Long road trips during 3rd tri?

chillyupnorth

For you ladies who already have children...

My MIL decided that we should all go on a road trip to a place 10 hrs away to attend a cousin's HS graduation this spring when I will be 31 weeks along. I tried to explain that my going will depend on how the pregnancy is going and how I feel. In all actuality, I'm really not planning on going because it will be a 10 hr trip done in one day, stay for a day, and then 10 hrs back. I feel sort of bad saying that I won't go because hubs is really close to the uncle we're going to see, and he is planning to go for sure. On the other hand, I sort of resent being treated like I'm 15 and don't have a choice (...oh, and not pregnant), and almost don't want to go out of stubbornness.

I guess my question is this: Is it wise to travel for that long in a car with limited movement, or to be that far from my OB at that point? I'm planning to ask my OB but I just wondered if any of you had any advice.

TIA! 

Matt Dvorak

I think you'd have to stop a lot to move around (and to pee!), but I think that it can be done. My dr. said I could travel up to 36 weeks.

snoopy3319

I would just think it's a lot of bathroom trips and tons of snacks to plan for. It might actually make the other people along for the ride more miserable to have you go. You'll need the extra room to spread out and to stop for breaks constantly. I wouldn't go, and I wouldn't feel bad about it. As for being far away from my OB, that wouldn't matter to me much.

tourqeyes

I will be traveling 5 hours to Virginia when I am 30+ weeks pregnant. Not as far, but I will be doing it on my own and have to for work. Good luck!

JenJune3

I think you may be too uncomfortable for that, also you just never know what can happen in the pregnancy either! When I was pregnant with DD I started dilating at 27 weeks and wasn't allowed to go more than an hour away from home just in case!

amdraza

snoopy3319:

I would just think it's a lot of bathroom trips and tons of snacks to plan for. It might actually make the other people along for the ride more miserable to have you go. You'll need the extra room to spread out and to stop for breaks constantly. I wouldn't go, and I wouldn't feel bad about it. As for being far away from my OB, that wouldn't matter to me much.

This. It would be one thing if YOU were driving (therefore could stop whenever you like), but I would hate to be at the mercy of someone else, unless they had no problem stopping on your schedule no matter how frequent.

Monsieur_et_Madame_Ha

We drove to VA Beach (13 hour drive + all the stops) when I was 32 weeks pregnant with DD. As per my Dr's instructions, we stopped every 2 hours or so and I wore support stocking for the drive (saxxxxxxy I tell ya!). But other than that, it was just another road trip, nothing special. Of course, every pregnancy is different and there's no way I would commit to such a long trip until a few weeks before.

Annnnnd we stayed in VA for a week. Not just one night. i definitely wouldn't be thrilled if I were in your shoes, pregnant or not. Is there any way you can turn that into a mini vacation? Your baby moon, perhaps?

lob

I wanted to take a 7-8 hour road trip between LA and San Francisco at 34/35 weeks, and my ob said no.  I have to fly.  I think she was particularly concerned because there are not a lot of hospitals between the two areas.

 

 

chillyupnorth

amdraza:

This. It would be one thing if YOU were driving (therefore could stop whenever you like), but I would hate to be at the mercy of someone else, unless they had no problem stopping on your schedule no matter how frequent.

THIS is exactly part of why I'm not excited. My FIL is going to be driving and he is the "pee out the window because I'm not stopping" type. The only thing that might save me is if my SIL and her kids take the trip with us in a separate vehicle and have to stop frequently so the kids can have a pee break/diaper change. Still not thrilled though.

Thanks for all of the great advice everyone! 

4realyo

With my first pregnancy I did a 7 hr trip at 33 weeks and didnt really have a problem. It was also by myself so I drove the whole time and it was just for a weekend -- the biggest complaint was lower back pain from the driving. I guess it depends on if you really want to go or not. At 31 weeks you're not so huge that its that bad.

hsunij

i wouldnt go. Too long, for such a short trip and with how many others in the car? Sounds like it would just be so uncomfortable.

chillyupnorth

hsunij:

i wouldnt go. Too long, for such a short trip and with how many others in the car? Sounds like it would just be so uncomfortable.

4 of us in a family-size sedan. Yeesh. 

lovely40

You couldn't pay me enough to go on that trip! It sounds like pure misery!

Kondasa

At 33 weeks I am planning a week long vaca to south caroline with a 10 hour car ride (DH will be driving). I think something like that doesn't seem so bad to me because it is for a week of laying by the pool and relaxing... but for one day... no it isn't worth the travel.

MEANT2BE+3

I had a really bad experience in my 1st pregnancy when making about an 11 hour car ride for my Grandfather's funeral, and I was around 32 weeks at the time.  I started having cramping and spotting during the car ride there.  I had to go to the hospital and everything checked out fine with baby and me, and was told to rest which I did until it was time to go home.  But on the way home, after just an hour of driving in the car I began spotting and cramping again.  This time I had to stay overnight in the hospital we stopped at and I was given orders to fly the rest of the way home.  It was awful, my hubby had to leave me at the airport and drive all the way back home alone and come pick me up at the airport hours later. 

We actually had been planning on going to visit family about 12 hours away after the kids get out of school mid May this year, but since I will be just beginning my 3rd trimester I am petrified to make such a long journey like that again pregnant. Chances are things would probably be fine, but I just don't want to take any chances.