Taking a cab to the hospital?

[Anonymous]

In five months you will definitely make a friend who will drive you and pick you up, I'm sure! A cab would be fine, but start chatting up the neighbors and colleagues now!

[Anonymous]

People in New York City, where few folks own cars, take cabs to the hospital when they are in labor - no problem at all. For the ride home, it may be a problem if you were not planning on buying a car seat. I would contact the hospital's ombudsperson and ask about a service for the way home that will provide an infant seat.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, everyone, for all of your helpful suggestions! I already feel a lot better about things. I will let you know what happens!

[Anonymous]

We were in Mt. Pleasant without a car with #1. We rented a car for a week around my due date. Had we not done that, option #2 was having the doula drive us. Option #3 was a cab. But the rental car turned out to be perfect - made it a lot easier for my husband to get to/from the hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if you were thinking about hiring a Doula, you could get one who would be willing to drive you as well.

FYI---when doulas go through training/certification, they are highly, highly discouraged from driving clients to birth locations because of the liability implications. This is outside of the scope of typical doula support.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:if you were thinking about hiring a Doula, you could get one who would be willing to drive you as well.

FYI---when doulas go through training/certification, they are highly, highly discouraged from driving clients to birth locations because of the liability implications. This is outside of the scope of typical doula support.

I didn't realize this. Good to know. With #1, I didn't wind up staying with my doula through to L&D - that's a whole 'nother story - but her plan had always been to come to the house then drive me to the hospital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:if you were thinking about hiring a Doula, you could get one who would be willing to drive you as well.

FYI---when doulas go through training/certification, they are highly, highly discouraged from driving clients to birth locations because of the liability implications. This is outside of the scope of typical doula support.

Well, I'm a doula and I have happily driven people (the right people!) to the hospital in labor. Yes, it is technically outside the scope and could present liability issues, but that can be discussed ahead of time. I guess ultimately it all depends on the situation.

[Anonymous]

I live in Adams Morgan and I too took a cab to Sibley to deliver (we don't have a car either.) No problems at all. My water broke before labor began, so I didn't really experience the contractions on the car thing. My only worry beforehand was that I would go into labor just as the bars were closing and I'd have to fight a bunch of drunks for a ride (that didn't happen, luckily, since my water broke after midnight on a Monday!). As it is, we are on a very busy street, so we didn't even call the cab company; we just walked out waved down the first driver to pass us. He seemed to be amused that there was a woman in labor in his car.