Post # 17
Member
634 posts
Busy bee
I personally wouldn’t. My first labour was 2 and a half hours so if I had of gone away I would be stuck! Wait and see how you feel, my doctor cautioned against any travel that late though- the last few weeks of pregnancy I stayed close to home and I plan to do the same with this pregnancy- better to be safe than sorry!
Post # 18
Member
344 posts
Helper bee
Both of my sons were born at 37 weeks so I would say no. 🙂
Post # 19
Member
20 posts
Newbee
I agree with the PPs. You can plan on it but when it gets closer to the travel date be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling and cancel if you’re not feeling up to it. The only thing i would suggest is to make sure that, if you’re able to, to have your medical records with you while traveling so that if you were to go into labor and couldn’t make it back to Paris whatever hospital you went to would be fully informed about your condition.
Post # 20
Member
8028 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
I say as long as there is a hospital near to your destination you should go.
Post # 21
Member
1272 posts
Bumble bee
@chastenet: i had a friend come to my wedding at 38 weeks pregnant, and it was a 3.5 hour drive each way… although they had to go via another town, which turned it into a 5.5 hour drive on the way there!! she was fine, they just planned to stop as much as she needed, and let me know that they might need to cancel at the last minute if it looked like the baby was on its way. I think it was fairly tiring – but I think she also enjoyed the distraction 🙂
I say go for it! You can cancel later if needed.
Post # 22
Member
1245 posts
Bumble bee
I personally wouldn’t only because I’d be too afraid of going onto labor & not being by a hospital that my insurance would cover. But if you feel comfortable enough to travel at that stage, then why not! Would a doctor clear you to fly that late in pregnancy?
Post # 23
Member
7605 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
I voted no before I read that you were just driving. In that case, I’d do it if I were feeling up to it.
Post # 24
Member
146 posts
Blushing bee
I would be way too uncomfortable to ride in a car for 3.5 hours not to mention the chance of going in to labor. I would thank my friends for the invite and stay home. We just went to the beach, which is 3.5 hours away, and I’m 35 weeks. This was the last weekend the dr recommended travel that far away, and I was super uncomfortable just about the entire weekend.
Post # 25
Member
7581 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
I said no, but only because at 33 weeks, I’m starting to feel my body my signifcant changes and my midwife also thinks I might go early. However, at 20 weeks I would have said yes.
Post # 26
Member
987 posts
Busy bee
@MARIE901: I wouldn’t be flying, would be driving. And insurance isn’t an issue as I live in France where I will get the same health care at the same cost (free!) anywhere in the country.
Post # 27
Member
987 posts
Busy bee
@Mrs Sarah McK: +
@Mrs.KMM: I agree that the drive back to Paris while in labor would not be fun if it came to that! It would probably make for a great story after the fact though 😉
@bride21: Thanks, I would definitely plan to make several pit stops, to pee and stretch my legs. I would probably also wear the compression tights my doctor perscribed for air travel just to keep good blood flow in the car.
@roxy821: +
@Kemma: +
@Ree723: +
@simpleandchic: +
@MissDareDevil: +
@hamikay: +
@Juliepants: Thanks for the advice! This is what I’m leaning towards: saying yes, then playing it by ear and seeing how I actually feel. I would cancel if my doctor said to or if I wasn’t feeling up to it or there were any signs of labor. But if everything is great, I do think it’d be a nice distraction and a fun time with friends. We’ll just be relaxing at the house so it wouldn’t be a strenuous trip or anything. There’s just the getting there & getting home part that could be a bit uncomfortable. Thanks for sharing your experience, MissDareDevil.
@eeniebeans: Yes, there is a good hospital nearby with equal quality care to what I would get in Paris. In Paris I have no guarantee of the doctor who is providing me prenatal care actually being there for the birth so it doesn’t really bother me that on the off chance that I were to go into labor while away and give birth at a different hospital it wouldn’t be my doctor.
@VioletTulip: Yes, I would definitely bring my medical records with me just in case. I would want to be prepared if I need them.
@Miss Pinup: +
@CoffeeandCream: +
@futuremrsrichardson: +
@mwitter80: Thanks for sharing your points of view and experiences. Currently, I’m only 25 weeks and feeling great, but maybe in a few weeks I will be less comfortable and not want to spend weekends away from home. We’ll see. To Miss Pinup & CoffeeandCream: I know this isn’t necessarily an indication of how things will happen for me, but I do know that for my mother her first labor (me!) was about 24 hrs and I was about 5 days early. Baby #2 came 2 weeks late and Baby #3 right on time…I know there is always the possible of the baby coming at 37weeks like it did for you, CoffeeandCream and that’s why I am hesitant. But at the same time, considering I would have a hospital nearby and good, free health care there, the possibility of giving birth there doesn’t really bother me too much. It would be a pain because I wouldn’t have my hospital bags with me or a car seat for the baby to go home in, but I figure worst case scenario: DH makes a trip home to bring back anything we need.
Post # 28
Member
1245 posts
Bumble bee
@chastenet: Oh! I guess I didn’t read everything, sorry! I would make plans to go and simply play it by ear as the trip gets closer. If I felt up to it, I’d go! Best of luck!
Post # 29
Member
6884 posts
Busy Beekeeper
Nope, I wouldn’t do it for simple reason I went into labor at 32/almost 33 weeks. I drove 1.5 hours back home while in labor and that is not the easiest thing to do. No way would I leave for a weekend at 37 weeks.
Post # 30
Member
336 posts
Helper bee
It may be slightly uncomfortable depending on how big your baby belly is. But pillows sure will help! Like you said your insurance covers it no matter where you are, I would say yes!!
Post # 31
Member
634 posts
Busy bee
I wouldn’t read anything into your mothers labour compared to yours, every body and pregnancy is different! Just play it by ear and see how you feel, at 37 weeks I was super uncomfortable!