Anyone deliver out of state? « Hellobee Boards

Has anyone delivered a baby out of state or far from home? Looking for information of any kind and Google isn’t turning up anything (or I’m not searching correctly!) I have read all of Mrs. Mac and Cheese’s posts on the blog, but wondering if anyone has experience with this in the US or knows of any resources. I’m really just looking for stories of others who have been through this, tips for how to prepare, etc.

Background: It looks like, based on 20 week anatomy scan, that LO2 may have some of the same health concerns as LO1 and need specialists that aren’t available at our local hospital. My OB is strongly advocating for us to deliver at the hospital where LO1 was eventually transferred to avoid having to wait as long to get this new LO the care he needs. And I will more than likely be having a C-section due to shoulder distocia last time. This hospital is 3.5 hours away, we are very familiar with the staff, and would hopefully stay at the Ronald McDonald house where we have stayed countless times already.

Just feeling like I need to do all I can to prepare myself mentally. We have an appointment for a consult in January so we won’t know for a while what the final decision will be.

T.H.O.U.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts

Nov 12, 2017

@jhd: check out Ms starfish too. She had a surrogate out of state.
jhd
coconut / 8079 posts

Nov 12, 2017

@T.H.O.U.: good idea, thanks!
Pollywog
persimmon / 1111 posts

Nov 12, 2017

I delivered out of state, but it was only 15 minutes away. If you are having a planned C-section, I wouldn't hesitate. Especially if you're looking at a short NICU stay. Could someone come in to watch LO1 so you all could be at the hospital?

If it's a long NICU stay or if you have a history of precipitous labor I would be a little worried about the transfer. Or if you don't have a national health insurance plan and would be charged out of network for being out of state.

My best friend had twins 3 hours from home end they had a month long NICU stay. The biggest challenges were work (she couldn't go to work and see the babies, so it ate most of her maternity leave) vs if they were local and she'd go back to work until they came home. The other challenge was that she was really worried about how much her dogs were getting neglected. It would've been much better had they worked out having them stay with friends.
jhd
coconut / 8079 posts

Nov 12, 2017

@Pollywog: Thanks so much. These are great things to consider. I went to 41 weeks with LO1 and it was a long labor so I’m not too worried about that, although I know every pregnancy is different, but those are super good things to consider.

We don’t anticipate having trouble with Insurance. It’s not the same company we had 4 years ago when I was pregnant with my son, but so far all of his follow up care at this hospital and with these providers has been in network. Insurance issues are definitely on my radar and my OB’s.

My parents are local to me and have already volunteered to do whatever they can. My dad still works full time but my mom doesn’t work and can rearrange her schedule as needed. They can also help with our dog. I work part time from home and can get help covering me during my absence and possibly keep up from the hospital/Ronald McDonald house. DH works from home also so he has flexibility to work from about anywhere. So we have a ton of things to be thankful for that will make this situation more manageable.
jhd
coconut / 8079 posts

Nov 13, 2017

Bump
sillymilly
olive / 60 posts

Nov 13, 2017

So this isn't exactly the same situation, but when my daughter was born we found out she needed emergency surgery, so she was transferred from the hospital where I delivered to a children's hospital with a level IV NICU. They didn't have a bed for me since it was a very busy hospital, so I stayed at the hospital where I delivered until I was discharged while my dh went with my dd. So, based on that experience, I would absolutely recommended delivering at the hospital where your lo may potentially need care so you can stay in the hospital with him or her as long as possible. Plus I couldn't imagine a 3.5 hour drive shortly after having a c section!

Are you able to get in touch with a social worker at the hospital where you may need to deliver? They should have lots of resources to help you, especially if they are a larger hospital where they attract out of state patients. They might even have some sort of support group for parents who have been in similar situations so you could get some first hand advice. It my experience, the social workers were always incredibly willing to help and chat at anytime.

Additionally, my dd's doctors were very open to transferring her back closer to home once they determined she was healthy enough and only needed to grow, so if you are looking at a long NICU stay, I'd ask if that were a possibility when you go in for your consult.

Wishing you all the best, I'm sure this must be very stressful.
AnneKarnay
apple seed / 1 posts

Nov 13, 2017

hi dear, apparently it seems difficult and challenging when you think that you are going to deliver the baby out of state of far from home. home is a place where we have everything settled and we are comfortable with the surroundings. but, the change over in the condition brings a lot of things at once and we do need to counter them at a time. but, this doesn't comes with a great problem to your account as you will be having the best facilities from the hospital where you have been visiting during all nine months. I have been going through same crucial state where i needed to deliver far from home but the hospital staff and doctors were actually very cooperative. they all took care of everything but i needed to be mentally prepared rather than any other arrangements. I would suggests you to have all the necessary supplies and stay calm all the way. in your case you do have the best assistance available to you so it will be a good experience for you.
good luck!
happy Motherhood
jhd
coconut / 8079 posts

Nov 13, 2017

@AnneKarnay: thanks for your thoughts
jhd
coconut / 8079 posts

Nov 13, 2017

@sillymilly: Thanks so much for your reply. I'm sorry you went through that. LO1 did need surgery but it wasn't an emergency per se so there was a bit of back and forth with insurance to authorize his transport etc. Basically we spent 3 weeks at our home NICU before transfer, 10 days in the new NICU before surgery, and then 3 weeks in the NICU post op while he recovered and learned to eat. So my OB wants to avoid us having such a long drawn out NICU time, if possible. Especially since this time we have another LO at home to care for. You hit one of my big concerns which is traveling post c-section, especially since I haven't had one before and don't know what to expect. If I deliver there then someone there would be able to check on me post partum. Basically we just need to wait and see what the surgical team and insurance say, but this is definitely the route I would prefer to take. I do remember a social worker we met with last time. I no longer have his card, but I'd be able to look him up. That's a fantastic suggestion! Thank you.
sillymilly
olive / 60 posts

Nov 14, 2017

@jhd: I hope you can work out everything with the surgical team and insurance so you can get home as soon as possible

If it looks like you are going to have a c section, I would find a pharmacy close to where you are staying in advance so you know where you can quickly go to fill a rx for pain meds if you need them. I also wore an abdominal binder after my c section and found it helpful since I was getting up and down a lot in the hospital.
jhd
coconut / 8079 posts

Nov 14, 2017

@sillymilly: thank you I do know where the closest Walgreens is thankfully and that’s a really great tip about the abdominal binder. I know I was moving and walking a lot more as a NICU mom after my last delivery than if we had been at home and it was tough. That’s one of the things I’m worried about with the c-section. I really appreciate the advice.

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Anyone deliver out of state?

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