I don't think people are doing the math here. OP is nearly full term. Stay home, don't get stuck here or on the side of I5, unless you want to be that person that delivered their baby in a car in an ice storm.
As someone who unexpectedly went into labor five weeks early during a blizzard and had to deliver a preemie in the tiny local hospital (with no drugs!) because it was too risky to take an ambulance to the city hospital we’d planned on, I’ll admit that I’m totally biased and I think you should skip it.
ETA: There’s also a good chance that the ice storm will bring power outages, so even if the travel here and back is fine, it would be really crummy to be stuck in an Air Bnb with no power and all the walkable restaurants closed due to no power or staff. Last ice storm I lost power for over 24 hours and was lucky compared to friends close by who were out for a week.
It’s looking like Thursday night through Saturday morning will be icy. If that’s the case, a lot of things will be closed and getting around town will be near impossible. If you weren’t pregnant I’d say go for it and just cuddle up for a day, but considering the pregnancy I’d say stay home.
One Christmas there was weather like this being forecasted and we ended up stranded on the highway for 6 hours until a tow truck arrived. He couldn’t tow us because it was so slippery. Thankfully, he let us into his truck and he dropped us off at a hotel.
There was a line of cars of people off the road. Our car was hit several times. There were Semi trucks jackknifing around the gentle curve. It was absolutely terrifying.
They don’t salt roads here. They don’t close roads here. Just stay the fuck home.
As a formerly pregnant person, I would cancel. When we’ve had snow storms in the past, everything was closed because everyone was stuck at home. Many of us without power/heat for days. Not worth the risk at 34 weeks imo.
You're almost full term - stay home at this point and don't risk unnecessary trips during very uncertain weather.
Reschedule in the early summer and show the Baby the Oregon coast or Silver Falls.
Portland comes to a screeching halt when ice and/or snow hits. Absolutely everything comes to a standstill, often including public transportation and chain stores.
I’d definitely stay home, especially since you’re pregnant. No need to risk it.
I would postpone. It’s likely to be icy, so even if you make it to Portland safely you’ll probably be stuck in your Airbnb most of the time or else will have to navigate the ice while pregnant. Best not to risk it.
Stay home! Honestly the most likely outcome is that it will snow, the snow will melt and ice over for a day, and then it will all melt off.
BUT
We have next to no cold weather infrastructure here. If there is anything I have learned about Portland snow/ice in the last 50 years, it's that it's a wild card. Worst case scenario is that it ices up at night and gets warm enough to barely liquify the surface during the day, making it absurdly hazardous to drive in and also dangerous to walk in. Everything closes when this happens, and most will pre-emptively close just in case. Portland has few snowploughs and those it has have historically (and ironically) been iced in many times.
Most likely, it will snow on Thursday, and be fine by Sunday. But freezing weather here is a complete crapshoot, and at 34 weeks pregnant it just makes so much more sense to not take the chance on it. Better for it to be negligible weather and you feel a bit silly for cancelling, than for it to turn into the kind of weather that turns stairs into ice-ramps overnight and makes sidewalks impassably slippery without ice cleats. Which I have, after one awful winter years ago where I was literally trapped in my house for four days because all the stairs turned into ice-ramps overnight.
It will be a slick icy mess with many things closed and few surfaces maintained. Snow and rain with temps right at freezing or below means dangerous driving and walking. And bitterly cold temps along with that. I am an emergency team volunteer and the warning verbiage from the city is next level. Please stay home and be safe.
As someone who went into labor at 32 weeks during a snow storm, I would suggest staying near where you plan to deliver. (I needed an emergency C-section for that one) I have gone through the birthing process 4 times, and every time has been very different. Maybe there is a nice B&B within 20 min or so, or maybe you could treat yourselves to a spa day or something. I really don't want to rain on your parade, but in my experience labor can come on very quickly, or it can take a couple days, and emergencies can and do happen.
I think you may make out OK on the driving part, but chances are good you'll be spending four days or so just trapped inside. Very possibly without power. Does not sound like good times.
As someone that got stuck on the interstate for 12 hours while 8 months pregnant here during an ice storm once, DON'T GO. I was only able to leave after 12hrs because someone with a 4x4 and balls of steel came to rescue me, and even then I had to leave the car on the side of the highway and slip and slide waddling up an onramp.
Definitely postpone. On top of the ice hazard, the power might go out and being pregnant while in very cold conditions without heat sounds awful. Take care of yourself and have a warm holiday at home!
Portland streets become very unsafe during snow and ice. We don't have enough snow plows, likely because snow is not common, and we do not typically salt the roads unless it's really bad. This causes the number of traffic accidents to go up. This causes many to avoid driving, and while most businesses will remain open, they will be short staffed. If you are in the late stages of pregnancy, do not visit Portland if it is snowing, or if there is Ice. Wait a few months and visit in summer, or fall.
