To go on holiday to Brittany when 37 weeks pregnant

[catherinemm]

So, we haven't had a holiday in a while and couldn't plan one for earlier on in the pregancy as though we'd be moving. Move now off and am desperate to get away before the baby comes and before my husband's work will make holidays almost impossible, which is likely from October onwards. We are also a bit on the skint side and have possibility of pretty much free holiday a gorgeous town in Brittany in early august. Only thing is I will be 37 weeks pregnant (I'm 28 weeks now) and in to the 38th week on way home. We'd get there via eurostar and train which has no restrictions on pregnant travel (we'd go that way whatever as live in central london). I wasn't that concerned about how late it was in the pregnancy until I did some googling - most messages on forums seem very against it! I guess I'm looking for sine reassurance that I'm not mad though will take heed if I don't find any. The reasons I think it's ok is: I'm having a very easy pregnancy (still cycling to work etc) it's my 2nd and my son was 17 days late and there's a lot of overdue babies in my family. I also felt very good til about 41 weeks last time and I think it was being overdue rather than heavily pregnant.

I don't know why you would even consider this OP! aside from all the reasons people have given about insurance, costs and dealing with unexpected emergencies etc in a strange place with language barrier and cultural differences in expectation, feeling well now at 20odd weeks is no measure of how you will feel at 37 weeks. Travel may be the worst thing imaginable to you by then. Neither is having one late baby a reliable indicator that all will be late. I would not want to be using train loos and sleeping in a strange bed at 37 weeks.

Book your self a nice cheap holiday close to home and have a nice relaxing time.

We went away for xmas (to PILs only 240 miles away from home)when I was about 35 weeks and took baby bag and car seat just in case!

I think it's sad that you don't seem very excited about the baby, you only seem to think of it as an inconvenience that's stopping you having a holiday.

Think I should get off mumsnet now. I have taken heed and will only go if we can bring trip forward quite a bit, however feel quite riled by posts re lack of excitement and thoughts I shouldn't even consider it. They've touched a nerve if I'm honest. The pregnancy though planned is poorly timed. DH is not working, his new venture may fail, so the overriding emotion I have is worthy about money which wouldn't be there if I wasn't going on mat leave. So much worry I haven't had time to get excited. We've also had the possible move thrown in. I think the stress contributed towards me to feeling I deserved a holiday, particularly a foreign one!, but I guess that's a bit selfish. Plus not going would save some money (English holiday would cost more as this was free accommodation)!

I hope you manage to get a nice break at some point before the baby arrives OP. I posted early about insurance considerations but also said if you could sort those out and had considered all the aspects then why not go. So long as you have all the insurance in place (so perhaps ring a provider rather than going online so you can talk through everything eg special baby care etc) then go for it! You are going to France not Somalia.

Definitely wouldn't go full term....how long is the Eurostar journey!?!
Madness and too late.

I agree, some of the comments here have been harsh. If travel has been an important and happy part of your life, it's a hard thing to give up, especially when you really need a break. It doesn't mean you're an ungrateful or selfish mother, ignore that.

Could you go to Paris on your own for a couple days now and stay with your friend? That will give you a little break and not cost much.

Well I looked again. . . Thanks dreamingbohemian, a very touching message and something I should def look I to esp as she's also pregnant (earlier on than me) so could be last chance to see her in a while

My only worry world be if the baby is unwell and has to stay in hospital for a few weeks. Where would you and the family stay until the baby was well enough to leave?

Oh then definitely do it!

Be sure to eat lots of cheese

I think i would go, with some careful research and planning of course.

I think a poster up thread made a valid point that holidays with children are never as relaxing as holidays without children but if your OH is helpful and you are with friends then hopefully that would help the burden of cooking, washing, child wrangling etc in a strange location!

Another good point is the washing, sorting etc when you get back which is a particularly unenjoyable part of a holiday for me so you would need to be super organised with getting newborns clothes, bedding, muslins, food for freezer, UK hospital bag etc ready for when you get back.

I can totally appreciate the lure of a cheap holiday in the warm with some cheese and the odd half glass of wine, especially if you enjoy travel and holidaying abroad and it is, or has been big part of your life.

As for a potential birth, I would try and go the week early to give yourself a bit of extra breathing space. You could even have a "home" birth and have the baby in the holiday house.... Much more relaxing than in a French hospital if you don't speak French however nice they are! And then no worries about child care for your son or getting to the hospital etc! Then you would only need to have hospital care if there were a problem.

Anyway, I can totally understand your desire for a holiday, especially if funds are tight and the prospect of another appears to be years away. Good luck with whatever you decide and hope you manage to have some time to relax before the baby comes. I think visiting your friend in Paris might be a good compromise of that's the way it goes. Bon chance!

