would you consider driving overnight if...

[olien]

you have an active 16mo,
were 5mo preg,
can not sleep in the car.

DH wants to start out an 18hr drive (without kids) at midnight. I dont think I can handle not sleeping for 38hrs straight. Especially being preg.

I know we can get a lot of driving done when DS is sleeping, but you know DH will be useless after driving all of those hrs & not sleeping himself. That means all child responsibility will fall on me too. (DH is not hands on as it is).

I was thinking of suggesting starting out at around 8pm. DS usually goes to sleep around 9:30 or 10. & driving until 12 or 1am. Then stopping overnight somewhere. We can at least get in 4 or 5 hrs straight driving. Then we can sleep for 5 or 6 hrs.

Part of the prob is that DH thinks he can drive the full 18hrs straight with minimal stopping I have already done 2 long road trips with DS & my parents & know 4 hrs is max before he needs time out of the car & that was before he was a constant runner. Not to mention being preg I have to pee all the time LOL!

Ideas, Suggestions - please!

[jocelyndale]

It gets dark early this time of year. You may find that your child falls asleep when it gets dark. Leave earlier in the day and allocate time to walk and stretch around dinnertime, and then set off for another stretch before stopping for the night.

I can no longer stay awake for overnight driving. All of my energy is taken up by child-wrangling during the day and it's not a safe thing for me to drive in the wee hours.

Also, after sleeping in the car, my kiddo goes wild at the hotel. He has to get ice, take a bath, try to convince us to let him jump on the bed. We usually bring in some food (we all have very strict food needs, so we carry a lot of food with us) and have a small meal, play awhile (I have a train set just for travel), and read some books.

[Peony]

I second the leaving earlier in the day. We've left in the late afternoon before, drive for a couple hours, stop for dinner, get back in the car drive some more. We either stop before bedtime or continue driving for a few hours depending on how long the trip is. We always stop for the night in a hotel. I would not drive overnight while you are pg! I know you are not driving but just sitting in the car is going to be exhausting enough.

[lifeguard]

I guess I'd be more likely to leave at midnight as dh suggests but after dh & yourself have an evening nap.

[olien]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

I guess I'd be more likely to leave at midnight as dh suggests but after dh & yourself have an evening nap.

I like the thought but it would never happen since DS doesnt go to bed until 9:30ish.

[just_lily]

If you can't sleep in the car, no way. I would go out of my gourd. I am pretty good on long distance trips as a passenger, but only if I have scenary to look at or a book to read or something (I can read in the car without feeling sick). I have often read outloud to DF while he drives. To just be in the dark for hours and hours would make me C.R.A.Z.Y. Sure, DD would be quiet, but Mama would be going nuts instead.

My limit is also about 12 hours before needing to get out for an extended period like overnight. No way could I do 18 hours straight.

I also have pretty poor night vision, so that would leave DF doing all of the night driving, and that would suck for him too.

I would probably leave early in the morning, like 4am. It will still be dark so the kid will likely go back to sleep. I'd try to get as far as we could the first day, but stop around dinner time and get a hotel.... and then leave again early the next day.

[corrieoseal]

We have made a couple of long trip with DD. Once when she was 7 months and another at 10. We would start driving after dinner (about 5:30) and then stop and put her in her pj's and nurse around 7, then drive until about midnight. It worked beautifully! She slept and when we got to the hotel, we weren't too exhausted to set up and settle her back down again. I would definitely not leave at midnight and drive straight through. Also, you are going to really need to schedule stops so that DS can get out and burn off some energy (and so that you can stretch your pregnant legs.) I am thinking that a trip like this should require two nights in hotels before you reach your destination.