would you travel at 34 weeks?

[charlie_lael]

We were thinking of driving to see family at around the 34w mark of my pregnany for christmas, but the longer i think about it the more it sounds like a bad idea. It's a 17hr drive so wed habe to take a lot of breaks, but even then I know being in the car a lot can set off contractions. This is my second baby, my DS was born a week early after a week long prodromal labor. Im starting to get nervous that being in the car that long will start off contractions and ill have another long prodromal labor.

And then there's the driver back a couple weeks later which would put me back in the car at 36w. I have really easy pregnancies and am really healthy, but my experience with prodromal labor has me put off from driving that long.

Do you think I'm overreacting and it would be ok? Would you personally drive that long at 34w and 36w? Id like to visit my family for christmas, but dont want to deliver in the car. Lol

 

[jessmke]

I will be travelling to see family at 34 weeks (leaving tomorrow actually!) but I am flying and it is only a 1 hr flight. I'm not sure I would go for that long of a drive but mostly just because I would get really uncomfortable! Could you go for a shorter visit so you're not driving back at 36 weeks?

 

[justplay91]

I'm 34 weeks right now... And honestly there's no way I would be willing to sit in a car for nearly that long! I would be soooo uncomfortable!

 

[Spudtastic]

I did a five hour drive at 34w but I'd be reluctant to drive 17 hours. Is there a flight you could catch?

 

[charlie_lael]

Unfortunately a flight would take just as long cus we'd being going to canada and would need to go through customs.

 

[Al Syr]

I did during my second pregnancy. My doctor said "just make sure you knew where the nearest hospital is". It was a 14 hour road trip, went there came back no problems and it was so nice to get away and relax one last time before baby arrived. This time we traveled sooner because we had an event to attend while 16/17 weeks. If we could have chosen travel time and not due to an event I think I would have chosen to travel late 2nd trimester or well into 3rd.

 

[Cmcxx]

.

 

[winterbabies3]

I just did a 18 hr drive at 23 weeks and don't think I could have done it any later. We did stop ALOT and snacks were the best part but I was just really uncomfortable.

 

[Qmama79]

My water broke unexpectedly at 36 weeks, so that wld be a no-go for me fr sure. Depends on yr mindset. If you feel comfortable delivering elsewhere, go for it. If you have a lot of anxiety at the thought of it, I would not do it.

You can always opt to visit once baby is here ...

 

[mattison]

I just got back from a week-long trip, and we drove about 14-16 hours each way. Definitely a little uncomfortable, but overall I did fine and it was nice to see family one last time.

My doctor also just told me to be sure of the hospitals nearby and to take frequent breaks and drink lots of water.

Everyone was joking that I'd have the baby on the side of the road. But one thing I thought about was that with my other two boys I went overdue two weeks with both, so I have a feeling I will be overdue with this one also. Perhaps that was a small factor?

Anyways, the trip was fine for me, but obviously that is no guarantee for anyone else

 

[MindUtopia]

I wouldn't. I had my daughter at 37 weeks and the thought of being so far from home and unable to make it back if anything were to happen earlier would be just too stressful for me. Plus, sitting in a car that much at that point in your pregnancy is terrible for baby's positioning (had a breech baby until 34 weeks and she was back to back at birth), so I would want to be encouraging ideal positioning at that point. I would either ask family to visit me (assuming they're well) or make a plan to visit later when baby is here.