When would you stop staying away from home?

rp-chicago-mom · June 2012

My parents live an hour and a half from me and we go there to visit from time to time because they live near the beach. The hospital closest to them is terrible and the next closest isn't too bad but they do not have a NICU. When would you stop visiting? I was thinking my birthday weekend is around the 20th of July and I will be 34 weeks.

My sister thinks I am being paranoid. If we had to drive back to the hospital, I guess we're only an hour and a half away without traffic but if it were a PTL emergency, I would imagine every minute counts. And who wants to be stuck in traffic in labor?

ajoycrane · June 2012

We are invited to a wedding at the end of July (I will be 36 weeks) and we are not going. It's about 2.5 hours from my hospital and 1 hour from any hospital period, not to mention the closest one is not in our insurance network. It's a crock, but better safe than sorry! I know I'm paranoid and odds are nothing will happen that early, but you never know...I wouldn't be able to enjoy myself because I'd be so uncomfortable and anxious. Do what's comfortable for you, but I'd probably stop visiting around that time as well.

ajoycrane · June 2012

oh yikes, sorry to bombard your post with that huge picture! didn't know it was so big.

gracie__r · June 2012

My mom lives 3 hours away, and we'll be visiting her when I am about 36 weeks. That is the last trip I am planning. My dad is about an hour and a half away, and if I was feeling okay, I wouldn't have a problem going up to see him all the way up until my due date. Three hours I think is a bit far, but I can labor an hour and a half in a car if need be.

triagain2 · June 2012

My family lives 5 hours away and I am going at 37 weeks for my baby shower. I will be taking my toddler 23 month old as well. When I was pregnant with my son I drove 4 hours away to the Florida Keys and went snorkeling and beaching 3 days before I had him.

In my mind, I would just get into the car if I felt contractions at all. I'm more nervous to leave earlier in the pregnancy then at the end. I can labor in the car initially, it will help pass the time.

(It might help that my dh is a physician and I was a labor nurse. )

mindymaske · June 2012

1.5 hour drive isn't very far, when you consider at first the contrax are sporatic and not regular, if you start having any then just leave, you'll have plenty of time

allardr · June 2012

triagain2:
(It might help that my dh is a physician and I was a labor nurse. )

Haha yah I'd say that helps calm your nerves. As a FTM I'm being extra careful and I'd say stick around home. Besides I've heard sitting in a car not being able to switch positions doesn't make contractions fun so although you could drive back it would probably be a long ride if you went into labor. We got invited to a wedding when I'll be 39 weeks (obviously that's way later than your case) and it's 14 hours away so needless to say we'll be skipping that wedding.

triagain2 · June 2012

yeah if you labor at home for a long time and get into the car, its probably the worst part for many women because of the inability to change postitions, but if you feel a few regular contractions and then get into the car when its still really early ( it might not even be labor). I did this for 12 hours the frist time before they got really intense. I definitely would not go 14 hours away though.

Daniellekrista · June 2012

I headed to rural Oklahoma in the newt few weeks. We're talking third-world-country Oklahoma and my MW said it was fine. Its a 7 hour drive and she said if I had contractions, just to head back.

DemoDoll · June 2012

Dh's family planned a camping trip the weekend of July 30th, only 4-5 days before I'm due. It's a 2.5-3 hour drive and we would be camping....so no A/C or mattress. I said hell to the no and they don't understand why I won't consider it.

I would probably stop taking 1.5 hour trips at about 37-38 weeks. Just ask your doctor. One thing to remember is that you should probably stop half way into the trip to get out and stretch your legs and walk around.

JulySpark05 · June 2012

mindymaske:
1.5 hour drive isn't very far, when you consider at first the contrax are sporatic and not regular, if you start having any then just leave, you'll have plenty of time

This! I had DD at 38weeks 5days so for me, the cutoff point would probably be 38 weeks but most FTM go into labor after their due date so I wouldn't worry about it.

hooslisa · June 2012

we have a shower 2 hours away from our hospital when i'll be almost 37 weeks. we're going and, as of now, i'm not concerned about it. i'm pretty sure the process (labor) is going to take more than two hours. if i start to feel funny when we're there, i'd make the call to come back home, but i think we're safe (famous last words).

vickyluvssteve · June 2012

After 36 weeks, my insurance company (I have an HMO) won't pay for deliveries that are out of network, so that's when I'm going to hunker down.

