Am I doing too much travelling 7 mths pregnant?

[wickedthemusical]

So me and my DP are not fully living together as we are in the process of buying a house and it is taking forever! He has a DS who he has 50-60% of the time and cause of the way his house is laid out and lack of bedrooms I am unable to stay with him all of the time, hence us buying a larger house.This means I will go over to DP's house Sunday which is an hour drive (40 miles) and stay until mid day Monday and travel back to where I am staying which is another hour. I will then go over to DP's house again Wednesday and leave a midday Friday with my drive being an hour each time.

I have told people this and they're saying I'm travelling too much being 7 mths pregnant. I have found driving okay but I am really struggling with walking around, I get extremely hot and dizzy and I have just been told I have low iron so I don't know if this is just a coincidence?

I also drive to the shops to get fuel, shopping and occasionally go in to the office which is an hour round trip.

Any feedback is appreciated, please tell me if I am being dramatic I understand people have to commute to London or abroad each day for their jobs and stuff but I'm just unsure if I should agree with the people who are telling me I am travelling too much or not!

It’s your call, surely, depending on how you feel, and what your GP/midwife advise? I had a weekly international commute throughout my pregnancy (until I could no longer fly at 36 weeks) that involved taking a three-hour bus journey, then a flight of an hour and a half, then 40 minutes on the train, then the tube, then the same in reverse 48 hours later. I felt ok on it., but everyone’s different.

4hrs driving over a week? That’s not much if you feel ok doing it. Can’t imagine why people are telling you it’s too much.

I wouldn’t listen to anyone else and just listen to your body. I don’t see the issue but then I do a 2 hour round trip to my office every day. And same at weekends to visit family. Last pregnancy work travel continued to 39 weeks and visiting until day before I went into Labour. Currently 38 weeks and continuing with both. Everyone has an opinion on everything - just do what feels ok to you

Nah your fine OP. You can make your own judgement. For example if at 9 months your legs can't reach the pedals, that's when I'd stop driving. I'm 5 days over due and driving roughly the same amount as you.

You’re fine

Although I’m baffled your partner doesn’t travel to you

He’s 50% free

Have you actually bought somewhere?

What’s going to happen in 2 months or possibly less when you have the baby?

Sounds fine? Obviously it depends on how you feel, but a lot of people do that everyday when commuting to work. I drove to work the week before I gave birth and felt fine. Don’t listen to people telling you how to feel, and get into that habit now as they’ll be more of that to come once the baby is here!

@lentilsforever

Have you actually bought somewhere?

What’s going to happen in 2 months or possibly less when you have the baby?

Yes we have bought, the people at the bottom of the chain are FTB that's why it is taking a while.

I'm hoping we will be moved in my then, if not we have an agreement where I will have to stay with family, not ideal but we didn't realise house buying times were so long at the moment. Have bought before and it took no time.

Thank you everyone, I thought it was fine I have podcasts that I listen to and I plan meals in my head when driving so I find it quite relaxing but it seems like everyone has an opinion when you get pregnant and they don't hesitate to tell you and then it sends you spiralling with worry!

Does he NEVER drive to you?

@lentilsforever

Does he NEVER drive to you?

No, I'm staying with my mother and only have a single bed while waiting to move in and he works long hours so if I wanted to spend a couple of hours with him in the evening it wouldn't be fair on him as he would get back late. especially if he has had his DS the night prior as DS wakes up at 4am every day and DP then has to work 7am-7pm it's not fair on him.

And he lives in a one bedroom?

An hour's drive is a morning commute for some people! As long as you feel fine doing it and your midwife or consultant has nothing against it, crack on.

@lentilsforever

And he lives in a one bedroom?

Yes, the house is just a temp house and DS is young. I wouldn't feel comfortable sharing a bedroom with them both, I am up most hours going to the toilet and it's not fair waking them up!

Goodness
I’m imagining you fell pregnant very quickly after meeting because this I fat from ideal - and it’s you that is having to pick up the slack

Hi op,

I know people have opinions on everything but its not like its out of nowhere studies like this www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1570677X17303131 have found links between long commutes 50+ miles daily for work and an increased likelihood of poorer outcomes.

However, this research is correlational, not causal so there's no certainty that long commutes cause poorer outcomes just an association.

In your case, you're not commuting above the 50-mile threshold and it's not a 5-day commute so it doesn't apply to you.

Trust your body if it feels fine it most likely is, if you begin to feel exhausted by it then you can stop then.

Every woman is different for example some women lift heavy weights, or do elite level sports right up until birth, whereas others have to stay in hospital on bedrest or no physical activity regime

@lentilsforever

Goodness I’m imagining you fell pregnant very quickly after meeting because this I fat from ideal - and it’s you that is having to pick up the slack

Yes, was far sooner than we had planned. I had been told my fertility was affected due to a medical issue so we were just starting to speak about saving for fertility treatment in the next couple of years. I suddenly am going about my every day business, realise I have sore boobs which is weird as I have not had that before thought nothing of it. I was away with a friend on holiday and she told me she had a pregnancy scare so she wanted to take a test with me so I could be there with her, she asked if I would do one too so she wasn't on her own, I thought nothing of it (a bottle of wine down) took the test and a positive! Had the shock of my life as I had had a period 'bleed' a week before. My periods had stopped so was surprised by the bleed but thought it was my body letting me know it is getting better.

If you feel fine you can keep to your usual routine. Increasing your iron levels will make you feel a lot better.

People kept on at me about continuing lifting in the gym at past 35wk, I did have spd but I was only doing 50% of pre-pregnancy weights on bigger lifts by that point so not pushing myself too hard. I only stopped because baby got really low in my pelvis and it became too uncomfortable.