Week 31: Traveling in the third trimester

We just got home from a five-day family trip up to Washington. When we planned the trip I was newly pregnant, and my daughter was just starting to make her way into toddlerhood. If you aren’t able to read between the lines, that means that things were still pretty easy. I didn’t have sciatic pain or intense pregnancy exhaustion, and my daughter hadn’t begun to use the word “no” in a wild fit of screaming. So, taking a two-hour flight and being away from home for a little less than a week seemed like it would be lovely and relaxing. Boy was I wrong. The trip was all worth it because I got to see one of my oldest and dearest friends get married, but if I were going to do it over again I would change a few things.
The first is that I would only have been gone for the duration of the event we were traveling for. We thought about making it a week-long trip, giving us a few extra days to explore the city, but I figured maybe two days would be plenty. We also decided those first two days, to save money, we’d stay with a friend of a friend in their home. Normally this would have been fine, but with a toddler and a very pregnant lady, sleeping conditions are non-negotiable. That means that for those first two nights none of us really slept. Plus, we attempted to do all sorts of adventuring, which meant that naptimes were basically nonexistent—and let’s be real, that is not ideal for baby or for mama.
The other thing that I would have done is really researched and planned out what exactly we’d be doing while we were gone. Because we weren’t really prepared, we ended up doing a lot of walking. My sciatica flared like it never has before, and my poor sweet toddler was either trapped in her stroller throwing a fit or trying to escape into the crowded streets. If we had been going to a more kid-friendly location maybe it would have been easier, but when your 18-month old hasn’t napped for a few days it takes the drama to a whole new level.
In hindsight, I would still would have made the trip up for the wedding, but it would have looked a whole lot different. My advice to anyone looking to travel in the third trimester is don’t do it! Just kidding. But if you do decide to, go somewhere close by and go without children. For now I’ll just be over here icing my swollen ankles and ordering takeout for the next week.