Is this strange?

It sounds to me like a sensible plan. Unless you're up for an unplanned homebirth! or want to pay for a taxi.... or know someone else you could call on quickly... or want to catch a bus! Just give them a hefty donation when you can afford it!

Doesn't sound silly, how long would it take you to get to the hospital in peak traffic? And do you have someone that can take you there when ever?

You would pay for the ambulance anyway, so not sure it would matter that much, I was offered an ambulance to transfer me from Middlemore to the birth unit at Botany as my friend was taking to long to collect me

Is there a reason why you are birthing at Auckland rather than Botany? You may not end up with a choice anyway, we had planned on birthing at Auckland, but when the contractions kicked in I realised there was no way we would get there in time and bubs was born at Botany (5 minutes down the road) 25 minutes after we arrived. Would it be possible to "sit on the fence" as to where you give birth?

Oh also, forgot to mention. I had retained placenta with my first, so am likely to get that again (according to my midwife) and need medical intervention.

Did you ring St Johns and ask them?

If you ring an ambulance the Ambulance Officer/Paramedic would assess you when they came to your house and make a call as to whether or not you needed to be taken to hospital. More than likely you would be. I definitely would though - say that you'd been told to ring by your midwife due to the expectation that you were going to have a very short labour and had no way of getting yourself to the hospital in a hurry.

There is a cost for ambulances whether it's an emergency or not - everyone gets a bill sent to them, or if it was an accident, the bill is picked up by ACC. I think it's over $50...but funnily enough it's only $30 something a year to become a member of St John and you get free ambulance trips so maybe you could join in anticipation?

I used to be a volunteer Ambulance Officer and we were called to a home where there were about 3 people other than the one giving birth and we transported her to the hospital...even though there was someone who could have quite easily driven her there themselves.

ETA - the other thing is they have gas available which you could use on route if you wanted to and obviously they're all set up to deliver the baby if they have to before you get to the hospital!

Edited by Jaune

Sounds sensible to me - my neighbour was told by her midwife to ring ambulance when she was in labour as things were happening fast and midwife wasn't going to get there in time, turns out ambulance didn't get there fast enough either and her sister delivered bubs.

I just had to use an ambulance to take my son to hospital and it was about $75. Probably cheaper than a taxi to Auckland from Botany!

That is really good to know that st johns will do that takes a weight of my mind as was concered that I will be having the baby sitting on the motorway in rush hour hoping I go into labour at night like last time.

shortcake hope your son is ok.