4-5 hours in a car at 38 weeks - a bad idea?

[ItchyTits]

Just found out that I can book a holiday 4-5 hours drive away about 10 days before planned C-section at 39 weeks. (Medical reasons why labour not advised, but surgeon has assured me that C-section will be straightforward and could be done in any UK hospital).

DP suddenly worried about car journey with me very large and DD at 16months.

Am I being over-optimistic that this is totally fine?

(It may be a stroke of luck that the ILs will be holidaying an hour away from there that week, so could be on hand for the DD if things did progress)

Frankly, I can't think of much worse than a 4 or 5 hour car journey at that stage of pregnancy. Even half an hour was uncomfortable for me - and I don't do big bumps.

If you really must go, a good hospital nearby is a must (although do you fancy making the return trip after a c-section with your newborn?).

But I'd just stay horizontal on the sofa eating chocs. Plenty of time in the future to make lengthy car trips when you won't be practically full term in pregnancy.

I really wouldn't do this, so many possibilities for things to go wrong, even getting stuck in a lengthy traffic jam for a few hours will be horribly uncomfortable unless you have a hard core bladder! I went into labour early and was so relieved to be in my home town, had been in Manchester 3 days before. Also if your DP is uncomfortable about the trip then he's not going to have a great time. Plus if things do go wrong you'll never hear the end of it...

I wouldn't have done it. Mainly because if we had broken down anywhere then I would not only have had to leave DH to sort out DS1, but I would also have been a burden!

Save the money and go away once the new baby is a few months old. DS2 is 9 weeks now and I'm starting to think it's time for a holiday!

I did it with DC3.
It was ok.
I took a fully packed hospital bag as a preventative measure and reserved the right to be a total princess in transit and to stop at every service station if need be.

I am usually of the mentality that you are pregnant, not I'll - but I think 38 weeks is too late. You could easily go into labour at this time, and if it is not advised, then you become a medical emergency in a strange place.

If you do go, take your notes, and research the local hospital and how to get there.

are you mad???
you will be uncomfortable due to size and probably piles & what if you go into spontaneous labour?
as Sariska suggests get on sofa with box of chocs and keep your toddler in childcare if you can

Personally I wouldn't. I'm 37 weeks now and would feel very uncomfortable travelling in a car for so long. And while I'd be confident that I'd be perfectly safe in a local hospital if labour started, I wouldn't like the thought of doing the same journey back with a toddler and a newborn, a few days after a c-section.

Your main worry at this stage should be DVT. You are at much higher risk being pg and being immobile for that length of time is not ideal.

Plus if you went into labour (which you say is not advised), then you need to find the nearest hospital which isnt always quick or easy from the motorway.

Your coccyx will never forgive you, I speak from bitter experience!

I wouldn't either, even the thought makes me feel uncomfortable! I've just said to DH that we're not doing any more long journeys before DC2 arrives and I'm only 29 weeks! I am starting to get uncomfortable already if I am in the car for longer than an hour and I remember from last time being uncomfortable on the half hour drive to and from work before I left at 36 weeks. Plus to add a toddler to the mix sounds like a horrific experience to me!

Thank you all for your wise words. At 32 weeks (and perhaps even before pregnancy) my capacity for dopey thinking needs to be kept in check!! Think we'll take Ali Baba's advice and travel when we're all a bit older and wiser.... x