Has anyone given birth or gone into labour away from home?

[Laac]

I'm planning on visiting some of DH's family over Christmas when I'll be between 37 and 38 weeks with our first. They live about 300 miles away from us, just outside a town. They're in Northumberland so weather could be bad. There is a local hospital about 15 mins drive from their home but they're relatively rural.

I've always been adamant that we were going to his family Christmas and have been really looking forward to it. I'm aware I'll probably be OK and won't go into labour until later but now we are starting to think about Christmas plans I'm starting to get a bit worried about potentially going into labour far from home in a hospital I'm not familiar with. We are planning on visiting for four or five nights.

I would experience anyone's experiences or opinions on something like this- ideally I'd rather be at home for labour in familiar surroundings.

I think it’s a bad idea. You could end up in an unfamiliar hospital where they don’t know you, plus then faced with either staying at your husbands family with a newborn while you are exhausted/bleeding/perhaps trying to BF. You’d then have a 300 mile journey with a newborn who can’t sit in a car seat for longer than 30 mins at a time, so you’d be stopping all the time. You’d then have the admin of informing your home midwives etc to trigger your postnatal follow up. It sounds stressful to me, especially as you’ve said you’d prefer to be at home. No one can tell you when the baby will come so it’s a risk.

I disagree with PP.

Your local hospital doesn’t really know you either. They read your notes.

It is also, unlikely you will suddenly go into early labour with no warning signs. You are close to a hospital to get checked in an emergency but you would also have time to return home if you felt like something might be starting. I would definitely arrange to go, I would take my hospital bag and notes just in case. If you don’t feel up to it, closer to the time you can always cancel and stay home.

I will also be travelling to my in laws for Christmas, I plan to sit with my feet up and enjoy plenty of food and hot chocolate!!

4 years ago, I stayed at my in-laws' for Xmas and I was 38 weeks pregnant. It's a 3 ish hour drive from my home to theirs. I don't remember being particularly worried about having the baby there but I did take my notes. 2 days after we got home, I gave birth and I was 39w +1d. I had a very straightforward, natural birth. I honestly think that having a relaxing Xmas was positive for me.

It's worth doing your own research about the 30 min / 2 hour car journey rules as I don't think there's significant research to say 30 mins is the recommended limit.

Thanks for the responses I'll see how I feel closer to the time but think I'll plan on going ahead as I don't want to cancel and stay at home only to have an extra couple of weeks before anything happens. And a good point about your local hospital not "knowing" you as well.

If you do decide to go, take baby's car seat!
We went away from home when I was 38 Weeks, took bag, notes etc but didn't think to take the car seat! I didn't go into labour, but if I did we would have ended up having to buy a second to get home with.

My aunt gave birth to my cousin at 36 weeks while on their 'babymoon' miles away from home. They had to buy a new car seat to take her home in but other than that I think it was okay.

I'm in a similar situation. I have my Nan's funeral on Saturday which is 150 miles away from home, I'll be 37+5. I'm taking my notes and a mini hospital bag with a few emergency bits just in case.

Make sure you know the local maternity hospital and look at routes/traffic etc. And store the number in your phone. It's u likely to happen but best to make sure you are prepared!

I'm planning on spending Christmas at the in-laws in Hertfordshire and I'm living in Oxfordshire. I'm a little nervous but just going to take my hospital bag with am! Lucky for me, I started my pregnancy in Hertfordshire (have moved since). My old midwife said it isn't too big of a deal and just to make sure I take my notes etc with me!

Which hospital are you near in Northumberland? i would research that.

For instance, Hexham has a fab hospital - but it is a midwife led unit - they cannot do epidurals/ spinal blocks / handle any complications. I was blue lighted to RVI.

However - if you are talking about Cramlington, then it will deal with everything.

Just something to have in mind!

The majority of pfb are late!! You presumably aren't going to be housebound for the next 5 weeks??
Take your notes and relax.
*I drove back from Spain at 37 weeks. Dd was born 20 days later!!

I went on holiday to France at 36 weeks and had DD by ELCS at 38+6. Take your notes and hospital bag just in case, but otherwise I see no reason not to go except perhaps that a long car journey won’t be particularly comfortable. Realistically, given it’s your first, you’re probably more likely to go overdue than you are to give birth at 37 weeks.

Not sure what to suggest, but I do recall an old friend who went so see his parents at Xmas, but his partner stayed at home. Was a 4 hour drive away and thought it would be ok as she was only just past 36 weeks. You can guess what happened on Christmas Eve. ... He did make it back on time to see his Christmas day baby being born in the end.

I think lots of prep will ease your nerves, but if you're not going to be able to relax, why risk it?

I went on holiday to Skegness at 29 weeks 😂 I thought I was safe and went into early labour, he was born 10 weeks early at bloody SKEG.

Personally I wouldn’t risk it that close to your due date. But if you are comfortable with the idea of labouring at their house for 24hrs+, going to an unfamiliar hospital and then being stuck at their house or the hospital for a number of weeks, then go for it.

If you do go take

• car seat
• hospital bag
• maternity notes

When I was pregnant I insisted we stay at home for Christmas and New year. My reasons were:

• wanted to recover at home
• didn't want to have to drive 2+ hours with a newborn.
• the idea of sitting for 2 hours in a car with stitches filled me with dread
• I was worried I'd bleed through pads and wanted to be close to a private bathroom.

So glad I did. Went in to labour on New year's Day! At 38 weeks.

A client of mine went had a baby on a hen weekend. Dressed as a pirate.

I used to work at a hospital near a popular holiday area in the U.K. and have delivered quite a few babies to holidaying mums.

Pp is correct, once you’re inside a hospital it doesn’t really matter as you won’t be in familiar surroundings in any hospital.

But think about things like what if your waters go and you’re in latent labour and the hospital send you away. You either have an uncomfortable 2 hour car journey back home or you spend your latent phase at your in laws. Plus in the unlikely event you or baby have to stay in hospital for a few days/week afterwards would this cause isssues?

I wouldnt do it. I went into spontaneous labour after my waters broke for no known reason at 29 weeks. Having spent 8 weeks visiting baby in nicu i heard horror stories about women who were far from home and coming there. Things can be complicated in labour and early birth isnt the onlt reason a baby can end up in nicu. My friend was in france when hers came at 29 weeks and they were stuck there, living at the embassy, for 8 weeks. I'm not traveling anywhere beyind 23 weeks with this pregnancy just to be safe.

The majority of first babies arrive late. That’s not to say there isn’t a possibility yours will decide to arrive early but the chances are slim. I would do it personally. It hasn’t snowed at Christmas for a fair few years now too, at least eight I would say so I wouldn’t be overly concerned about the weather.

Just make sure you take your hospital bag and maternity notes just in case but I honestly think you’d be fine.

Yep i did, i had my notes and hospital bag with me. We went to visit DH family and two days before we were due to travel home i went into labour. All was fine hospital were great booked me in no problem.