LynnP

We are planning a last weekend away in two weeks before the birth of our daughter, I will be just over 8 months pregnant. We are looking at either Bellagio or Venice. Bellagio is a 3 hour drive from home, Venice is a 6 hour drive and then getting to the hotel. I will probably need to spend quite a bit of time in the hotel room so we will be getting one with a view (or not going at all!) This will be a very gentle trip but I will want to do some getting around. Which do you think would be the best spot for an ungainly pregnant woman?

Thanks, Lynn

BTW I know we are completely mad even to be thinking of it!

CafeBatavia

Yes, you are completely mad. The risk- reward ratio is way out of wack.

Hope you know where all the hospitals are located along your route. And what does your doctor say about this stunt?

rex

You don't say where you live... but triangulating, it seems like it might be Switzerland. And apparently, you are confident dealing with doctors, nurses and hospital personnel in Italian, in the event that you would require evaluation, hospitalization or delivery.

I deal often with mothers/families who give birth, remote from their homes (I am a neonatologist, and thus take care of their prematurely born babies; I am not an obstetrician) - - and although it can feel like a bit of a hassle, it is certainly not the end of the world to give birth far from "home".

Is your current residence temporary? do you have family in Europe? Will you live in Europe for another year, or longer?

Knowing what are the <i>objectives</i> of this trip would help advise on the destination. Lucerne is a real and &quot;big&quot; (enough) city, yet still offers world class beauty and &quot;touristic&quot; appeal.

Or if that isn't &quot;different&quot; enough for you (from where you currently live), then take a look at http://www.whichbudget.com/en/cheapflights.php?from=GVA or http://www.whichbudget.com/en/cheapflights.php?from=ZRH (Basel and Berne options available there too) - - there are a lot of places that are less than &quot;three hours&quot; away (by nonstop, low-cost flight) that offer interest and &quot;big city&quot; medical services, if you should need them. Brugge, Copenhagen, Barcelona - - these all seems as appealing as the two places you mention in Italy, and possibly easier to deal with.

It seems that you are not really looking to be talked out of this trip, but I will just make a pitch for re-thinking this trip to September. You will appreciate an escape from the &quot;same four walls&quot; when your baby is four months old. And it is such an EASY time to travel, compared to when s/he is TWENTY-four months old, for example!

Oh, as a side issue (since I only know the American medical payment system), I would love to hear more about the implications for paying for obstetric services when traveling from one country in (or out of) the EU for residents, temporary or permanent. You're not worried about the financial implications of delivering away from home, apparenty?

In any case, happy birth day!

Come back and let us know how it all goes.

Best wishes,

Rex Bickers, M.D.
Floyds Knobs, Indiana

rex

I should have just done a little research...

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Author: LynnP
Date: 01/20/2004, 03:46 pm

Message: Australian living in Switzerland. Thinking of returning to Australia sometime this year as we are expecting our second child in June (first child has just had his 20th birthday).

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So, maybe your health costs are no different in Switzerland than in any other country already, anyhow...

And now, I see that you have already been to Milan and Lugano, as well as Barcelona - - but no mention of Rome.

Brugge, Amsterdam or Copenhagen would still be high-ranking choices - - though it is not yet fully summer weather up north.

I come back to the issue of <i>objectives</i>. Knowing your goals is crucial to helping you make a plan.

Nikki

Keep in mind that Venice involves walking many steps over the bridges every few blocks. An ungainly pregnant woman might find that uncomfortable.

ChatNoir

I'd encourage you to re-think this idea. Doing it in the fall would be safer and more enjoyable for all concerned.

If you are determined to do it, I'd nix Venice as its much too long a drive and the bridges and numerous steps would be terrible for you.

LynnP

Thanks everyone for your concern. My OB is fine with it as long as I make sure I am resting whenever I feel slightly tired. He will see me two days before we leave (if we go) just to check that there is nothing interesting on the horizon! He is not really keen on my flying at the moment so flying anywhere is out.

Rex, lots of good advice in your post as usual. Yes Lucerne is all of that but until I went on maternity leave a few weeks ago I worked three days a week in Lucerne!

The reason we are thinking of taking this trip is to have a bit of a change of scene, I fancy sitting somewhere looking over water. We haven't been to either Bellagio or Venice before although we have been just about everywhere else around them. We spent a week at Cannero on Lake Maggiore a couple of years ago and it was heaven. Our son is out from Australia for a visit, he is staying with us until 25th of May and then popping over to visit you good folks in America and Canada for a few weeks then coming back to stay for three weeks starting on the 25th July so we would like to go somewhere with him to give him a bit of a look around. We are actually thinking of a week in Rome in September Rex! We will be staying in Switzerland until at least May next year.

As far as medical insurance goes we are covered twice. Our Swiss insurance covers us for treatment in EU countries and I am also an EU citizen (Australian and British citizenship).

It looks from the replies that Venice would be a bit too much of an ask with the steps. We have not been to Venice yet as we are generally longer trip makers and are planning a full week in Venice when we eventually go. So if we do make the trip, Bellagio might be the best option this time.

I think that European obs may be more relaxed than American ones. Surely other pregnant women travel 3 hours drive from home when they are 36 weeks?

Rex, if you have any questions about the Swiss medical system (which is heaven but very expensive), let me know and I can send you an email! I worked in health in Australia and Switzerland is quite different!

Thanks again

Lynn

rex

I think that only a small minority of women travel 3 hours by car at or beyond 36 weeks. While it is true that I generally do not hear about the behavior of women with UNcomplicated pregnancies (nor what they do, 4 weeks before a normal term pregnancy) - - I have &quot;lived through&quot; about 30 pregnancies in the family (10 sisters-in-law).

Heck they don't travel 3 hours from home all that much anytime, let alone in the final month of pregnancy. So, no, I don't think more than a tiny fraction would do what you propose.

But they wouldn't relocate halfway around the world either, short-term. longer-term or in between.

Good luck to baby, mom and dad.

Singletail

Unless you don't mind taking a taxi and like walking up and down a bunch of steps, then I would re-think Bellagio.

The &quot;Plan B&quot; might be to pay Rex a &quot;consulting fee&quot; and have him come along with you!

Good Luck!

progol

I wouldn't begin to advise you on the rights or wrongs of travelling in the 8th month, but as the previous poster said, Bellagio is also up and down a lot of steps. It is a very pretty town, but to explore it, you need to be willing to go up and down these stairs. My husband had gotten ill on a trip a number of years ago, and it was difficult for him to manage the trekking. We did travel around by ferry to other towns, but the walking was limited.

rex

I would be of no particular use as long as she is still pregnant. What I do begins the moment one is no longer still pregnant.

In fact, I didn't want to be &quot;Debbie Donner&quot; (anyone watch Saturday Night Live last night?) - - but the medical reasons not to travel after 36 weeks have more to do with the need for medical management of the mother than medical management of the baby, once born.

LynnP

Thanks all, just to update you I took the advice about the steps in both places and decided to do them later with Siobhan (the baby) in a carrier. We went to Lindau for the three days and stayed at the Bad Schachen Hotel where I spent an hour or so each day sitting on the hotel balcony looking at the view. We explored the island of Lindau, the Zeppelin Museum and a few of the other pretty towns around the lake as well as driving all around the Bodensee. It was a nice relaxing weekend. I still have three weeks to go (or 1 week or 5 weeks, who knows) so it will be a while before we are travelling again.

ira

Glad it worked out well, Lynn

CafeBatavia

LynnP, thanks for taking the time to let us know that it went well. Far too often we never hear back from people.
Good luck on the trip this fall.