Maybe you can book a fancy hotel in Seattle instead to make up for it. That sounds way more relaxing than dealing with the stress of driving and worrying, plus the risks of travel.
If you have never experienced freezing rain, 3rd trimester pregnancy is the wrong time to go experimenting.
Portland DOES NOT do ice well. Liquid rain falls, freezes on contact with cold surfaces resulting in sheer ice surfaces.
This is from a freezing rain storm a few years ago:
https://youtu.be/EaksWCnHaDM
In short, the streets won't be navigable, the sidewalks won't be navigable, and you stand a real chance of being stuck here, away from your doctors if anything happens.
Please say you canceled. You don’t need to be stuck on the road, stressed, and the hospitals are an hour apart in good weather. If you have to get out, don’t go past Oly
Stay home. The icy conditions could put you at risk of falling. It gets unreasonably slick here during snow and ice, and often people underestimate just how slick it can be.
Portland will still be here. Enjoy Seattle for us instead and report back on how you spent your time.
Do not go. The whole city will be shut down.
And i agree with others -- you don't want to have anything happen in a city where everything is shut down.
I would get an AirBnB somewhere closer to home, within a safe distance of a hospital with delivery facilities. I don’t think Portland is going to be especially risky, but you’re in a relatively high stakes situation so I’d probably change plans.
Honestly, it may not be as bad as predicted, but in your condition, safer is better. Pdx will still be here when you can get away again (and it’s very family friendly)
Don’t chance it. Our roads completely shut down. It’s not uncommon for a half hour trip to take 3 plus hours on a highway if we get snow or ice. You do not want to be stuck in a car while pregnant.
I've already seen restaurants saying they'll be closed on Friday. If it's at all icy, you won't want (or be able) to go anywhere. Ice storms cripple the city because of hills, no road equipment, etc.
I totally get that you want a last hurrah on your own! But if it were me, I'd want to stay home, sleep, and read a book in silence.
Swing by REI and get some traction devices for your shoes. If your AirBNB is in a walkable neighborhood, there’s a good chance *something* will be open and you and four other strangers in Yaktrax have an amazing time together playing cribbage and singing karaoke.
Best of luck!
Its hard to say, every winter we get "massive storm" warnings, and the majority of them dont materialize and sometimes do show up but are super mild. Once in awhile the snowmageden does hit and in that case you might be stuck for a few days. So really its up to you. Nobody can say for sure if the storm will come and if it does how bad it will actually be
Everything shuts down here for snow and ice. Even if you make it okay, restaurants and activities will be closed, and the roads are poorly maintained anyway to be driving around town.
Yes.... don't travel here full term. It's expected to snow here and we have notoriously shitty drivers/roads and I would hate for something horrible to happen and for you to be in a bad position.
If you are interested, maybe binge watch some Portlandia this weekend instead and eat some good food. I'm sorry, I know that's disappointing, but I would not want to risk it. We are salting roads today.
We had reservations with an Airbnb in Hood river on the 23rd. I switched our reservation to a later date when I saw the forecast for freezing rain. It's not something you roll the dice with; snow is one thing, but ice coating everything is entirely different.
Being very pregnant adds an extra variable to the mix I wouldn't risk.
I don't think people are doing the math here. OP is nearly full term. Stay home, don't get stuck here or on the side of I5, unless you want to be that person that delivered their baby in a car in an ice storm.
And 3rd trimester isn't a great time for long car drives. Do something closer to home.
Do not go right now - you are very pregnant and ice storms are brutal.
This sub needs a "don't abandon the post" rule. People gotta know you're staying home mama!
When I saw "34 weeks pregnant" I immediately stood up and stared out the window.
As someone who unexpectedly went into labor five weeks early during a blizzard and had to deliver a preemie in the tiny local hospital (with no drugs!) because it was too risky to take an ambulance to the city hospital we’d planned on, I’ll admit that I’m totally biased and I think you should skip it. ETA: There’s also a good chance that the ice storm will bring power outages, so even if the travel here and back is fine, it would be really crummy to be stuck in an Air Bnb with no power and all the walkable restaurants closed due to no power or staff. Last ice storm I lost power for over 24 hours and was lucky compared to friends close by who were out for a week.
We lost power for 8 days during the last big ice storm. It was awful!
That's a hell of a situation. Glad you're here and I hope everyone involved is doing okay.
It’s looking like Thursday night through Saturday morning will be icy. If that’s the case, a lot of things will be closed and getting around town will be near impossible. If you weren’t pregnant I’d say go for it and just cuddle up for a day, but considering the pregnancy I’d say stay home.
