to go on this journey in my first trimester

[JunoJunoJuno]

My husband and I want to go on holiday to Spain (end of June -- beginning of July). I haven't been pregnant before so I don't know what's safe and what isn't.
We're located in Poland, but going to Spain by plane is not an option because my husband absolutely does not want to fly (is scared). We'll be travelling by car covering about 600 km a day with 3 stopovers: 1 Poland, 2 Germany, 3 -- France (all in hotels), then Costa Brava. We'll stay in Costa Brava for 10 days and then make the same journey back home.
Does this sound like an OK trip when you're 10-12 weeks pg?
Thank you.

[leedy]

Yeah, the being abroad bit wouldn't worry me at all. I discovered I was pregnant with DS1 at the beginning of a two week trip to Jordan, so have, eg, pictures of my pregnant self eating at a truck stop on the main road to Baghdad (top tip: everything in truck stops is fried to within an inch of its life).

[GloGirl]

I was fine with nausea and travelling when pregnant.

But make sure you have excellent travel insurance.

[madreloco]

It's not the 10 days in Spain I'd be concerned about, it's the 3 days of driving to get there. As I said above, I got horribly car sick when I was pregnant. Almost certainly not unsafe, but might be unpleasant.

Then thats a totally different question, and not an aibu. Whether someone wants to do such a journey is entirely a personal decision based on their own circs.

[Brummiegirl15]

My advice would be that you are ideally not supposed to travel in early pregnancy because of the risk of miscarriage.

Not because travelling causes miscarriage, it absolutely does not.

However there is still the risk of mc up to 12 weeks and the reason against travelling is what happens if you start to miscarry whilst away? Certainly if you were in a foreign country how would you cope? Of course Spain isn't the same as being in China or India for example!

That said people do absolutely travel all the time - and I've had 3 mc's - including one at 11 weeks so I do admit I have a slightly skewed view and have experienced worst case scenarios!

I travel internationally for work and we are trying again - 4th time lucky hopefully but if I fall pregnant again, I will be stopping all international travel until after my 12 week scan

I hope you have a very happy healthy un eventful pregnancy !

[madreloco]

My advice would be that you are ideally not supposed to travel in early pregnancy because of the risk of miscarriage.

Not supposed to according to who? Utter rubbish.

[leedy]

"you are ideally not supposed to travel in early pregnancy because of the risk of miscarriage"

I've never heard that! (and I've also had one miscarriage, at 12 weeks) I've travelled several times in early pregnancy. If I'd miscarried during one of those trips, it would have been very sad and stressful but I still wouldn't think of "just in case you have a miscarriage while abroad" as a reason not to leave the country for three months. Obviously if you've had recurrent miscarriages, I can see how you'd be a lot more stressed about the issue.

[Fingeronthebutton]

I have done these length of journeys many many times. You will be fine.
Only one word of advice: use the toll roads. It's expensive in France, but well worth it. Spanish costs are quiet cheap. And using the Spanish toll roads saves a lot of time.

[Brummiegirl15]

No one says you shouldn't travel in early pregnancy but that the risk of miscarriage is higher in that timeframe so you may prefer not to travel.

It's all down to individual choice at the end of the day.

The op asked - so I gave the advice I have been given. But sadly I admit after recurrent miscarriage that my view is different

[Brummiegirl15]

Madreloco - if you look on NHS website regarding travelling in early pregnancy it does state the risk is higher.

However all pregnant women have the choice to do whatever they want, it's about evaluating the risk.

I've also been advised by my own GP that there may be the preference to stay at home. So whilst you may think it is utter rubbish - that advice does get given to people and the OP asked.

[madreloco]

Actually what it says is:
Some women prefer not to travel in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy because of nausea and feeling very tired during these early stages. The risk of miscarriage is also higher in the first three months, whether you're travelling or not

Which means absolutely nothing and it no way negates what I said.

Travelling in early pregnancy is the same as travelling at any other time: entirely up to yourself and nothing to do with the nhs, your gp, or any fool on the internet.

[SEsofty]

If someone has a history of mc , or hyperemersis or other health problems in the first trimester then they would be very cautious about being overseas or indeed probably away from home.

If it's a first pregnancy you simply don't know how you will feel. Therefore plan on feeling okay and if it turns out that you don't then don't be afraid to change plans and get insurance in case you want to cancel.

[arethereanyleftatall]

I would focus on your dh working to put aside his flying fears (statistically the safest form of travel), So that you don't have to spend three days in a car throwing up(potentially).

[madreloco]

If someone has a history of mc , or hyperemersis or other health problems in the first trimester then they would be very cautious about being overseas or indeed probably away from home

No, they MIGHT be cautious. Or they might not. Frankly when you've miscarried many times it makes little difference where, in my experience. Please don't tell us all what we WILL do or feel, you don't know anything about what others choose.

[QuoraQueen]

It will be safe but you might feel like shit!