To attend a work conference at 36 weeks three hours from home?

Its not about being wrapped in cotton wool. Its about being sensible and practical. The closer you are to giving birth which post 35 weeks you are, means you should be thinking about how close you are to home/hospital/birth partner. Not to mention what will happen if you get stuck in traffic for hours.

My company had me flying up to 36 weeks so I did my last flight at 35 weeks and 5 days. I was sick the whole time but just got used to it. I felt okay just tired but you have to judge what feels comfortable for you. I found it more uncomfortable having to visit clients in a colleagues car that had no air con.

I wouldn't

Not a chance would I have done that.

if nothing else 3 hours travel at 36 weeks would be phenomenally uncomfortable

and 3 hours after a c section would be unbearable. I found 20 minutes in the car excruciating.

Big no from me.

Just think, if you had a c-section 3 hours away you'll then have a 3 hour drive home afterwards. No thanks.

I was still commuting by shorthaul flight weekly from another country till my airline wouldn’t accept me flying any longer at 36 weeks, so I don’t see why not.

I came back from Portugal at 35+4 so I’d not have worried about driving up the road!

Yes, they didn't believe me when I said I needed to push and said I'd moved along really quickly. I needed antibiotics for strep-B 3 hours before which I didn't get in time as they were faffing about and saying there's still plenty of time. Said I couldn't come to the ward when my contractions were every 5 minutes because it was too soon, knowing I needed antibiotics and had a 30 minute drive to the hospital. I'm wondering if it was just very poor maternity care after hearing that it's not unusual.

I wouldn't. I had a C-section & the drive home with the seatbelt across my lap was so uncomfortable. I wouldn't want that drive having had surgery!

I wouldn't, but both of mine came early! Mind you, the first labour lasted days so I'd have had plenty of time to travel back...

I travelled abroad throughout my first pregnancy, so I'm not all about wrapping up in cotton wool. But I wouldn't at 36 weeks, that's when you need to be staying local unless there's a compelling reason.

I did that sort of thing with mine, just looked up the local hospital and brought a few bits with me.

I went to an away day approx 45 minutes drive away (colleague drove) at 34 weeks, but it was mostly sitting down and I wasn't presenting or anything. It was only during normal work hours though

I did find by the afternoon my back was killing me as the seating wasn't overly comfy. I was also absolutely shattered on getting home and could barely keep my eyes open while waiting for dinner.

I went on maternity at the end of the following week. (Planned not due to meeting!)

Think it would depend how far away it is/if another colleague can drive. Also if you're on your feet a lot or if it's mostly seated. I couldn't have done a lot of standing up. Given how shattered I was i don't think I'd want to be driving myself in your situation

I had my daughter at 36 weeks and was in labour for just a couple of hours - no reason, no warning - she was just ready to come and showed up almost instantly. Came close to having her in a taxi.

So I'd consider how you'd feel delivering on your own, how you'd feel being at that hospital longer term if anything did happen to either of you, and if the nearest hospital would work for you for any number of reasons.

Pretty sure I flew to Sweden for a week at 34 weeks when pregnant with my first. I finished worked at 40 weeks and at 42 weeks I was still swimming (albeit slowly) everyday (seemed appropriate as I was the size of a killer whale but I was so bored). Induced at 42+3. But I didn't have a physical job (office bound, I stopped working in the lab due to chemicals at around 20 weeks).

I wouldn't, I'd be really pissed off if I went to a conference and instead ended up driving a heavily pregnant colleague to hospital and waiting around with them for hours because they went into labour miles from home and their birth partner. But I am not the friendliest person 🤣.

I jest (a bit) but in all honesty I wouldn't because I would worry about inconveniencing or causing concenr for others and I wouldn't want to risk getting stuck in a hospital far from home.

Really? They were shocked at a second labour lasting 3 and a half hours? That's quite standard for a second birth isn't it? It's certainly not unusually fast, mine was just under 2 and the midwife said that was fairly common for a second baby. My friends second lasted 28 minutes from first contraction to birth 😱

For OP it's less likely to be that quick given it's the first (although you never know!).
I think if you can pull out easily if anything changes and you want to go then go for it! My first baby was born at 34 weeks so I would have said definitely not after that, but then DC2 hung on until 42 weeks and I was so bored waiting so a 3 hour drive and a conference would have been amazing!

I had had a very quick labour with my elder DS and feared the same with DD (and I was right- she was born on the way to hospital 😂)

Personally I wouldn't have done as I wouldn't have wanted to risk going into labour so far from home. I took mat leave 6 weeks before DD was due as I worked 30 miles away from home (on public transport too) and didn't want to go into labour and end up in a hospital that wasn't local to my home.

I don't think you should. Imagine how you would feel if you started labour during either the journey or when you were at the conference. Would you want to give birth in a hospital a long way from home?

Same

I went away until way past 36 weeks - the chances of preterm labour on one specific day are very low, and I don’t want to live my life always looking out for threats! Though my husband has declined a wedding invitation when I’ll be 38-39 weeks mainly because I want help with our toddler at that stage. Chances are your baby will come 5 weeks after the conference and keeping yourself busy will be helpful if that’s generally your way of living your life :)

It’s fine. I flew from London to Australia at 34 weeks. Then had to find a home to rent, buy furniture and baby gear, and register at the hospital for the birth. Going to a conference a 3 hour drive away is manageable. It doesn’t sound like you are particularly anxious about it and you want to go, so you will be fine.

I think the actual conference is fine if you feel well, but I'd be more concerned about early labour and having my baby far from home. Not a big deal if you have a straightforward birth and can go home in a day or two but would be much more stressful if baby needs special care or if you have any complications. A friend just spent almost a month in hospital after her DS was born (he was fine, she wasn't) after an uneventful pregnancy so maybe I'm paranoid!

As you're 35 weeks now and feel fine you'll probably be ok. Personally I stopped at 37 weeks and should have gone at least two weeks earlier - my brain just wasn't working by then and I was so uncomfortable with constant Braxton Hicks. I felt much better once I was at home pottering and cleaning things.

I wouldn’t. A work conference isn’t that important. You will be sitting or standing all day, chatting to strangers and you will be exhausted. Also a 3 hour car ride is not fun at that stage.

rest and watch some tv at home, you won’t be bored for a second once the baby is here! Enjoy the peace for a few weeks