Bemyselfandi · June 2012

Most women for their first baby labor for a while. If you start laboring while you're visiting, you have plenty of time to get to YOUR hospital. Even if you're questioning yourself, just leave. No biggie.

TravelSnob · June 2012

We have a family reunion at a camp ground 3 hours away from my home (and hospital). We're going as long as we get the go ahead from the doctor before (he wrote the date down and will do a cervix check before I leave).

My only issue is having DH stay sober in case I start having contractions and need to leave!

mamahawk12 · June 2012

After August 1st I'll be staying put - I'll be a little over 37 weeks. An hour and a half really isn't bad, I believe some women on this board live that far from their hospital as it is.

rp-chicago-mom · June 2012

My goal is to labor at home as long as possible. I realize I would not have the baby on the skyway if I had to make that drive, I would just prefer not to have to go home then back out to the hospital. Also my mother makes me crazy. I see these posts about people who want their moms with them in L&D and shudder thinking of it. I get that many of you mist have wonderfully supportive mothers but this is not my mother. She is very anxious and would make me anxious if she were around while we assembled ourselves to go home to labor or head to the hospital. It's just something I'd like to avoid of possible. The drive could also take more than two hours with construction/weekend traffic. Lots of FIPS (effing Illinois people) spend the weekend out there.

pixieprincss · June 2012

With it just 1.5 hours away, I wouldn't limit myself. That is still pretty close to home. Should some crisis come up, it isn't like babies aren't born at the hospital near them all the time, right? Also, if you were having a medical emergency, you wouldn't be sitting in traffic--you would be in an ambulance, no? Many people in rural areas live further than that from a hospital. You can set whatever boundary with your parents makes you comfortable, but I wouldn't think of this as any sort of medically necessary decision.

ufmelissa · June 2012

DH's family is throwing us a shower 3 hours away at the end of June and I'll be 36.5w. I'm not too worried about it. There are plenty of hospitals between here and there and as OPs have said, if I feel contrax we'll just get in the car and start driving back. That's the good (and bad) part of labor, you usually have plenty of time to prepare before the baby actually gets here.

EarsToYou · June 2012

We're going to a wedding that's 4 hours from home when I'll be 36 weeks. No big deal. I probably won't go farther than about 2 hours after that though. As several pp's have said, if you start feeling contractions just head home. It would be highly unlikely to have your first baby in that short of a time.

whitemocha7 · June 2012

My doc said to stay within 1 hour from my hospital starting at 36 weeks. I'm a FTM and don't want to take any chances, so I'm going to be saying no to a lot of people.

Reilly626 · June 2012

Now... They are an hour and 15 minutes.

punkrockabye · June 2012

We have nothing planned between now and delivery. Showers are done, family (5 hours away) has been seen for the last time before the kiddo is here.

We were going to drive to St. Louis on July 13 which I'd be 33 weeks, but we've decided to sell the tickets. Favorite band and all, and it would have been a great last trip with some friends, but it would be a 5 hour car ride; after 5 hours to and from our first shower (drove in on Friday night, came home Sunday), I was MISERABLE. My feet and legs were so swollen that it jiggled and felt like jello when I walked! I decided it would really, really not be the best idea at that point.

nikkivonnekro · June 2012

With my first I stopped traveling around 36 Weeks but with this one since she may be coming early I wont be going anywhere far.

CLeigh03 · June 2012

I'm in general not a very paranoid person but I'm 8 months pregnant. I'm sticking close to home

I plan on traveling a lot next summer to make up for it.

PaisleyRuth · June 2012

I debated going to visit family 8+ hours away at 35 weeks but decided against it - partly because managing my toddler (without DH) all that time would just completely wear me out. I'm also skipping my family's beach trip 4 hours away when I'm 37-38 weeks

. Rather bummed to miss both of those but I just think I shouldn't chance it, especially in case 2nd time labor goes way faster as it has for a lot of people I know. I also am not at all sure of the conception date - I didn't find out I was pregnant until almost 12 weeks (based solely on an ultrasound at that point after a positive pg test) - never had a period after DS was born.

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