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Going to the hospital for delivery by taxi?
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Anonymous
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It so happens that we will not have a car around when the time comes for me to go to the hospital to deliver my baby, so we will probably need a taxi. What if it happens late at night? How long would the wait be? Any potential pitfalls? We live in Rosslyn.
Thanks |
Anonymous
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When I was pregnant, I kept a $20 in my nightstand just in case I had to take a cab to the hospital. (I didn't have to.) I think a cab to a hospital is a great idea. If it's late at night, even if the cab does take longer, you at least won't have traffic to deal with. And from working and living in Rosslyn for 8 years, I know that Rosslyn is a really easy place to get a cab. There are several hotels and metro (where cabs tend to hang around) and it's also close to the airport, where there are always cabs that could get to Rosslyn quickly. Put the number for Red Top cab in your phone - there's a lot of them in Arlington.
Also, if this is your first baby, chances are your labor will not progress so quickly that you'll need to rush to the hospital. When my water broke, I was told to wait till my contractions had been coming 5 minutes apart for an hour. I waited that hour and went in, and was still in labor for about 24 hours after that. Most of my friends' first labors lasted at least 4 hours. Good luck! |
Anonymous
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I was almost in a similar situation but then we bought a car last weekend, so now things are different.
That said, I wondered if anyone knew about the RETURN trip. Would we have had to install a carseat in a taxi? Would a taxi even let us do that? I'm from a medium sized town in the midwest so these are not really things I've ever thought of before and now I'm curious and thought I'd ask. |
Anonymous
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Most airport shuttles we have ridden in have let us take toddler DS in our laps. One did not, and ever since we bought a lightweight booster just for the airport ride. Not sure if taxis work similarly.
For a newborn's safety and for future car trips, you NEED to install an infant car seat in the taxi for the return trip. |
Anonymous
I don't think the hospital will let you leave w/ baby unless there is a carseat in the vehicle you are taking home--so plan on having to install one in the taxi. I'm sure the taxi would let you--you may just have to pay extra for the cab to wait while you do it. |
Anonymous
| OP here, thanks for all the reassurance! About the trip back - I am taking a car seat to the hospital, and then I will see. Maybe I will be able to walk home or take public transportation - who knows how I will feel, and the hospital is not far away. From what I heard, the hospital's responsibility is to make sure that the baby is positioned properly in the car seat - and its my responsibility to install it correctly in a car or taxi. |
Anonymous
| When you call the cab just don't tell them you are in labor or they most likely will not show up. Tell you are going to the ER to pick someone up or something else. |
Anonymous
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Walking is not a good idea. If you get stitches (like most women), then walking could cause swelling that can break the stitches. My daughter was in the NICU and I swelled past the stitches and has to have them redone. That was so very, very unpleasant. Just from the birth, the swelling down there is shocking.
They give you a ton of crap at the hospital to take home: a sitz bath, packages of pillow-sized pads, stretchy undies, diapers, chux pads, squirt bottle, wipes, etc. It is hard enough to just walk after giving birth. Trying to manage all that stuff, a baby and yourself will be impossible on public transportation. |
Anonymous
| The sentence about the NICU was poorly formed. My daughter was in the NICU for several days. All the walking to and from the unit aggrevated the already bad swelling and caused the stitches issue. |
Anonymous
| just make sure you don't mention you're in labor. they usually don't show up if they notice someone is drunk or sick. |
Anonymous
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OP here. Thanks for the responses. Point re: not telling I am in labor taken! and not walking back.
Question to PP who got stitches: was it because of episiotomy or just tearing? |
Anonymous
NP with the same experience as PP (walking to the NICU and stitches), mine were from just plain old tearing. But, even if you don't have stitches I can't imagine you will want to walk home a day and half later--especially not while managing all the crap you'll be bringing home from the hospital and the baby--because things "down there" are going to be pretty sore when you leave the hospital. Ditto for trying to get to and manage public transportation. Oh OP, don't you have someone who has a car who might be willing to come and get you from the hospital, you shouldn't be afraid to ask someone. If I knew you, even if we weren't close friends I would certainly come drive you and baby home, I'm sure a lot of people would feel the same way. I suggest this b/c I think it would be easier for you and one less thing to stress about. |
Anonymous
| I think RedTop has a cab stand in Courthouse, so they aren't far from Rosslyn. |
Anonymous
OP here. Ok, my thoughts about walking/going by bus back home were a little...premature, let's put it this way 
You are right, I don't have many close friends and was shy to ask people to take us to/from the hospital. For some reason I am not worried about a taxi on the way back (maybe because I won't be pressed for time), but rather about being in labor and having to take a taxi to the hospital |
Anonymous
| not sure if you are considering hiring a doula or not, but if you were considering it, some doulas will be willing to drive you to the hospital after first coming to your house, being with you while you are laboring at home, etc. there are lots of doulas who will work for free or affordably. obviously not necessarily a reason to hire a doula if you weren't already considering it, but if it's something that appeals to you, a ride to and/or from the hospital might be an added bonus. |