When in my pregnancy should dh stop traveling?

[NicaG]

I'm currently 25 weeks along, and my dh travels a fair amount for business. He travels to Europe and Asia, so the flights are long and he's not able to come home on short notice. I have reliable friends and a babysitter for emergencies, but no family nearby. I already have two kids, and this is my third. I am trying to decide....at what point should we say no more travel? What would you do?

[APToddlerMama]

I have no real advice, but I'm in the same boat.  DS was born 5 weeks early though, and I have all sorts of issues going on right now with placenta previa, history of abruption, etc., that is making me want DH to quit traveling by 28 weeks.  That is just a dream though and I think we're going to plan on having him stop traveling around 34 weeks unless things look bad before then.  With two full term (assuming) births under your belt, I guess I would want my husband to stop travel around 36 or 37 weeks. 

[Kedrosami]

I'd be uncomfortable with my DH going on any major trips after 36-37 weeks. Even if you don't have the baby before 40 weeks, it's good to have him around just to help during that last month when you're really big and awkward and tired. (Can you tell I'm in my last month right now? LOL)

[lifeguard]

It's such a personal decision. For me the hard part would be possibly having the baby without him with me. I'd be fine with him being gone up until the second I went into labour but would find it very hard to not have him there for the labour & birth - even with supportive family around.

[StephandOwen]

How funny- I'm almost 27 weeks and my dh also travels to Europe and China (and South America) for work   My rule is that he has to be back home by September 1st (I will be 34 weeks, but on September 2nd I have to drive 2 states away and really need dh to go on that trip with me). He was originally supposed to take a trip either this month or next, but then he got hurt and had to have surgery (and is still in a sling and not allowed to move his arm at all) so..... I don't think he's going to be taking any more trips before baby is here. He told his work that he doesn't want to travel anymore until the new year, so hopefully they respect that and don't make him!

But my rule, in general (if I didn't have to make the drive at 34 weeks), would be him being home and no more travel by 36 weeks.

[AfricanQueen99]

I had my husband stop traveling from week 38 until two weeks PP for my first.  Then week 39 to two weeks PP for my second.

I did have a friend that delivered a full-term first kid and had her second something like 7 weeks early...while her husband was away on business...so another friend went into the c-section with her.  Literally minutes after they pulled the kid out her husband arrived at the hospital!

[cat13]

I don't have any answers for you, but have been wondering this myself. My DH went on an unexpected 1 week and then 2 week trip to visit my MIL while she was in the hospital while I was 28-32 weeks, then went to a conference in South America for a week when I was 34 weeks.  I hated that he was gone, but it worked out ok.

He is actually presenting at a conference when I'm going to be at 39 weeks, but we decided that he could go for the day only. Since it's just a 45 minute flight away, and there are about 10 flights a day (easy to re-schedule return trip), he's going to go as long as I'm not feeling labor-y.

I also have a great doula who I can rely on for birth support in the off-chance that he can't be there right away. Have you considered hiring a doula?

[lookingforaname]

How far along were you when you delievered your first two?  Early?  Late?  Around the due date?

[SynEpona]

For us, the deadline (IMO!) was36 weeks. I bumped it to 37 weeks due to a delivery/training DH had to go do a one hour flight away (plus 75min to/from the airport at this end of the trip.)

The trip ended up scheduled to end 36w2d, and he'll be in the air in 2 hours. After that, no more flights out of town. At about 39 weeks, I'll remind him to stay closer to home when possible, as his sales territory is quite large, and he can be 3 hours drive away at any time!

I did remind him last week when this last trip was still not scheduled, that his boss has 5 kids, and most of his customers have families ... they will ALL understand if he says he needs to delay some travel & long days at the far corners of his territory for a few weeks. UPS can deliver. Training can mostly happen via phone. There are other people in the company that could take on some of DH's 'must be in person' training if needed.

[NicaG]

Thanks, this is all very helpful.  I am thinking 34-36 weeks sounds like the time to quit, maybe no more China trips starting even earlier (his last trip took over 24 hours in transit, I would freak out if it took him this long to get home while I'm in the hospital).   I doubt I will be delivering early, though I guess you never know.  I was induced a few days before my due date with both kids (due to gestational diabetes), and I will probably be induced again.  I had thought about hiring a doula, that's a great suggestion.  Wish dh could just stop traveling right now! Oh well.....