Do I stop going out near to due date?

[Anonymouslyconercned]

bit unsure … due soon and making plans with friends to do things like meet for coffee, or go their house for dinner etc. also doing things on my own like shopping for last minute baby bits, Xmas presents etc.
not sure though whether it’s ok to be doing it all on my own, or better yet, whether I should I actually be doing any of it at all, so close to due date? In my head I just keep thinking baby could be 2 weeks late so why stop making plans now …. But also getting worried about being in the shopping centre, waters go, and can’t get home! No idea what people do at this stage whether they just stay home but I go crazy sitting in all day… partner is really busy as well so often out and about so I do end up doing a lot on my own! …. Would like to know other people’s experiences if possible….. might then need to cancel some plans if the census is that I should be at home! 🤣 x

God no! Go out while you can and take the smallest bag with you when you do 😂😂

Just take your hospital bag and notes with you if you're going far from home. You can't stay in the house for two weeks, and you should keep moving to get your labour going anyway.

First births usually take a while, you'll probably know when the baby is coming fairly far in advance.

It’s wise to carry your notes with you in late pregnancy but otherwise you can go about your life as normal! It’s only in films that women suddenly go into labour as their waters break with a gush. Most women will have signs of early labour before this, eg your mucus plug
coming away, and the latent stage can be long, especially for a first baby.

Seriously though, I went out every day on mat leave before DS arrived. A nice long walk, met friends, went shopping. It was lovely. I also went on an (accidental) five mile walk, alone, in the dark, at 41 weeks, the day before DS arrived because I got lost 🙈🙈

Enjoy the freedom whilst it lasts. Obviously don't overdo it, and rest when you need to, but now is the time to soak up lovely child free times whilst you can. People will be understanding if you need to cancel plans at short notice either because baby puts in an early arrival or you just don't feel up to it.

Definitely don't stop going out, you'll go stir crazy! It rarely starts all dramatically with waters gushing all over the place like on TV. I went out for dinner an hour away a week overdue and with contractions. Next day my waters broke (I just felt a trickle) whilst looking at cars.

As long as you feel OK i would just go about my life as usual, just make sure to carry your baby notes in your handbag and maybe have the baby bag in the car. If you're unsure you could always see if a friend could come with you etc. Even if your waters did break it's unlikely baby would be born before someone could get you to hospital so id try to to dwell on that too much.

@KindaDefinitelyMaybe we have got to stop meeting like this 😂

You've got me reminiscing about those few weeks now. DS was born end of January so it was cold and dark early. I'd have a leisurely breakfast, go out for a few hours, do some housework and have some lunch then watch crappy films on the sofa with candles lit and the fire on. Those were lovely relaxing days!!

@WhenRobinsAreNear 😂😂🥰🥰

Keep going out, enjoy the freedom while you can!

If you go into labour you’re likely to have plenty of time to realise what’s happening, phone your partner, make your way home etc.

Yes, as others have said, keep getting out. It's rare for first labours to happen very quickly and suddenly, it's much more likely that things will build up gradually so you'll get some warning.

Thank you ladies lol no cancelling of the plans then that’s good as I got my Xmas decs to buy tomorrow lol!!!
I definitely think the films have scared me thibking that waters will go and I’ll be birthing baby on the floor in next or something lol….

If you feel ok, no problem in going out and about. Just have your notes with you and maybe hospital bag in the car (if you drive)? I went into labour at 37+6 and for the two days beforehand i was unreasonably exhausted (to the point where on one day i had a nap after breakfast! 🤣) so you might find if labour is getting close, you don't feel like doing much anyway!

Currently 39+4 and making sure I get out the house somewhere everyday. Even if it's a walk round the block, a browse round the shops or coffee with a friend. I still end up in the house for the rest of the day so need to get out at some point. In terms of waters going in public etc like others have said it's actually unlikely that labour will start that way (only 5-10% do) so im just carrying a maternity pad in my bag incase i'm out and they go I should be able to get home with that (obviously being on a walk with no toilet access is different but oh well 😂)

I drove me and DH to a shopping centre 2 hours away when I was 10 days overdue….keep going out until the bitter end!!

Absolutely keep doing stuff. Sitting around doing nothing is the worst, it’s not very often labour happens quickly anyway, you’d have plenty of time to finish whatever you’re doing, if it’s your first I think the average labour is around 14 hours.

It’s not only in movies that a huge gush of waters is the first sign of labour, and the baby is suddenly there a few hours later (happened to me). But it didn’t stop me going out! I was I’m at the cinema and out for dinner a few days before DS arrived.

the only thing that stopped me going out alone towards the end was the size of my bump - I couldn’t get behind the steering wheel and still reach the pedals, and we lived somewhere where you had to drive to go anywhere.

I came on to say this about it not being like on TV

With mine they started off with period pain that gradually got worse over time, with my first DC he was born in his sac so my waters didnt break and with my DD my waters broke when her head was nearly out

I was test driving an E Class Merc at 7 days overdue.. DD was born the next day

I've had two, currently pregnant with number 3... in your shoes I'd just carry on as usual!

I drove myself an hour from home (and an hour back) around my due date with my second. I also booked a ticket to go to an event a few days after I was due (drove myself 30 minutes from home and attended alone), because I was overdue with my first and suspected I'd be overdue again. I was 100% right not to put everything on hold, I would have just been bored and stressed! I was still out and about at 41 + weeks with both of them, up until latent labour started and I wanted to "nest and rest" at home, mostly due to lack of sleep because my labours start very slow and steady, my latent phase takes a while and stops/starts, usually at night! Hoping that pattern changes with my third, but I'm not counting on it!

Having said all of the above, I would advise to perhaps be a little mindful of who you make plans with (or form a strategy) if you arrange to meet people around your due date/if you go overdue... purely because you don't want to have to tell someone you're in labour and then potentially be pestered for updates on your labour/delivery status!

I mean it CAN start with the waters breaking just like on TV. My second at 38 weeks (thankfully I was at home) there was a little pop and then it felt like weeing myself and it just carried on and on. There was a huge puddle on the kitchen floor and it just didn't stop coming. I just had to give into it and stand there like a lemon for ten minutes making a right old mess.

So yes definitely do carry on going out and about. I did stick more to outdoor places though after I was overdue!

Oh I went to the cinema blissfully alone a few days before my first was born. I was the only person there. It was wonderful.

Seriously, get out and do nice grown up things.

There used to be stories of people being given money if they went into labour in various high street shops, so I was in town every day the last few weeks.
It didn't work sadly.

I was wandering around B&M by myself at 41 + 4, the day before my induction was booked. I couldn't cope with doing nothing any longer. I didn't really think anything of it, I figured I wasn't far from home and there were loads of people around if I needed help.