It is a time when you should be picking out baby names and setting up a baby shower registry. The time when you should be decorating a nursery and preparing for the arrival of your sweet new baby. Instead, you are searching for a new home, a new provider, pediatrician and calculating the days between when your current home gets packed up, you arrive at your new duty station, and your due date. In true military fashion, what should be an easy and enjoyable experience of having a baby, a wrench will get thrown into your plans and you will be embarking on your next PCS before your baby is due.
In my own experience I had a PCS with 17 hours of travel time at 37 weeks pregnant from a military centric area to what was considered a remote assignment. It was not exactly what we had planned for that time, but with taking extra precautions, and setting things up ahead of time we were able to PCS and make the transition with ease. While thinking about moving during a pregnancy sounds stressful and scary, it does not have to be.
Here is what you should do:
- Talk with your provider – If you are high risk or have other health concerns then your provider may advocate for you moving earlier than expected or delaying orders until after your baby is born. Whatever your medical history may be, or current conditions are, talking with your provider and creating a game plan for your care is a must.
- Schedule more travel days – If you are cleared to move before your baby is born, plan on adding more travel days into your trip. Due to risk of blood clots, it is recommended that you stop every 1-1.5 hours and walk for 30 minutes. Also, don’t forget to stay hydrated on your travel too.
- Plan for the “just in case” – Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy you may want to plan for a “just in case” moment. This means having your hospital bag packed in the car with you, a car seat installed, extra towels or blankets, and an activity for older children if needed. You should also consider making your nightly stops near hospital facilities.
- Set up care at your new destination before arrival. Depending on if you are Prime or Select this may be easier said than done and depending on how close you are to your due date, this may be needed immediately. First, talk to Tricare about the location you are going to and if you can begin scheduling with your new provider or if you need a new referral. The process can go smoother if you have an idea already of what provider you would like to see and where you would like to deliver. Then take the necessary steps to set up your first appointment for after your arrival.
- Have your birth plan. Also have a contingency plan. If you are within your final trimester during your move, you know there could be a possibility of delivering early. Go a head and create your birth plan and discuss it at your first appointment with your new provider.
- Hand carry your records, especially if you are in your last trimester. This will give your new provider quick and easy access to your prenatal care and the ability to help you establish a birth plan if still needed or to refine the one already created.
While making an already stressful time even more stressful is not what anyone wants to do, there are ways to help ease that burden. Take a moment to breathe and relax. Make your plan and your back up plan, consult with your provider, and know that whatever happens will make for an exciting story to tell your child later!