Travel in the 3rd Tri

sschwege · October 2012

I'm just looking for personal experience or suggestions on this. Basically I know my ILs really want us to come for Thanksgiving this year (it was supposed to be their year for Christmas, but obviously that's not going to happen). We typically drive (about 4.5 hours if we don't stop, longer if we do), but I am thinking of taking the train this time, so I will be able to use the bathroom when I want, stretch out more and have DH's help with DD.

I asked my MW today what their recommendations were for travel in the 3 tri and she said other than across seas travel they don't have any strong opinions. I told her about our plans and she said, 'Just consider if your water breaks, what happens? Do they stop the train and let you get off, but then what?" I was like, OK what about driving, she said, that's fine just map out the hospitals along the way. She said she thinks it's unlikely I would deliver at 35 1/2 weeks, but said that just this week they had three women around 34 weeks have their water break, so she was like it can happen.

I guess I was expecting more encouragement, so now I'm nervous. I'm posting it here because I think you girls will understand more than the tri boards. I do NOT want to deliver at another hospital, I love my hospital and MWs, they are so pro-natural childbirth. I'm scared of the experience I might have at another hospital. But then I tell myself, I went to 40w3d with DD so the chances are I would not go before 36w with this one. Now I'm just rambling, thoughts? Oh and having Thanksgiving here is not an option and I'm even considering perhaps staying here and DH and DD can go. I don't know!

perplexed59 · October 2012

I would go by car. I traveled a lot in 3rd tri and usually 4-5 hour car trips. I would stop if I felt like I needed to. More often then not I could make it with one stop. That way if you do think you are going into labour you can head for home and not have to worry about train schedules. Was your first labour really quick? That would be the only thing that would hold me back is if you had a super quick labour and don't think you could make it back. I think being home alone would be scarier than having the baby at another hospital especially since you already have one. Worst case scenario you have the baby at another hospital, best case scenario you can to celebrate Thanksgiving with family.

msditz00 · October 2012

During my first pregnancy, I would have said travel til you don't feel like you'd be comfortable.

But then that pregnancy, which had no complications, resulted in my son being born at 34 weeks. So with my second pregnancy I was NOT willing to travel (he was born 2 days before his EDD, so I guess I could have!). I know I sound like a lunatic, but once you have a preemie you get a bit paranoid. I couldn't imagine the hospital experience without my midwife there the first time around. She kept me sane.

oliversmommy32912 · October 2012

perplexed59:
I would go by car. I traveled a lot in 3rd tri and usually 4-5 hour car trips. I would stop if I felt like I needed to. More often then not I could make it with one stop. That way if you do think you are going into labour you can head for home and not have to worry about train schedules. Was your first labour really quick? That would be the only thing that would hold me back is if you had a super quick labour and don't think you could make it back. I think being home alone would be scarier than having the baby at another hospital especially since you already have one. Worst case scenario you have the baby at another hospital, best case scenario you can to celebrate Thanksgiving with family.

This is pretty much exactly what I was going to say. Drive by car, turn around if things start to get iffy, but if you're expecting a quick labor I wouldn't go at all. Plus (and I know everyone is different) we went on a mini-road trip 2 hours away just for the day when I was 36 weeks and I was really really really uncomfortable being in the car that long. The baby was lodged in my ribs and kicking my bladder...it was pretty miserable. I won't be doing that again (plus my first labor was just over 4 hours and I started in active labor so if I do go more than 2 hours from home I may not make it back in time next time!)

AmyRI · October 2012

perplexed59:
I would go by car. I traveled a lot in 3rd tri and usually 4-5 hour car trips. I would stop if I felt like I needed to. More often then not I could make it with one stop. That way if you do think you are going into labour you can head for home and not have to worry about train schedules. Was your first labour really quick? That would be the only thing that would hold me back is if you had a super quick labour and don't think you could make it back. I think being home alone would be scarier than having the baby at another hospital especially since you already have one. Worst case scenario you have the baby at another hospital, best case scenario you can to celebrate Thanksgiving with family.

Another vote for exactly this.

Last time, I would have gone for sure. But my first labor was <8 hours, so this time I won't be going anywhere more than 2-3 hours away for the last 2 months. I'd say go, assuming your first labor was the usual 12+ hours.

sschwege · October 2012

I should have added that my first labor was definitely not short, 17.5 hours from first contraction to DD in my arms. So even if my labor this time is cut in half that still gives us 8 hours, which is plenty of time. Traveling that distance while in labor would be a nightmare as we all know, but I think the chances of me going into labor at all are pretty small.

Thanks for all your thoughtful replies and keep them coming!

chronoptomist · October 2012

I hope you drive something with a Lay-z-boy recliner in it. It's going to be so uncomfortable, no matter how many times you stop. And be ready to stop for your hourly pee, then having to stop 15 minutes later to go again. It gets so irritating. I'd stay at home and enjoy not having the stress of a big holiday.

nosoup4u · October 2012

I wouldn't worry about it, and just do it. That's weird she's concern trolling about PTL.

ncbelle · October 2012

Personally I wouldn't go. I had two very easy pregnancies and was never uncomfortable...unless I had to sit long periods. I actually cancelled two trips later in 3rd tri because of that. Is the train ride the same amount of time? I think that would be the most comfortable way to travel for the reasons you mention. And unless you have long stretches that don't involve stops/towns I wouldn't worry about the what happens if I go into labor scenario.

LollyBug18 · October 2012

Just this weekend I hit 35w while traveling in New York. We cut a 10+ hour drive down to a 2 hour flight and everything went great. And I was more than a little nervous about it because DD came at 37w. But my OB was supportive of it the entire time, gave me a copy of my prenatal records just in case, and I took along a few "just in case" items- a list of a few NB-friendly hospitals (as recommended to me by this board, you may remember my post, I don't know...), a couple baby outfits, my nursing cover and a ring sling for traveling back home with should baby come early. Oh, and we got flight insurance just in case we would have had to cancel, but, like I said, I had no problems the entire time and flying was soooo much better than a car ride would have been. I'd look into flying if you can.

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