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Pregnancy

What's the latest point you would travel (within uk)

10 replies

Evianbaby15 · 15/11/2015 21:04

I'm almost 34 weeks and thinking of going to visit family next weekend who live a few hours away - we usually go over Xmas but I don't want to travel once we have a newborn
What's the latest you would travel?

OP posts:
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ElsaAintAsColdAsMe · 15/11/2015 21:10

I did a 22 hour round trip when I was 37 weeks in my 3rd pregnancy.

I did the same journey at 34 weeks this time round.

As long as you book your seats, don't have too much luggage, have plenty to eat and drink and get all your platforms etc sorted in advance you should be fine.

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Ilikedmyoldusernamebetter · 15/11/2015 21:14

I went to visit family at about 36 weeks with DC1 - about a 5-6 hour drive, to my parents' home. I had travelled all over the world pre-DC, usually alone and stayed away for long periods (volunteered in India and then backpacked around SE Asia for 10 months at 18 and lived and worked alone in another Asian country in my 20s etc.) and it was the first time I was ever remotely homesick - for my own home, my DH (I went on my own), the home I was preparing for my baby... I was miserable and kept worrying I'd have the baby and be stuck at my parents' house til I could drive home to my own house again however many days or weeks after!

Weirdly we moved abroad when I was about 32 weeks pregnant with DC2 and that was fine :o But I was moving with my toddler and DH and moving to set up the home I was hoping to bring the baby home from hospital to, I think that was the difference!

Hormones are funny things ... I wouldn't travel at 34 weeks pregnant because of the crazy hormonal reaction I had - I was so miserable to be so far away from (my own) home in late pregnancy! But there are no practical reasons not to other than it being uncomfortable to sit for long in a car or on a train, and the thrombosis risk - make sure you take breaks to walk about if its a long journey.

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CuppaSarah · 15/11/2015 21:16

To be honest it depends where I'm going and who in seeing. If it was to see my aunt 2 hours away I wouldn't do it last 36 weeks. But my pils who are 4 hours away I would visit up to term, but they and I would be fully prepared for me to deliver there. They have everything we would need and would if I'm honest, absolutely love it if I was there to give birth.

I'd say once you hit 34 weeks bring a hospital bag for you and baby and the car seat. Can't go wrong then

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skankingpiglet · 15/11/2015 21:30

At 38wks last time I went yurt glamping for my friend's hen. It was about a 2 1/2hr drive away. I took made sure I knew where the nearest hospital was in case of a real emergency and had plans in place to rush me home should labour start early (highly unlikely due to breech and first baby). I gambled that I wouldn't go into labour, and there was no way I was going to miss the hen especially as I had a section booked for a few days before the wedding so would in all likelihood miss that (we did Sad)

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Pisghetti · 15/11/2015 21:32

I travelled to London from South Wales for my last but one day at work at 36 weeks and then once I'd finished work we went to Bath for the weekend for a 'final fling' (so obviously not very far away) I took my notes with me but baby didn't arrive until 41 weeks anyway! My son arrived at 40 +13 so I had no reason to suspect I might go early.

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lemon101 · 15/11/2015 21:32

Hello,

Just did a 7 hour (thanks to traffic) road trip to see my folks on the Friday and 5 hours back today. My husband did the vast majority of the driving and it was ok and I was just a little stiff on the journey. I am 37 weeks today and was very nervous a few days before going away because I really don't want to give birth anywhere but home and had visions of having to drive back with a newborn! As it was I saw the midwife the Friday morning and am only 4/5ths engaged so took the chance.

You do have to go with our gut feeling though. I was very close to backing out of the trip.

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stairway · 15/11/2015 21:38

Ar 38 weeks I went to see my parents about 2 hours away and had the baby there!

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Sighing · 16/11/2015 09:41

I visited my parents at 37+6 with DD1 - a couple of hours each way by train (she was born at 38 weeks). I'd had plans to head to a friend at 39 weeks, as i didn't get that stay at home feeling some seem to.

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DelphiStar · 16/11/2015 09:48

I'm supposed to be going to my cousin's wedding when I'm 37 weeks. It's about a 3 hour drive away. Not sure what to do...

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Perspective21 · 16/11/2015 09:49

I would take your notes, hospital bag and be sure to know where the nearest hospital was. Then I'd probably go but wouldn't leave it much later. I've had 3 DCs all at 37 weeks, give or take a day! But I've also known many friends go very "overdue" nearly up to 42 weeks. I would say don't underestimate how tired and grouchy you might feel in a fortnight or so, sitting around or travelling for hours at a time becomes highly irritating in late pregnancy.
So I would go next w/e and then probably not shift far after that! Good luck!

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