Traveling at 37 weeks

makaylaroland · November 2015

Hi all. My husband is coming home from deployment soon, he was supposed to be home when I would be 36 weeks but it got pushed back a few days and I'll technically be 37 weeks by then. I talked to my dr and she said no flying but I could go by car. It's about a 12 hour drive but we would do half of it one day and the rest the next. Obviously id pull over and walk around every 2 hours while staying super hydrated. My whole pregnancy has been SUPER easy but this is my first baby and my husband has told me not to worry about coming and I'll see him in December but I really just want to see him now it's been too long and I want to surprise him. I guess I'm just curious what others peoples thoughts are. If I'm crazy for wanting to do this ride.. I'm planning on playing it by ear and seeing how I feel when the time comes but just wondering what others would do!

suchaglencoco · November 2015

I know you miss your husband but at that point in pregnancy, I wouldn't even go more than an hour away from the hospital.
I have a high risk pregnancy and am very worried about going more than a half hour away from our hospital and have felt that way since 30 weeks, so maybe I'm overly cautious.

Would you be driving alone?

Elizabella85 · November 2015

I wouldn't recommend doing it alone, and I would know where some hospitals were along the way.

I also wonder how far along you are now, because I have to say - 30 weeks felt VERY different than I currently feel at 35 weeks. I'd never make that kind of drive at this point - just too far and too pregnant. But I certainly understand missing your DH, so if you feel up to it and your OB says okay, I really don't see the problem.

makaylaroland · November 2015

No, my dad offered to drive me down there! I have had a super easy pregnancy and have been very active but I'm not sure what to do I'm torn

makaylaroland · November 2015

I'm 35 weeks 4 days

Mizuiro007 · November 2015

I'm assuming this is R&R he's coming back for so all of this is based on that. Hubby's opinion is to wait. There should be a decent leave when he's back in December and it would be better to wait for that than to risk the number of things that could happen, easy pregnancy or not.

I would have to say I agree with him. I know it's hard. The wait is so long and difficult and you get impatient. We went through it before having kids and I know it would be so much more difficult now, but the wait is worth it.

ACarter0914 · November 2015

Honestly, I completely understand why you want to go see him.

It's your choice if you go or not but make sure someone is with you, you know we're hospitals are, and you take care of yourself all weekend. Listen to your body and if anything seems off I wouldn't go...babies tend to NOT go with the plan so definitely go prepared.

VesperLove · November 2015

I definitely would not go. I don't think having an easy pregnancy is a strong enough reason for me. I've had a super easy pregnancy so far and then randomly had four hours of contractions on Friday with no warning. Another person from our D15 group has had a fairly easy pregnancy but is currently in the hospital with contractions and dilation with no real warning either. At 37 weeks anything can happen and traveling 12 hours from home/hospital just doesn't seem smart to me.

I know you want to see your husband but right now your biggest priority (in my opinion) needs to be you and baby.

lwebley · November 2015

I wouldn't go more than an hour from home. I had my first at 37w 1d. I went into labor without warning and it went really fast. Plus if there are complications you wouldn't want to be stuck in an out of town hospital.

313Meg · November 2015

I had my baby at 37 weeks last pregnancy. So if you do decide to go... Make sure you have back up plans. And awesome your hubby is coming home!

ammnam14 · November 2015

You might want to check with your insurance as well. My Dr said if I traveled more than 1 hr away from the hospital and had to deliver tricare prime would not cover it. I would wait and not risk it.

AlejandraN2 · November 2015

I had a super easy pregnancy last time and gave birth at 36 w/1d. No warning or any indication of it being a possibility. So it's a risk but I totally understand wanting to see your husband. If you go, like others said make sure you know about hospitals along the way, bring your hospital bag with you and be ok with the possibility of delivering in a town where you may not know anyone.

zewillia · November 2015

Gosh, I totally understand wanting to see your man after a deployment. I've been through a deployment with my husband but not while pregnant. That must be so much harder. I wouldn't do it, though. At 31 weeks I did a 12 hour drive and was MISERABLE. I've had an easy pregnancy too. At this point, travel is not recommended and I would hate to be stuck at an out of state hospital. Imagine driving back 12 hours with a newborn! My two cents is be patient a little while longer and keep your baby and yourself safe and comfortable. He will be home soon!

RSB1982 · November 2015

So I plan on going home at 35 weeks for Thanksgiving and its a 7 hour drive for me. I'm pretty nervous to be honest, but my doc seems okay with it (she'll check me before I leave town). I say go with your gut... if you think you can handle it and your doc blesses the trip then go. But don't go alone and do a little research on area hospitals just in case.

Hawaiianmama17 · November 2015

Make sure to have the car seat with you too.. Just in case ....

ColoradoHiker · November 2015

I've been active my whole pregnancy as well, up until last week (38w +1 today). I drove home for a baby shower a few weeks ago, only 3 hr, but all the excitement, etc, left me exhausted and dead on my feet. I had four hrs of real contractions and Braxtons last weekend. There's no guarantee at this point in the third tri.

