Commuting on train during pregnancy

[AR23]

Hi,

I work locally, but in Dec I have to get a train into central London for my Christmas work lunch and I will be commuting from West Sussex, the train journey itself will be about 50 mins (with 1 change). And then the restaurant is about a 12 min walk from the station. I will be 29 weeks pregnant then.

My family keep telling me to "be careful" and "are you sure you will be okay" etc which is really making me paranoid. So just wanted some reassurance...is there anyone else who has a fairly long commute into work and has been doing it during their 3rd trimester?

I’m sorry I don’t quite understand.... what do you need to be careful of?

The train journey will be fine, you will be sat down (if there are no seats available I’m sure someone will give up their seat for a pregnant lady who asks). 12 min walk will be fine.

Do they mean be careful in “that London”? When I was pregnant last time I commuted 1-1.5 hours to work every day up until about 34 weeks. I was fine.

Enjoy your Christmas meal and don’t worry! Just don’t miss the last train and all will be fine!

PS meant to say that was commuting within London every day. Only unpleasant thing is if you have to squash onto really crowded rush hour tubes but all perfectly do able.

I think your family are just being really weird and ridiculous.

A 50min train journey and 12 min walk in London is something thousands and thousands of pregnant women are doing daily.

I can only presume that they mean be carefull because you will be 29 weeks pregnant not because of the actual train journey/walk.
I'm nearly 29 weeks and I couldnt do it as I'm in constant pain, I get tired just going up and down my stairs in the house and constantly uncomfortable. Depending how you feel at the time there should be no reason why you cant go. X

I commuted over an hour up until 36 weeks on really busy trams/trains, 5 days a week. It was incredibly unpleasant and I didn't enjoy it, but why wouldn't you be safe? I wouldn't worry at all. There is nothing to worry about. I think they're perhaps being a bit too over protective!

You need to look after yourself when you're pregnant but don't need to be wrapped in bubble wrap.

Take a bottle of water and allow extra time incase you need to step off at a stop halfway for fresh air.

Thanks everyone :)

I guess they mean "be careful" in regards to trains during rush hour/being pushed around / slipping and just the business of London etc. But obviously i'll be careful and that's common sense to take a little extra care.

I think they are being a bit overly protective without realising that it can actually cause anxiety.

Hi OP, if your family are not used to commuting I can sort of see why they might worry but honestly you'll be fine. I have a 90 min commute into London and have been pregnant twice, both times working up to 38 weeks, without any problems. People tend to be good at offering seats on trains and walking around London isn't much different to walking anywhere else really. It's only tube journeys I found hard work but certainly doable.
Just give yourself plenty of time so you don't have to rush and leave before you start feeling too tired as travelling home can be tiring at the best of times. Enjoy your Christmas lunch :-)

I got the train to Brussels and was fine! Just be assertive in asking people for a seat x

I'm 33 weeks and commute from Leeds to London once per week on the train. I will keep doing this for another 2-3 weeks. I will also be going down to London for my christmas lunch when i will be 37 weeks. The train journey is long and getting more uncomfortable, but i dont think anything about it is dangerous. If i get any signs that labour could be imminent i just wont go.

Eh?

I work in London and commute 40 mins into it each day - and did so even whilst 37 weeks pregnant??

Millions of women do the same everyday as you can imagine?!

Make sure you reserve a seat and plan your route to the restaurant or get a taxi if you need to.

But at 29 weeks I don’t really understand the issue as you won’t even be that big

PS i flew to canada for a business trip at 28 weeks and went to brussels at 30 weeks.

I can't quite believe what I have just read. It will be fine. Your family is being ridiculous. Many pregnant women will be doing a similar commute daily.

To put it in perspective at the end of my second trimester, I had to "commute" to the US for some meetings...

You're going up for lunch - a 50 minute journey and a 12 minute walk, so let's say you need to be there by 12.30. That means leaving at around 11.15. Which is not rush hour!

You will be fine.

And as you won't be pissed up on your journey home, again, you'll be fine!

Enjoy it.

Yep, another one here who commutes 2 hours to London daily (and back) and did it for two pregnancies up to 38 and 36 weeks respectively.

Your family sound OTT!

I do sometimes wonder what people who don't live in London think people who do live in London do, and how we manage to go about our daily lives!

It sounds like your family is just worried about you. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Of course you will need to take care. In December, it's cold and the ground might be slippery.

You should definitely go and enjoy your lunch. You will have lots of fun. I have a feeling I might know your journey direction (I'm also in West Sussex) and the trains are far from busy during the day. You will definitely get a seat. They will be busier in the evening at rush hour, so if you want a relaxed journey home, I'd leave the restaurant before the after-work rush.

I travelled from Manchester to Edinburgh (Scotland) a about 3 times in my 3rd trimester. The journey was just over 3 hours and I was fine. My always used to say to me to be careful. Just in general tho like watch urself when getting on/off trains etc.. that's probably what everyone means when there asking you to be careful. Just to watch out for urself

Was 35 weeks and commuted into london for a show at t he 02. Was fine was offered a seat on the train and the tube spent the morning walking round Westfield's was absolutely fine. Have a nice christmas meal xx

Does it count as a commute for a one off journey??

If you're worried about getting a seat on the train, you could apply online for a baby on board badge with TFL now. Might make you less anxious if you knew you were guaranteed a seat.

Another one here who commuted to London every day - an hour in and an hour out. I started working from home at 30w due to severe SPD but otherwise my commute was just fine and if I didn't have debilitating pelvic pain - I would have continued until 38w. That being said, I didn't enjoy tube in the rush hour so when I started getting bigger I either walked (15min) or took taxi to work. It wasn't so much the crowd as it was the stuffiness that bothered me in the tube. You're only coming in for a day - you'll be just fine.

I would avoid rush hour, particularly depending on station - I was commuting an hour into central London until 36 weeks but I was going through Oxford Circus at rush hour and actually it was at times really frightening - people pushing and crushing each other trying to get in down sometimes slippery steps, I had people hit me in the bump more than once. So they are not totally mad to be fair and while yes lots of women do it all the time it does depend quite a bit on what station you are talking about.

If it's a really busy London station like Oxford Circus or similar, I would just make sure you are getting out of there by about 4. Then you will be totally fine (and do ask for a seat on the train if you need one and no one offers).

Even if worst comes to worst - I stood up in a crowded sweltering hot doorway of a train for 4.5 hours at 39 weeks pregnant and was absolutely fine.
I also tripped getting off the train and everyone stepped over me 🙄😂
You won’t die