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

[pleaseguveadvicenotattack]

No flights involved but just driving, it's an all day and evening conference, I will bring my hospital bag just in case.

I have an elective c section so will see where the hospital is local to the conference just in case but am I nuts for doing this?!

I physically feel fine, but don't know if I'm being naive?

I really want to go as it's quite important. AIBU to consider?

When is it? How many weeks are you now? You may need to factor in not feeling as up for it then as you do now?

@Crunchymum I'm 35

Another no vote. I went on a long weekend trip at 37 weeks having seen my midwife just days before. She said no worries about going, baby not in position and I'd be back at 40 weeks to discuss next steps. I went into labour within an hour of arriving home after the trip. Contractions were intense and 1 minute apart from early on. That 1.5hr drive would have been awful if I'd tried to make it back in labour. Also wouldn't have been happy to use the local hospital as there were complications and I was kept in for a week.

In that case I'd say crack on. If you feel okay and you are going to scope out the local hospitals / take your bag and notes then I'm sure you'll be grand.

Is it your first? I went to a concert with my husband at 41 weeks and just checked where the local hospital was before going. We were 3-4 hours from home, but it was my third and I was expecting a late arrival.

That said, other people go very early, so I understand other people saying don’t!

I did with my second at 37 weeks - 4hrs on train and overnight stay. Took a couple of things for hospital just in case. DC didn't show up until gone 41 weeks (which I thought was likely as DC1 was late too plus I thought they had dates a bit out) - might not have risked it if DC1 had been early

I went on a training course a couple of hours away the week I was 34 weeks. Then had ds on the Friday so he managed to hold on till I was back, but it would have been more inconvenient if he'd decided to make an appearance where I was as he needed to be in SCBU for a week

1 hour yes, 3 hours no. You would feel very alone and vulnerable if baby started to arrive. All your plans would be out of the window. I think I would decline. I had one 13 days over due and one 10 days early. You simply don't know what your body will do. First baby is often a longer labour and I would prioritise being comfortable and secure in my surroundings. I'd be on maternity leave! You won't be bored.

What is the reason for your elective CS? Do you or your baby have any medical conditions?

I’d do it no bother. Even if you go into labour, you’d highly likely make it home grand.

Though OP isn’t driving themselves so that would require someone else to have to leave the conference early to drive them home.

What about the person who’s driving you there? Is it fair to present them with this sort of dilemma???

I'd probably do it, we went to a wedding a 7 hour drive away at 38 weeks with my toddler. Took the hospital bag and car seat just in case. He came at 40+2!

It would not have occurred to me to not go, and I had no doctor's indications at all that those types of things would be inappropriate. If you want to, do!

Gurl, it’s a no from me.

No, no, no. You’ll be heavily pregnant, which means your immune system is lower than it would be if you were not, and your heart and lungs and all organs are working overtime.

this is not the time to go to an unnecessary and massive indoor event where Covid will be endemic and also lots of other random viruses.

I had an emergency csection at a hospital that wasn't my planned hospital. The only issue was they needed to do my bloods when I arrived.

I couldn't have done that journey at 36 weeks. I would havevhad to stop every two minutes to wee.

It might be worth taking towels or a few incontinence pads for the seat of the car your traveling in just in case your waters break.

Your odds of going into labour on one particular day when you're 36 weeks pregnant are 0,5%. And most of these women have preconditions that make it more likely/predictable.

I can't believe the amount of no responses! Are we supposed to wrap ourselves in cotton wool and lock ourselves away in the last month of pregnancy?! What a crock of shit. I'd go without a second thought. You've thought of what you'll need and seem sensible so don't see the issue.

It's a no from me. I went into labour at 36wks with my first, total surprise, barely made it to our local hospital, very quick labour. Giving birth IS a big deal and I wouldn't have wanted to do it far from home without my partner and then have had a long drive afterwards.

I was doing similar at that stage, train to Glasgow from Leeds . Never thought anything about it as I’d not been around many pregnant women. Someone at work said to me why are you still travelling you are at risk of having the baby miles from home. Never even occurred to me, I just thought you work until your last day and suck it up. Daft when I think back but if you’ve no one to advise you you just do it.

It completely depends on you and how you're coping.
I'd have been fine as had easy pregnancies and was very overdue for my first birth. Elective section for second but no sign of early labour at 39 weeks for that. But as other posters have said, they definitely wouldn't.
Is this your first? How are you feeling generally?

@tulippa I feel fine and on the whole pretty good actually, I've asked as it's my first so I'm just worried there's drone secret codes I don't know about if that makes sense!

It would be a no from me. All very nice taking your bag and your notes but what about your birth partner if they don’t make the 3 hour drive in time?

@pleaseguveadvicenotattack sorry but why would you still be working at 36 weeks pregnant anyway???