Advice please! Travelling at 34 weeks

[thismotherhoodthing]

I'm after some friendly advice. I'm currently 31 weeks pregnant and supposed to be travelling to attend a wedding where I will be 34 and a half weeks. I'd always planned to go, assuming I would feel fine and was looking forward to going.

However after speaking to my midwife she's given me some food for thought and I now feel quite worried about going. For context I live in Northumberland and the wedding is in Cornwall - we will need to fly and then hire a car to do a 3 hour drive. Otherwise it would be a 9-10 hour drive. It's a a 3 night trip.

My main worries are obviously the distance and being so far from home, as well as just getting overtired. Since I got to 28/29 weeks everything seems more exhausting and I've been to some full day events recently and felt like death the following day. As we're flying I can't take things with me like pregnancy pillow etc and not sure how comfortable the accommodation will be.

My main worries about not going are that I will obviously miss out, it's a close friend and I feel bad not going, also we will lose money as flights etc are paid for. I can just imagine sitting at home wondering why I didn't go. I've told my friend (bride) the situation and she was understanding but feel like I really need to give her a decision at this point.

Added complication is that I have a scan a week before the date as I have placenta previa so may be told I can't travel at that point!

Any advice or words of encouragement?!

It's your own choice but if it helps I'm just on my way home from 4 days away at MotoGP (a big event)

I was in hospital on Wednesday for threatened labour stayed in for a day as was having contractions every 5 minutes for 8 hours but no cervix change at 34+5 once I was discharged I spoke to the midwife and the lead doctor about where I was going and for how long etc, they told me to go and enjoy but to take all my hospital bits (baby bag, car seat, notes etc) they were not concerned at all.

I'm now on my way home (still no baby) and 60k steps later it was fine if not a little tiresome but I feel good for going!

I took covid precautions, continued to wear a mask and social distance where possible and we had a plan if I was to go into labour!

I say go and enjoy but do what you feel comfortable with

:)

@alltheeights

It's your own choice but if it helps I'm just on my way home from 4 days away at MotoGP (a big event)

I was in hospital on Wednesday for threatened labour stayed in for a day as was having contractions every 5 minutes for 8 hours but no cervix change at 34+5 once I was discharged I spoke to the midwife and the lead doctor about where I was going and for how long etc, they told me to go and enjoy but to take all my hospital bits (baby bag, car seat, notes etc) they were not concerned at all.

I'm now on my way home (still no baby) and 60k steps later it was fine if not a little tiresome but I feel good for going!

I took covid precautions, continued to wear a mask and social distance where possible and we had a plan if I was to go into labour!

I say go and enjoy but do what you feel comfortable with

:)

@alltheeights how far away was the MotoGP? I think if I was going to more easily accessible location it might feel more doable but from where I live there are fewer places more difficult to get to really. I actually think it would be easier to go abroad!

@mummyh2016

Can you travel over 2 days rather than 1 and split the journey up? I'd rather drive than fly in your condition especially as it means you can then tar everything you need plus your hospital bag.

I can't really as I the wedding is on a weekday so I would have to take more time off work and I've already taken everything I can (the rest I need for the few days before my due date). The midwife actually seemed more concerned about me driving and sitting still for such long periods of time than she did about flying. I've done the drive in the past and with traffic/stops it can be around 11 hours so it would have to be over two days if we were to drive

I went on a 300 miles trip to visit my sister when I was just over 36 weeks, we stayed for 3 nights. I just took the car seat, my notes and an emergency bag just in case. It was fine and I really enjoyed a final weekend away, I overdid it a bit walking around a big city one of the days which wasn’t that smart bit otherwise I was fine. I just took a nice big pillow for the car and snoozed🙂

I’d do it. But that’s me. Ultimately you need to decide what you want. As others have said, from a safety perspective chances are you’ll be fine. It sounds as if you still have doubts though, if you’re not happy to be going or feel anxious or just have that feeling in your gut that you’d rather not that you’re absolutely within your rights to just stay at home x

Trust your gut, it’s far, it’s later stages of pregnancy. Without Covid it would be an ask: yep some would manage it fine others would struggle. A friend would be disappointed but also understand.

You know you and what you feel like now and it’s a couple of weeks away so you may feel more tired/sore etc as time goes on.

Also taking into consideration the risk of Covid is high in that location ( even for double vaccinated delta changed the game on catching an infection) it plays a risk not only with your health but also your birth plan. Also you are sharing accommodation which is another risk. Yes others are happy with this but I’m not sure I’d want to risk it to be honest.

At the end of the day only you can decide.

@DiscoDown21

Trust your gut, it’s far, it’s later stages of pregnancy. Without Covid it would be an ask: yep some would manage it fine others would struggle. A friend would be disappointed but also understand.

You know you and what you feel like now and it’s a couple of weeks away so you may feel more tired/sore etc as time goes on.

Also taking into consideration the risk of Covid is high in that location ( even for double vaccinated delta changed the game on catching an infection) it plays a risk not only with your health but also your birth plan. Also you are sharing accommodation which is another risk. Yes others are happy with this but I’m not sure I’d want to risk it to be honest.

At the end of the day only you can decide.

@DiscoDown21 thanks - this is good advice

I’d go. Just take your hospital bag and notes.

Please check with your airline.

Loganair require a fit to travel letter from 28 weeks of pregnancy. British Airways recommend you carry a letter stating your due date but don't absolutely require one. None of them will let you travel after 35 weeks.

Tbh no Covid or no Covid the 3 hour car journey alone would put me off at 34 weeks.