How close should you be to your OB and Hospital?

DH and I are moving (we need more room for bub and all the family who will obviously visit more!).

Our OB is situated in Malvern and we have booked into Cabrini in Malvern (which is an excellent hospital). We currently live in East St Kilda.

We are looking to move now to Kensington (just north east of the city). Would we be better to change to a hospital closer to home - our OB also delivers at Frances Perry in Carlton or St Vincent's Private in Fitzroy, rather than go to the other side of the city? It would be a 30 minute drive depending on traffic.

I'm not bothered by having to travel to our OB as we really like him and we will just make appointments after work.

Any recommendations on these hospitals? Sorry if this is in the wrong section (probably should be under OB/Hospital section) but I wanted opinions on being close to a hospital more than opinions on the actual hospitals.

Sorry, I'm rambling - any thoughts?

Hi Jane,

My OB is 30 minutes drive away and one of the Hospital`s he delivers at is 30 minutes away the other is 1 hour away, not sure what one we`re going to this time round but with my first pregnancy we went to the Hospital which was 1 hour away, yes the distance does worry us but we don`t have any other options plus most babies don`t just fall out so you would usually have time to get to Hospital unless your one of the lucky women who just drop their babies out!!!!

Jane,
I live in Geelong but my obst worked from Francis Perry so the drive was just over an hour, then I had to have scans done at Freemasons. I think if you are happy with your obst being that little further away isn't that big a deal. Good thing though my Obst always bet me to the hospital so we didn't have to wait around for him
Bec
*Jane highly recommend Francis Perry, they also have the Sofitel program going where you do your post natal care in 5 star comfort.
Although I didn't do it due to surgery patients not allowed but still loved the hospital

Mine is a 20 minute drive and I'm pretty happy with that. Personally, I wouldn't want to be TOO far away, just in case there was an emergency or something.

I have my Dr in the same town but where we have chosen to see the OB's (part of their public clinic from their private offices) is an hour away & we have also chosen to give birth in the same city that our OB's practice in ~ so an hours drive to the hospital when it comes down to it.

Guess it all depends on what you are comfortable with.

I am about 5 mins away form my OB, and about a 15 minute drive from the hospital... BUT i plan to move out in the next month or so, and where we are looking, is in the opposite direction, so i will be roughly 30 mins from the hospital, and about 20 form my OB....

I'm quite lucky as my midwifes/doctors have their offices at the hospital - so they are both about a 5 min drive from my place - 2 if you were going fast hehe!