31 vs 33 weeks for a long drive?

[kimkim]

i know every pg is different as is every momma, but as a general experience for those mommas that have been pregnant before, here is my dilemma.
my aunt wants to have a baby shower for me, but it's a 7 hr drive away (dh will be helping drive). we'd go for the weekend and i have no idea how big i'll be, how tired i'll be etc. i'm curious how much of a difference there is between 31 to 33 weeks (those are the two available dates to go). my mom went into labor around her due date, if that makes any difference. my decision making skills aren't what they used to be!
i've just heard of people going into labor at 32 weeks and was wondering if any thinks a long drive at 33 weeks is a big deal or not. i feel so clueless making plans for my last trimester.

[MaerynPearl]

7 hours Id say is nothing

Right around then we are planning to go from here to michigan (6 hour drive) back to here (6 hour drive) and then to north carolina (about a 2 day drive with all the stops we will need to make for a very pregnant me and two children)

My doctor says there's no need for worry, though she will be checking me for any signs of preterm labor before we leave for our 2 day drive... the 6 hour one she says wont be a problem at all.

[Mommabean]

We took a trip for Spring Break it was a 6 hour drive and I was 30 weeks.

I've never had issues any pregnancy driving, but this drive about did me in. Even with stopping every hour to walk around and go to the bathroom I swelled up big time. By time we got to the the hotel I could barely walk my feet were killing me from being so swollen. I ended up spending that first night in bed with my feet up high.

No clue as to why I swelled up the way I did sitting in the car, I kept my feet up the last 2 hours, and like I said we took plenty of breaks and I drank my water per my norm.

Everyone is different and I would just mind your body's clues as you drive.

[Ellen Griswold]

For me, at that point, it wasn't really about being in the car, but being out of my own house, my own bed, and my own routine. The travel made me TIRED. Not sleeping in my own bed made me TIRED. That kind of thing does take a toll. It took me quite a while to recover from those trips.

[sanguine_speed]

I would definitely do it. Actually I did do it at 33 weeks last time for 8 hours with two other children. On your own you can stop whenever you want to eat, drink, pee, stretch. I'd give it a shot at either 31 or 33 weeks!

[mariaz]

I'm 38 weeks with my 4th pregnancy and I drive 4 hours at least once a week to visit my family and sometimes for midwife visits. I have done this with all of my pregnancies. I just make sure that I wear comfortable pants!

[mediumcrunch]

I was due 9/10. In June and July I went on a three week, 6000 mile x-country road trip. I had no risk factors for preterm labor(baby #6) and went with my midwife's blessing. Everyone is different, but taking a 7 hr trip at 30 weeks,if you want to go is reasonable . I'll be 31 weeks when
I take two of my kids and go to Houston next weekend. The only thing I am dreading is the 4 hour drive with no cruise control

[BreakfastyMichele]

The earlier you go, the better, so shoot for 31 weeks.

If you're healthy and have had a reasonably easy pregnancy, there shouldn't be added risks.

I will be frank and say I did a 6.5-hour trip twice when I was 30 weeks pregnant with my first and it was not fun. No added risks, but I was very uncomfortable and we had to stop to pee a lot. (In the third trimester, the peeing really increases. And, you know how uncomfortable sleeping can be? Imagine a night of sleep when you can't really adjust your position. It's like that.)

As long as your husband is willing to stop frequently, and as long as you stretch your legs a lot during your stops, it won't be so bad.

Good luck! And enjoy the shower.

[BlackSheepPDX]

I did a "babymoon" road trip from Portland to the SF Bay and back when I was around 34/35 weeks (end of April beginning of May/due June 9). I was still very mobile (walking a lot) and didn't find it to be a particularly big deal to sit in the car. I honestly didn't get really awkward until the last few weeks, and wound up delivering June 21.

How your pregnancy is going so far is probably a pretty good predictor of how it's going to progress. If you're feeling strong and active, I think it's unlikely that you're going to feel hugely limited at 31/33 weeks. I'd of course double check how I was feeling as the time got closer, and bring copies of any relevant records with me if I was at all concerned about medical history in the unlikely event of an emergency situation.

[me&3]

Go for it. I just got back last night from a 23 hour road trip (I only drove about 4 hours of it, dh did the rest), and I'll be 33 weeks tomorrow. It wasn't terribly comfortable or anything, but it wasn't such a big deal either.

We did the same trip in two installments two weeks ago. No major difference.

[kimkim]

thanks for the encouragement. i'm going to try for the 31 week date. i feel pretty strong now but i'm still tired (not as much as 1st tri) and have lots of moments of head-hitting-wall frustration. but i've accepted that as the norm for now

[34me]

When I was 31 weeks pg with my third I drove 15 hours with my 2 and 4 year olds. When I was 33 wks I drove home