To be honest I think I would so long as insurance and healthcare card would cover it if baby came early. But do your research about that side of things and also learn some terms you might need in French for hospital. I think o would want to know more about what to expect from a French hospital - eg I don't think they do gas and air (might be wrong though). If you have a very definite and set birth plan of how you want things to be then probably not going be able to do that in France.

Also, I wouldn't want to commit to it till much nearer the time. I felt fine in my pregnancy and was also confident that baby would be late first time (was 16 days late). I think I went to Brittany myself at about 35 weeks in fact.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

I would go! I went away when 38 weeks )oy to Dorset, but still, a significant distance from home). Was fine. Of it wouldn't faze you to give birth in France (which in all likelihood you wouldn't as most people don't have their baby before 38 weeks) then go for it xx

In my post pregnancy group I met a girl who had gone for a weekend to France (without travel insurance) at 7 months pregnant. She went into labour early and spent 8 weeks in hospital with the baby which needed care. Needless to say her partner couldn't be there all the time. He had to go back to work. She only spoke a bit of French, so trying to find out about what the doctors had to say about the baby was very difficult. And she was so lonely at what should have been a really wonderful time - and they spent all their house deposit on medical bills. So that's worst case scenario I guess.

Not sure a normal birth abroad would phase me, but a crash section under GA 6 miles from home and the subsequent week in hospital with DH able to pop in and DS at nursery wasn't great.

To add to what booboostoo and others have said about costs/lack of insurance coverage you may also have to pay for interpreters at the hospital and they are very strict with visiting hours so if you did have the baby there your dh may only be able to visit once a day for an hour. (Speaking as someone with a sick British relative in a Brittany hospital at present who hasn't travelled to see them as I am 37 weeks pregnant)

Also Brittany may only be next door but to travel to/from last minute can take days if you can't get a booking.

I really am erring against this now, but just wanted to say that I managed to book travel across France from the south west the day before going after my car crash in 2012.

It's weird that people drive to France or anywhere without a second thought often but accidents are possible. Ok so going into labour at 38 weeks possible more likely but it's just interesting that in most cases you wouldn't consider the what ifs around a car crash in a foreign country before going, I know I didn't then!

One of my friends went away for a long weekend when 35 weeks pregnant. They went to a part of the UK which was 7 hours drive from home.

She went into labour, her dh had no idea where hospital was ( they were renting cottage with friends in a very rural area). She gave birth in a strange hospital, although at least all the staff spoke English. Her dh had to go out and buy baby clothes and a car seat, despite them having a brand new car seat at home. She then had to endure a 7 hour journey back home when she had quite a few stitches in ...

I really wouldn't want to be very far from the hospital where I was planning to give birth. Also, some 2nd babies come very quickly. Will you be near enough to a hospital at all points of your journey thst you could get there quickly if you went into labour?

it wouldn't be a cheap holiday at all, the cost of insurance would be prohibitive.

No option for home births in France, MWs are not insured for them. My neighbour wanted one and had to fork out 4k euros for her MWs professional insurance! And this was a MW she knew for years and had a good relationship with - it would be impossible as a stranger going into sudden labour, they would just wisk you to hospital in an ambulance.

Actually, I always think about the risk of a accident when driving to France. Especially when the motorways are narrower and the speed limit higher. I always thought that I was a little over-paranoid about these things, perhaps due to the fact that I have never had an accident in 25 years of driving and perhaps I think I'm due my 'turn'.

Tbh though, the risk of having an accident while driving in France vs the risk of giving birth when you are 38 weeks pregnant? I don't even think you need to calculate the odds on this one....

I get that you're disappointed, but the experience and advice on here seems to be pretty overwhelming....

I wouldn't but my waters broke at 38 weeks even though I was scheduled an ELCS.

Quite apart from all the valid reasons already mentioned, how would you feel about travelling with a new born baby on public transport? How will you deal with the logistics of nappies and feeding?

I don't understand why you are poo pooing the idea of holidaying in the UK. France is great but so is the UK. We have had some wonderful holidays in Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Yeah, I agree risk of giving birth at 38 weeks is higher, just responding to the comment that I could travel to France alone with 2 kids. Personally I wouldn't risk driving, I hardly ever drive is dint feel confident, and 2 small ones with just me on trains? I like trains but don't think I could handle that.

No poo pooing at all, but this holiday is freeeeeeee! I agree if all went wrong it could turn out to be mighty pricey though, but I think it's a case of this hol or none given the cost of holiday cottages in the uk in July.

Wouldn't the extra cost be offset by the cost of travelling to France by train in August?