours lasted. I found that to be a fairly good indicator of whether I would have a long or short labour.

[kristie]

I am delivering where I work, which is a 45 minute drive. Obviously, since I make the drive frequently I don't think it is that big of a deal. I would prefer to be at the center connected to a hospital, things can take a turn quickly.

My hospital does not have specific timelines to follow for labor. Those are doctors decisions, and obviously the other care providers will weigh in. I will say though that teaching hospitals are notoriously more reactive than others because of residents.

[bugandbibs]

I would be nervous about driving that far, but I had a super fast first time labor. I went from 5 cm to 9 cm in 20 minutes and the baby was out in less than 10 minutes.

My doctor likes to joke about how next time we won't make it.

[Jalapeñomel]

Sept 21, 2013 16:00:23 GMT -5 bugandbibs said:

I would be nervous about driving that far, but I had a super fast first time labor. I went from 5 cm to 9 cm in 20 minutes and the baby was out in less than 10 minutes.

My doctor likes to joke about how next time we won't make it.

Holy shit!

[IndiaInk]

Sept 21, 2013 16:00:23 GMT -5 bugandbibs said:

I would be nervous about driving that far, but I had a super fast first time labor. I went from 5 cm to 9 cm in 20 minutes and the baby was out in less than 10 minutes.

My doctor likes to joke about how next time we won't make it.

Oh my god.  That is wild!

[heygrey]

We're using a birth center and it is 30 minutes with no traffic, and god only knows how long with traffic in a Canadian winter and one lone bridge between me and it. But the hospital I'd transfer to in an emergency is 6 blocks away from the birth center so I have to drive no matter what.

My midwife will come out to my house during early labour to check progress and help us decide when to head in though, so I don't have to risk driving in and being sent home because it's too early. When I expressed my concern about traffic/weather/the bridge she said they often have moms in my situation come in early and either go walk around the mall (close by) or just hang out at the birth center for a while and then the attending midwives come in later when active labour starts.