I'd follow PPs advice, make sure you have hospitals you can stop at, a car seat and just be ready for birth if you really have to make this trip. I personally wouldn't do it, but I also don't have a DH just coming back from deployment. Whichever way you choose, I hope you enjoy having him back home and spending time together before the baby is born!

BellaM110 · November 2015

As an army wife myself I completely understand how your feeling at this point and how badly you want to see him. I have only seen my husband once in the last 6 months and I won't see him til holiday leave. However, you are so close to the home stretch I just really wouldn't risk it. Anything could happen at 37 weeks. The last thing you want is to go into labor or start having any complications and you are away from your physician and hospital. I would stick it out and wait til you are able to see him next month. Your husband will understand you not being able to be there and will only want the best for you and baby.

NJPita22 · November 2015

If your doctor is saying he's comfortable with you traveling by car at that point I feel like that's a little better. I know that you'll be 37 weeks and anything can happen but the odds are in your favor. Truth be told I would probably go. I do not know what it's like for you but I can imagine how hard it is and if it were me and my dad offered to drive me and my doctor said I could I would do it. And the worst that can happen is you have the baby in another hospital. So what. There are women on here who give birth in their car or in their home. A different hospital than originally planned is not all that big of a deal. Plus if you don't go and you don't go into labor you'll be so upset. I will warn you that that drive WILL SUCK ASS at 37 weeks lol and make sure you take extra good care of yourself whether you go or not. Good luck with whatever you decide.

redfallon · November 2015

NJPita22 said:

If your doctor is saying he's comfortable with you traveling by car at that point I feel like that's a little better. I know that you'll be 37 weeks and anything can happen but the odds are in your favor. Truth be told I would probably go. I do not know what it's like for you but I can imagine how hard it is and if it were me and my dad offered to drive me and my doctor said I could I would do it. And the worst that can happen is you have the baby in another hospital. So what. There are women on here who give birth in their car or in their home. A different hospital than originally planned is not all that big of a deal. Plus if you don't go and you don't go into labor you'll be so upset. I will warn you that that drive WILL SUCK ASS at 37 weeks lol and make sure you take extra good care of yourself whether you go or not. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Some issues of delivering in a different hospital is if the hospital is very far away from her home and if her insurance will not cover it because of that. And then traveling hours to get home while you're in post-partum recovery mode with a newborn wouldn't be fun, either. I'm playing a little devil's advocate here, but what if labor happens halfway through the trip? Then OP has made this trip to see her DH, that hasn't happened, and she's stuck in a hospital hours from home.

makaylaroland, I think you need to talk to your DH about it and not try to make this a surprise. If he thinks that you can wait until he is home in December, then maybe you should wait.

NJPita22 · November 2015

@redfallon always up for someone playing devils advocate.

And I do agree that she should speak with DH and not surprise him. In theory that would be great but he probably wouldn't be too happy if he didn't know you were coming and then all of a sudden you're in a hospital halfway to him... Also I probably shouldn't have, but I assumed she was on his insurance and also assumed it would be the same as my friends insurance which I shouldn't have. She travels with her husband who is told in very short notice where he'll be and when ... She had her second baby in Arizona and 2 weeks later was living in Colorado...his insurance is good at most hospitals in the US I believe for this reason. Also while it wouldn't be ideal to have the baby halfway there if OP wants to take that chance and is ok with being in a different hospital it's not up to me to say what I'm comfortable with.
(i hope we're helping play out both sides!!!

)

TomekiaB · November 2015

I'm a military wife too--and have done my fair share of separations/deployments. I don't think I'd go after 36 weeks especially further than 6 hours. I'm not sure what tricare's reaction would be if you went into labor and had to go to a different (nonmilitary) hospital because "you were out of town" within a month of your due date, if DH had PCS orders you'd have a stronger case coverage wise--I'm not sure tricare would see your travel and potential labor as an actual covered emergency or an out of network expense. One of the biggest reasons I'd avoid it is my husbands re-deployment times and dates changed up until 2 hours before he finally arrived--which is one thing when you are living near the installation but with a 12 hour drive at 37 weeks that is another can of worms. My doctor told me last week that 40 weeks is the goal but in all reality almost 50% of babies are born before and almost 50% of babies are born after 40+0. I do NOT recommend planning to surprise him, if you are 37 weeks he may be trying to surprise you by getting to you ASAP.

crisobrewha · November 2015

It's ultimately up to you and your doctor, no matter what anyone else says. If you decide to go just be ready for anything that could happen and know the risks. Thank you to you and your husband for your service!

I want to go and see my family four hours away at 38 weeks for Thanksgiving, and everyone is telling me not to go. I'm still considering it. DH would drive, our insurance is taken everywhere, we have the car seat in the car, would take all hospital bags, etc. I talked to my doctor and told her I would be out of town and she didn't bat an eye, but told me to take it based on how the appointment before traveling went. At this point the deciding factors will be weather, how I'm feeling, and how the doctor's appointment prior goes, so no firm decision either way.

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