Reading festival at 35 weeks pregnant

[amieeb]

So I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and 19 years old. The baby wasn’t planned but wasn’t stopped either. We decided that if it happened that’s great and if not that’s also fine. Well now I am pregnant and I am over the moon I have realised that at the time of reading festival I will be 35 weeks pregnant. I go to reading festival every year and now I’m not sure what to do. I go every year with my partner and all of our close friends and of course we spend most of our time sat around drinking and laughing. I have obviously cut out the drink and would never touch it while pregnant but being sober at a festival doesn’t bother me. I usually camp in one of the usual campsites in a tent with lots of pillows, a duvet and an air bed. I know that reading also offer a service where they will take your stuff to the camp for you and take you to your spot so that is definitely what I would be doing. If camping with my mates wouldn’t be possible I am open to the idea of luxury camping although that would involve a lot more walking. I just want to know whether people think it’s completely out of the question or whether anyone has ever done it. Please let me know as I’m just not sure what to do.

I don't think the camping would be that bad.

However I went to Leeds feet a few years ago and it was an absolute mudbarh for all 3 days... consequently there was literally nowhere to sit in the arena. My lower back was in utter agony by the end of the weekend from standing for so long, dread to think what that would have been like if I was pregnant as well.

@caseofellen 90% of children go to state schools. Who do you think pays for that? Nothing wrong with being a younger parent.

The government is running a deficit btw. So no one pays enough tax to cover use of services.

Why does this need to become a state grabbing young parent bashing thread?

YABU to consider going to the festival OP regardless of how old you are.

Currently snuggling my newborn.
She was born at 35 weeks.

Just saying.

@Mummylife2018 with ref to labouring/birthing at Glastonbury.....she actually laboured in an area that was run and staffed by several qualified midwives and taken off site to a local hospital at an appropriate time.
The site is also set up with several very well equipped facilities for those with babies, so returning to the festival isn't exactly going into third world conditions.

@EekThreek I actually met your friend the year after and wished her little one a happy birthday. I live where she was living at the time, and was a client of her business so I knew who she was.

To the OP: Get your tickets insured, and plan to go. If you have to drop out at the last minute then you can claim the cost back.
If I were you I would find out what medical facilites are on site for pregnant women (at Glastonbury they have a midwife team on call and ask ladies over a certain amount of weeks to 'check in' at the farm on arrival) and have a plan for getting home if you really aren't coping.
Personally I avoided festivals the summer I was heavily pregnant, because I was struggling with PGP. But I have many friends who have done festivals right into the last weeks.

I went to various festivals while pregnant. Reading wasn’t enjoyable mostly due to the lack of organisation and the toilets.

Ignore the pearl clutchers ‘concerned’ about your age.

Thinking back to being 35 weeks pregnant, I wouldn't have wanted to go to a festival (I was 22 when I had my first so not much older than you). I remember having a lot of backache and just generally feeling uncomfortable and tired. Everyone's different though. Maybe get a ticket and see how you feel at the time? I'm sure you'd be able to sell the ticket if you decide not to go.

Hell no.

I might be a harbinger of doom but if you’re having a baby, your days of hanging out with your mates and getting drunk at festivals are over, for a few years at least. It’s the price you pay.

I've got a festival booked at 34 weeks pregnant. It's nothing like Reading. It's only a couple of thousand people, very chilled and all in one field, we are staying in a camper van and the tickets were cheap (and insured incase I change my mind). I wouldn't do a big festival when very pregnant

@Racecardriver Sure I went to state school and use student finance to fund my degree, but the difference is, I'll be paying the loan for uni back (and I didn't take out a maintenance loan) and giving back to society with my work.

Don't take it personally, all I said was people that have kids at younger ages (16-20) do tend to live off the state. Did you have your own home/privately rented place (without housing benefit) + enough money to live off and care for your kids when you were 19 (without using the state).

There's using the states money for important things (primary, secondary, uni etc) then there's using benefits unnecessarily when you got pregnant irresponsibly at an age when you can't really fend for yourself. People that wait until around 24 usually do have a career going/finished uni and tend to at least have privately rented housing.

Just checked the line up. Tell your mates not to waste their money either

(Dear Reading - we know it's Dave Grohl's favourite festival so they're an easy booking. Your fee for the rest of them is frankly daylight robbery)

@CaseofEllen Exactly! That's what we pay taxes for.

Doubt people on benefits that rely on them because they can't work/weren't educated well/don't work because of kids pay into the same tax pot.

The OP hasn’t said anything about her circumstances you’re just assuming these things unfairly on an unrelated post.

@Lolkittens5 the Op said she was 19, and was not trying to avoid getting pregnant. Pretty sure it's a fair assumption to assume that at 19, she has no home of her own or funds to rent her own place/look after her own children without taking money from the state. 🤷🏻‍♀️

I actually think that’s silly to assume just from a persons age.
I was pregnant at 19 and had a full time job, house (rented).

Never took any money other than the £80 or whatever you get.

We now have two cars and own our own home. (I’m 23.)

Maybe I’m a one in a million but op didn’t ask you to make assumptions about her she asked for advice about festivals.

@Lolkittens5 🙌🏼 exactly! I put myself through uni 18-21, privately rented from age 21 and brought my own home age 22. Not fair to assume based on age at all!

My DIL went for a routine midwife appt at 32 weeks feeling fine. Protein in urine, admitted to hospital and DGD delivered next day. No prior indication of pre eclampsia. Baby in NICU for 7 weeks.

@anxiousbubdle I don’t take from the state unless I have no other option (e.g. roads, defence etc). I don’t take out student loans, don’t take any benefits etc. For all you know OP could be in the same position. To make an assumption like that and make snide remarks is a shitty and, in your case, a hypocritical thing to do. You shouldn’t criticise others for taking from the state of you do it yourself.

I reiterate that the taxes you pay don’t cover the cost of the services that are used. That’s not how it works. The government collects revenue, borrows some money and then provides services. It’s not some magical system that you pay into and benefit from. That myth was debunked ages ago, get with the times.

And maybe apologise to OP.

Nope. You could eadily go into labour at 35 weeks. Also, have you seen the toilets and queues for them at Reading?

Given the ahem exuberance of the Reading crowd, I'd say that's really not a good festival to go to with a large bump. While you won't be drinking, everyone else will be and more. Pissed people aren't generally considerate. Being out in that after dark on uneven muddy ground in big crowds of pissed people is unlikely to be particularly safe for your baby. If you are really keen to go and show your face at least, then consider booking a room at the George or Ramada hotel (the bar there is where the bands stay so the party ends up there after hours anyway) and leaving the festival site early (8pm ish). Camping in itself would be fine, a lot of other festivals would be fine but that festival plus camping I'd really advise against.
Welcome to being a parent and putting your own wishes on hold for your child!

@EekThreek Newborn babies should be at home, wrapped up warm in their home environment and getting used to their mummy's/Daddy's scents etc. Not at a bloody festival! 🤦‍♀️