[lettie]

Originally Posted by emamum23

just to say that you are not supposed to call an ambulance if you are labour.. my friend went into labour and we called an ambulance and they asked if any part of the baby was visible.. when we said no they said to either make our own way to the hospital or wait until there was! Apparently Labour is not classed as an emergency.

No, it isn't an emergency, and we do not advocate anyone calling an ambulance for labour unless :- You are pushing or feel like pushing,
you are bleeding heavily (a heavy bleed is one where the blood has hit your feet), you are fitting or if there are any baby body parts hanging out of the vagina eg. feet, legs or umbilical cord.

Labour is a normal end to a pregnancy and not an emergency unless any of the above things are happening. When you get pregnant you have several months to organise transport or save up for a taxi. Even the poorest mums to be get Surestart grants to help with baby, some of this money should be put away for transport.

The number of women who call ambulances and have their husbands/partners following in the car is appalling. Many of these women have false alarms and go home with a flea in their ear. It is a waste of Ambulance crew time and the misuse of these vehicles may cause the death of another person. I think that the women who call ambulances and have rellies following in the car, should be made to pay for their ambulance if they are sent home not in labour.

One or 2 of our crews now actually call the hospital when they arrive at a woman's house now and let us know what is going on. I have advised crews to leave before now after I have spoken to the woman when it has been perfectly clear that she doesn't even need to come to hospital but see her GP......