WWYD - doc near work or home?

[janine]

I've commented on this before, but would love some feedback. If you worked full time in one city (4-5 days a week, 8-9hrs a day) but lived in another (approximately 1.5 hrs from work location), where would you select your doctor to be? I would think home is where most people tend to go into labor, but you just never know. Since this is #2, I'm thinking things might move more quickly once labor does start.

[twowhat?]

That's a toughie!! Do you have the option of working from home as you near term? If so, then home for sure.

[ashleybama24]

Near home and then make all your appointments the first one of the day. That way you can go to the doctor and then head straight to work.

[BabyBearsMom]

Near home and then make all your appointments the first one of the day. That way you can go to the doctor and then head straight to work.

That is what I did. I like having the doctor near my house because then the hospital is too. I wouldn't want to be at the hospital near my work (an hour away from home).

[janine]

Thanks - this is how I feel too (hospital near home). I'm not as hung up on the doctor since it's luck of the draw who's on call anyway.

[BabbyO]

I work about an hour away from home and most of my doctors are near home. I figure in an emergency, I'm more likely to be home. I'm facing the same thing as you, though. DS came very quickly last time...and if I go into labor at work I'll need to leave ASAP, to ensure I make it to our hospital.

[janine]

I work about an hour away from home and most of my doctors are near home. I figure in an emergency, I'm more likely to be home. I'm facing the same thing as you, though. DS came very quickly last time...and if I go into labor at work I'll need to leave ASAP, to ensure I make it to our hospital.

Good to know someone else has the same issue! What I worry about is going into labor at work and not being able to make the trip home (for me it also involves bumpy transit ride home where people don't stand for preggos let alone help!). I'm thinking in (hopefully unusual) cases like this I'd have to go to an ER and just hope for the best.

[lowrioh]

Good to know someone else has the same issue! What I worry about is going into labor at work and not being able to make the trip home (for me it also involves bumpy transit ride home where people don't stand for preggos let alone help!). I'm thinking in (hopefully unusual) cases like this I'd have to go to an ER and just hope for the best.

I think that if you are in labor you have earned the right to take a cab home! And I wouldn't be shy to ask someone in the seats reserved for elderly and disabled to move.

[BayGirl2]

I would want a hospital close to home, so if that was affected by Dr choice, that would dictate. Also I tend to get early morning/late afternoon appointments so would make my commute fit around that. Also, for me our Ped is in the same office as my OB/GYN, which is somewhat convenient.

[AnnieW625]

I ended up chosing close to home because both times the doctors and hospitals were also connected to various pediatric medical groups and since babies are seen by the on call pediatrician (at least they were both times with) from the pediatric group I didn't want to go through the hassle of having to change pediatricians once the babies were born. In DD1's case the pediatrician's group was part of the same clinic as my OB, and with DD2 my OB, pediatrician, hospital, and insurance we all one in the same (Kaiser). I liked with Kaiser that even though I was seen by an OB near my home instead of work I could've delivered at a hospital closer to my work with no questions asked. Just showed up and gave them my medical record number.

WCS had I gone into labor at work with either child I would've had someone drive me to the nearest hospital affiliated with my insurance. Thankfully I had a couple of options each time.