Going on holiday at 39 weeks!?

[Pinkladyloz]

So long story short, boyfriends family booked a holiday for all of the family to go on last year, obviously back then didn’t know I’d be pregnant!
I said all along, even whilst pregnant that I’d go and that I didn’t see a problem with it.
I’ll be 39 weeks pregnant when we go. We get home 3 days before due date! We live in Essex and will be going to Cornwall. Long drive. Asked the midwives and they all seem to think it’s fine as long a we stop regularly both there and back, lots of leg stretches and breathers etc... and obviously if baby comes we stop regularly for feeds and just to have little breaks for baby etc.. will take car seat, notes, have researched local Cornish hospital!
Only thing is as I get closer, my mum is panicking and telling me I shouldn’t be going.
What do you think!? First baby! Honestly feeling fine at the moment but don’t want to put my baby at risk...
Would you go or not???
Thanks so much

Go, most first babies are late and they have hospitals in Cornwall! Take notes and a comprehensive bag but they even have shops in Cornwall you know! Two hours max drive then 30 mins break for you, if little one makes an appearance stops will need to be more frequent because they shouldn't be in a car seat for very long at a time.

Ps if baby does arrive during the holiday the train may be easier for you as no need to use a car seat

I also can't see the point of the trip - even if you don't go into labour, at 39 weeks will you really enjoy two long car journeys and a holiday?

I needed to wee frequently, drink loads, put my feet up, stretch out and I was constantly hot. Sitting in a car for hours would be awful.

I definitely didn't want to go to the beach, or sightsee, or sleep in an unfamiliar bed, or share a house with my in laws!

I just can't see any benefit to you going, and obviously the disadvantages if you do have baby there.

I wouldn't go, and I think your DP and his family are pretty selfish to expect you to.

Ha I know. I’ve barely been in the car at all with my 7 week old, mostly because my first just hated the car was cried / was sick relentlessly until 2 years old and I’m too scared. But also because someone explained it on here recently about why the 30 min rule - and how their oxygen levels fall in the car to the point where if they were on the oxygen monitors they use in hospitals they’d be bleeping. My first was on that machine for a while in NICU and I remember watching the numbers quite obsessively (actually his were generally fine but the monitors would often start beeping for attention on the neighbouring babies). The thought of that is just horrible.

Also OP what would you do if you go into labour on the looong journey there or back? Go to a random hospital and potentially have to check into a travelodge for a few days?? (My first as I said was in NICU for a bit - at term - and I was discharged days before him, so where would you go??). With my second the baby was fine but I was kept in hospital for a while due to complications, it wouldn’t have been great if my DH had no home to go to where he could pick up supplies, have a shower etc!
Or even if you have the baby on the last day of the holiday so run out of accommodation will your DH just live at the hospital?

My last comment was supposed to be @ChikiTIKI

I wouldn't if I'm honest. My aunt did at 36 weeks and went into early labour miles away from home. Baby had to be on NICU for 3 weeks which was a tough time being so far from home and family.

Having said that, went away for one night at 38 weeks, 9 days before my ELCS for my grandmother's funeral. I look my notes with me, got the number for the local hospital and took a car seat.

@Cookit the car seat fear is real!! I see people walking around town with sleeping babies in a car seat attached to pram, coat on, thick blankets and I wonder how they are comfy/safe!

I realise looking back thought that I sometimes didn't wrap by baby up enough as all the warnings made me fearful to. So I feel guilty that she was probably too cold sometimes (winter baby).

Hard to get the balance right. Guidelines are there to help us but we have to get on with life too.

Wow... not a chance in hell.

It would take DAYS to get back from that far away with a newborn what with stopping every half an hour or so and the feeding lasting sometimes hours a go.

This

lazypuppy if you’d had stitches you would not be able to ‘just sit’!!! It can be absolute agony for over a week! It’s just the whole unknown how the birth may go, have to cover ‘worse case’ scenarios in your thinking OP.

@Janus i did have stitcheax i had 3rd degree tears. Still no issue sitting

I couldn't sit down properly for 2 weeks after having my baby, like fuck would i have lasted 8 minutes in a car let alone 8 hours!!

@Pinkladyloz yes Treliske has a delivery suite AND a fairly new birthing suite which is MW led only - my friend had her baby there last week and it looks amazing tbf - not that I’ll get to see it as I have to go to delivery suite and have consultant led birth 😞
If you did go and happened to have baby there you can register wherever you like! My dd was registered at fareham registry office in Hampshire despite being born in Norwich lol! It was easier to get an appointment there than in Norwich and it was impossible in my home town so I just did it when I visited my family instead!
As for travelling - yes that could be a complete nightmare because it is such a long drive! In the past I’ve done the journey from Norfolk to Cornwall on many occasions and it’s bad enough without traffic but there are so many roads which you are likely to hit traffic on, it’s no joke! And I live in north Cornwall so you’d be going like another hours drive away lol! Plus it may look like it’s not far but as I already said, people seem to forget how to drive when visiting in Cornwall and go reeeeeeeaaaalllly slow, plus with tractors on the road and it seems like the roads have accidents all the time, it’s worth taking into account the time it may take to get to the hospital (equally it could take barely 20 mins!) and also there’s hardly any parking at treliske - worth mentioning because it’s not like any other hospital I’ve been to/worked at!
As others have said you need to have a route planned from yours to Cornwall and know all the hospitals (with maternity) en route as well just in case you need one! And possibly their phone numbers just to be prepared! Likelihood is you wouldn't need them though!
Plus think of all the extras you need to pack - all baby’s things you might need and car seat etc. A journey overnight with a lie flat car seat wouldn’t be so bad, but a normal car seat would have the head in not such a great position - and definitely don’t leave a baby in the car seat when not in the car because they are not designed for sitting on a flat surface!
There really are many things you need to factor in when you make your final decision but best of luck with whatever you decide! x

Christ lazy, I’ve had 4 children and only had stitches on one, 2 c sections, one normal (!), the stitches were the most painful by far. I wonder why?

I wasn't able to "just sit" for over a month. I had 60 stitches, a stint in HDU and 3 days of blood transfusions after DD1.

Likelihood is you wouldn't need them though!
I’d say that going away from hone at 39 weeks pg, that there is actually a very good chance that you would need hospital contact details, locations and baby things.

I planned to go to a wedding when I was 37 weeks. Didn't make it as DS came early. A friend went on holiday to Wales when 37 weeks. Her DS was born there! Just saying!