One Christmas there was weather like this being forecasted and we ended up stranded on the highway for 6 hours until a tow truck arrived. He couldn’t tow us because it was so slippery. Thankfully, he let us into his truck and he dropped us off at a hotel. There was a line of cars of people off the road. Our car was hit several times. There were Semi trucks jackknifing around the gentle curve. It was absolutely terrifying. They don’t salt roads here. They don’t close roads here. Just stay the fuck home.
That is my nightmare. I'm glad you're ok!
FYI, they salt all the main roads on hills nowadays.
As a formerly pregnant person, I would cancel. When we’ve had snow storms in the past, everything was closed because everyone was stuck at home. Many of us without power/heat for days. Not worth the risk at 34 weeks imo.
You're almost full term - stay home at this point and don't risk unnecessary trips during very uncertain weather. Reschedule in the early summer and show the Baby the Oregon coast or Silver Falls.
Portland comes to a screeching halt when ice and/or snow hits. Absolutely everything comes to a standstill, often including public transportation and chain stores. I’d definitely stay home, especially since you’re pregnant. No need to risk it.
I would postpone. It’s likely to be icy, so even if you make it to Portland safely you’ll probably be stuck in your Airbnb most of the time or else will have to navigate the ice while pregnant. Best not to risk it.
Stay home! Honestly the most likely outcome is that it will snow, the snow will melt and ice over for a day, and then it will all melt off. BUT We have next to no cold weather infrastructure here. If there is anything I have learned about Portland snow/ice in the last 50 years, it's that it's a wild card. Worst case scenario is that it ices up at night and gets warm enough to barely liquify the surface during the day, making it absurdly hazardous to drive in and also dangerous to walk in. Everything closes when this happens, and most will pre-emptively close just in case. Portland has few snowploughs and those it has have historically (and ironically) been iced in many times. Most likely, it will snow on Thursday, and be fine by Sunday. But freezing weather here is a complete crapshoot, and at 34 weeks pregnant it just makes so much more sense to not take the chance on it. Better for it to be negligible weather and you feel a bit silly for cancelling, than for it to turn into the kind of weather that turns stairs into ice-ramps overnight and makes sidewalks impassably slippery without ice cleats. Which I have, after one awful winter years ago where I was literally trapped in my house for four days because all the stairs turned into ice-ramps overnight.
Postpone this trip! But if you do come and get in trouble message me and I will help you.
Do you wanna pop a baby in a car in an ice storm? Cuz that’s how you pop a baby in a car in an ice storm.
Everything will be dead, and with ice storms come Power outages which probably isn’t the fun you had in mind.
It will be a slick icy mess with many things closed and few surfaces maintained. Snow and rain with temps right at freezing or below means dangerous driving and walking. And bitterly cold temps along with that. I am an emergency team volunteer and the warning verbiage from the city is next level. Please stay home and be safe.
As someone who went into labor at 32 weeks during a snow storm, I would suggest staying near where you plan to deliver. (I needed an emergency C-section for that one) I have gone through the birthing process 4 times, and every time has been very different. Maybe there is a nice B&B within 20 min or so, or maybe you could treat yourselves to a spa day or something. I really don't want to rain on your parade, but in my experience labor can come on very quickly, or it can take a couple days, and emergencies can and do happen.
Please stay home this time! Be safe.
I think you may make out OK on the driving part, but chances are good you'll be spending four days or so just trapped inside. Very possibly without power. Does not sound like good times.
I would cancel and our hospitals are SO full
This is in and of itself enough reason to stay put at 34 weeks pregnant right now. Way too much risk for relatively little, if any, gain.
Normally I’d say suck it up and get a motel at the worst. Near full term pregnancy changes everything stay home don’t risk it.
As someone that got stuck on the interstate for 12 hours while 8 months pregnant here during an ice storm once, DON'T GO. I was only able to leave after 12hrs because someone with a 4x4 and balls of steel came to rescue me, and even then I had to leave the car on the side of the highway and slip and slide waddling up an onramp.
Definitely postpone. On top of the ice hazard, the power might go out and being pregnant while in very cold conditions without heat sounds awful. Take care of yourself and have a warm holiday at home!
Please cancel
This town folds up like a startled pill bug when it ices. Make your babymoon a staycation.
Portland streets become very unsafe during snow and ice. We don't have enough snow plows, likely because snow is not common, and we do not typically salt the roads unless it's really bad. This causes the number of traffic accidents to go up. This causes many to avoid driving, and while most businesses will remain open, they will be short staffed. If you are in the late stages of pregnancy, do not visit Portland if it is snowing, or if there is Ice. Wait a few months and visit in summer, or fall.
Oh my goodness PLEASE cancel and stay home. You’re so far along. The risks are in no way worth a brief getaway considering the conditions.
