Should pregnant women do long drives

I lived 700 miles from family when I was expecting my second baby. It never crossed my mind not to visit them in the later months of pregnancy!

Roads are so much better now than in the 1970's, almost all dual carriageway, lots of service stations available 24 hours, inexpensive hotels if you want to break the journey up, though I did a shared 14 hour drive yesterday (admittedly not while pregnant but I'm no longer a spring chicken!) and feel fine today.

I think it will be a nice break for your Dd.

Relax, 25 weeks isn’t 36 weeks. She will be fine, toilet breaks will be frequent so she will stretch her legs often.

at 6 months, if in good health - and plenty of stops- there is really no problem at all.

I used to regularly drive between the West Country and London on my own when pregnant and with a toddler. I did it till I couldn't fit behind the wheel any more! Didn't suffer any ill effects

I wouldn’t be concerned at only 25 weeks. If she were 8 months pregnant it would be different. When I was expecting 1st baby we decided to visit cousins in England by car and boat when I was 7 months pregnant. (We live in Ireland). While there, we took a trip to the Lake District and car broke down. We had to stay longer to get it fixed and missed our boat back. The new booking was very full and we couldn’t even find a seat. It was an overnight sailing and we thought we’d have to sit on the floor all night! Luckily, another couple who had managed to find a 4 berth cabin offered to share it.

In the end, the trip involved a lot of traveling but I wasn’t worried that it would affect me or baby, it was just nice to have a break.

Sharing the driving and taking plenty of breaks, she should be fine. I shared the driving between England and Scotland and back again in the middle of winter while I was 5 months pregnant and didn't even think about it.

What they said

Your daughter is not ill just pregnant. Take sensible precautions as suggested and she will be fine. Don't worry Ionia you may end up getting her stressed unnecessarily.

I assume this is her first child and that is why you are worrying about her? If she were expecting her second or subsequent babies she could already have a toddler, a preschooler, and a couple of active primary-age children to look after and ferry around to their various activities, maybe even a stroppy teenager to keep on top of. She wouldn't be staying at home and resting, she would be on her feet all day and up in the night, but she would cope! She will cope with normal life during this first pregnancy too.

If she is keeping well, being monitored and is making plans to share the driving and stop often to stretch her legs (and visit the loo!) then she will come to no harm. Stop being a mother hen clucking over your chick, she is old enough to judge how much she can do.

I see what you are saying. She's has a full time stressful job, and is active in that and in life. I think I am worrying too much.

It is not healthy for women with uncomplicated pregnancies to "put their feet up"

Being in active in pregnancy is really important, she should not be sat at home "resting" unless there is a medical reason to do so.

The journey will be fine if they stop regularly, do leg exercises and stay hydrated. Could consider compression stockings

PS I have checked online and advice is to be aware of extra stops required etc re DVT and tips e.g. fluids, compression stockings if long drive etc.