Long weekend away at 37 weeks?

[MadamRosmerta]

My DH and I have been talking about getting away for a long weekend before the baby's born, I am currently 30 weeks pregnant. I am planning on starting maternity leave at 37 weeks, (using up my (21 days!) annual leave first before maternity leave officially kicks in). The thing is that I am so busy at work, especially getting everything sorted before I go, that I feel bad taking leave before I go in 7 weeks time.

So I'm thinking of going away the weekend after I start maternity leave, but I'll be 37 weeks (almost 38!). I've had a very easy pregnancy up to this point, but I have also never been pregnant before and have no idea if I will be saying the same thing by then! I wouldn't go anywhere more than 3 hours drive away, and would stay in the UK.

Is this a good or crazy idea?! Will I regret it? Should I just go earlier? Also, timings-wise, the weekend I'm looking at is at the beginning of September which might be easier to find somewhere/not be as busy as schools will be starting back?

Go earlier, go as soon as you can - hotels are open now. The sooner you go the more physically comfortable you will be and the more you'll be able to enjoy it.

Work is really not going to fall apart if you take a few days off, is it?!

I'm 36+4 and have felt horrendous for the last 2 or 3 weeks with sickness, diarrhoea, cramps, backache, swelling, fatigue and heartburn etc so couldn't imagine going away anyway.

Other women are absolutely fine right up until birth though.

I, personally, wouldn't book anything, I would just get a last minute thing nearer the time when you know if you feel up to it...and even then I would have my hospital bag in the car, OH would be banned from drinking and i wouldn't want to be more than an hours drive away.

*anywhere

On the flip side i feel great and I'm 39 weeks Saturday ! I could easily have gone away at 37 weeks for a nice weekend away.
Book something with free cancellation or something and you can always cancel if you don't feel up to it closer to the time.

On the flip side i feel great and I'm 39 weeks Saturday ! I could easily have gone away at 37 weeks for a nice weekend away.
Book something with free cancellation or something and you can always cancel if you don't feel up to it closer to the time.

At what would have been 37 weeks I had been at home with the baby, having been in hospital for a week.
Go now, even if it’s only for a weekend.

Crazy! But had my first at 37 weeks second at 35 weeks so this could be an eventful weekend!

I went away in a caravan at 37 weeks and it was fine. Nice to get away and relax for a while, just the two of us and the dog. I had the baby the following weekend so a bit early. Everyone is different, if you feel comfortable then go. Just take your notes and possible a condensed version of your hospital bag. Any niggles and head straight home.

Even if you've had a great pregnancy, your baby could still come early - remember that anything from 37 weeks counts as full term. Both mine were born at 35 weeks. I'd say take a couple of days of than annual leave and have your weekend away now.

But if you do decide to go somewhere at 37 weeks, go somewhere near a hospital you would be happy to give birth at, and much, much closer to home than 3 hours away, and take the car seat and your hospital/ baby bag (and of course have your hospital notes with you at all times). If the baby is born while you are away, you are not going to want to do a long drive home with a tiny infant and having just given birth yourself. Also, if the baby had to spend time in NICU or stay in hospital for days, where would you stay? Would friends or family be able to get to you to support you?

Instead, is there a nice posh hotel in or near your home town and instead of going "away" you could stay for a couple of nights of pampering, room service or nice restaurant meals, etc, but still near where you want to give birth?

No one can tell, sorry, OP! My DD went into breach around that time - I couldn’t sit, stand, lie down, walk

Others felT great and maybe you will too. But I’d rather book it earlier or wait till last minute and book at 36 weeks if you’re constrained by time.

How will you get there? You’ll need to take you hospital bag and maternity notes with you.

I have a holiday booked for a week at 36 weeks. I figure it's no major issue if I have to cancel and it's only 90 minutes from home (and less to the hospital). No point in being negative and planning to be bored out of my brain sitting at home.
Go for it, but be chill with the fact you might not make it so don't pay for something that lacks a cancellation policy :-)

I had DD at 35 weeks so I will be staying very close to home next time, I would go much sooner if you can!

On a different note I would double check what may happen if your baby is early. It could be that your maternity leave will have to start and if you can't carry over your annual leave it will be lost.

If this is the case I would be taking leave from 34/35 weeks in case your baby comes at 37/38 weeks. Yes you might br late and "lose" 3 weeks of maternity leave at the other end but you might find you don't!

@Girlswithflowers

On a different note I would double check what may happen if your baby is early. It could be that your maternity leave will have to start and if you can't carry over your annual leave it will be lost.

If this is the case I would be taking leave from 34/35 weeks in case your baby comes at 37/38 weeks. Yes you might br late and "lose" 3 weeks of maternity leave at the other end but you might find you don't!

You can't lose annual leave if you have your baby early, your employer has to let you carry it over.