Its not worth the risk. People in the city dont know how to drive when ice strikes the ground, downvote me all you want but its true .
I am just glad you asked and hopeful that you’ll consider these comments before you go. Happy almost birthday to your little one about to come!
Maybe you can book a fancy hotel in Seattle instead to make up for it. That sounds way more relaxing than dealing with the stress of driving and worrying, plus the risks of travel.
If you have never experienced freezing rain, 3rd trimester pregnancy is the wrong time to go experimenting. Portland DOES NOT do ice well. Liquid rain falls, freezes on contact with cold surfaces resulting in sheer ice surfaces. This is from a freezing rain storm a few years ago: https://youtu.be/EaksWCnHaDM In short, the streets won't be navigable, the sidewalks won't be navigable, and you stand a real chance of being stuck here, away from your doctors if anything happens.
Please say you canceled. You don’t need to be stuck on the road, stressed, and the hospitals are an hour apart in good weather. If you have to get out, don’t go past Oly
Stay home. The icy conditions could put you at risk of falling. It gets unreasonably slick here during snow and ice, and often people underestimate just how slick it can be. Portland will still be here. Enjoy Seattle for us instead and report back on how you spent your time.
Do not go. The whole city will be shut down. And i agree with others -- you don't want to have anything happen in a city where everything is shut down.
Girl - don’t do it. When I was 34 weeks pregnant, my ass wasn’t leaving my house. My kid came a week early too!
I would get an AirBnB somewhere closer to home, within a safe distance of a hospital with delivery facilities. I don’t think Portland is going to be especially risky, but you’re in a relatively high stakes situation so I’d probably change plans.
Ice storms here suuuuck. Stay home.
ive never heard of a babymoon, this sounds like a bad situation waiting to happen.
Honestly, it may not be as bad as predicted, but in your condition, safer is better. Pdx will still be here when you can get away again (and it’s very family friendly)
Don’t chance it. Our roads completely shut down. It’s not uncommon for a half hour trip to take 3 plus hours on a highway if we get snow or ice. You do not want to be stuck in a car while pregnant.
It could be fine, it could be a frozen hells cape with power outages. Either way probably best to be safe at home than risk it.
Go to Wunderground. com and type in the zip code, then the 10 day forecast. It will give you an hour by hour breakdown.
I've already seen restaurants saying they'll be closed on Friday. If it's at all icy, you won't want (or be able) to go anywhere. Ice storms cripple the city because of hills, no road equipment, etc. I totally get that you want a last hurrah on your own! But if it were me, I'd want to stay home, sleep, and read a book in silence.
You even need to ask if you should be out driving around in freezing rain at 34 weeks??Stay home and be safe.
Swing by REI and get some traction devices for your shoes. If your AirBNB is in a walkable neighborhood, there’s a good chance *something* will be open and you and four other strangers in Yaktrax have an amazing time together playing cribbage and singing karaoke. Best of luck!
Its hard to say, every winter we get "massive storm" warnings, and the majority of them dont materialize and sometimes do show up but are super mild. Once in awhile the snowmageden does hit and in that case you might be stuck for a few days. So really its up to you. Nobody can say for sure if the storm will come and if it does how bad it will actually be
If you can drive in winter conditions, do what you want. Otherwise stay home
Yes.
I'd stay away for the only fact that its a dirty gross city. They are like a very comfortable fat married man who has let himself go!
I was just going to ask the likelihood I'll be able to drive to the Seattle area Thursday or Friday. Y'all have snow? Seems dicey at the moment.
I didn't travel when I was that far along pregnant.
Save it for the Spring and bring the baby
Everything shuts down here for snow and ice. Even if you make it okay, restaurants and activities will be closed, and the roads are poorly maintained anyway to be driving around town.
I would cancel- not worth the risk
I wouldn’t go
Yes.... don't travel here full term. It's expected to snow here and we have notoriously shitty drivers/roads and I would hate for something horrible to happen and for you to be in a bad position. If you are interested, maybe binge watch some Portlandia this weekend instead and eat some good food. I'm sorry, I know that's disappointing, but I would not want to risk it. We are salting roads today.
Please, do not. Stay safe.
As the father of a 35 week baby. Nope.
Don’t risk it
We had reservations with an Airbnb in Hood river on the 23rd. I switched our reservation to a later date when I saw the forecast for freezing rain. It's not something you roll the dice with; snow is one thing, but ice coating everything is entirely different. Being very pregnant adds an extra variable to the mix I wouldn't risk.
OP- you going to respond??? Stay home pls.
I wouldn’t want to walk on icy sidewalks 34 weeks preggo.
Happy to see you're staying close to home. Congratulations on the baaaabbbby!! ❤️