Flying at 34 weeks...

[LittleIsland]

Mum wants to take me on a last minute holiday before baby arrives. I'll be 34+1 when we leave and 34+6 when we get back. Doctor happy to sign it off. Mum is also a medical professional.

DP is the only person pushing back. Scared I will go in to labour 5 weeks early and he will miss the birth.

I'm desperate to go. I have insurance. We would be flying somewhere short haul and with good medical provisions.

Would you go and do what YOU want to do and grab your last minute holiday (which is much wanted and needed) or would you do what DP wanted you to do and stay home (to alleviate his fears and help him stay calm towards the birth).

Not saying either is right or wrong, just want opinions... WIBU to go away?

TurquoiseDress Ryanair allows up until the end of the 36th week for an uncomplicated, singleton pregnancy.

I’d go, I went abroad recently and flew at 33 weeks no problems

How about a spa weekend in the UK? Autumn walks, country pubs, massages, movie nights?

I wouldn’t go because I was paranoid about how safe it is to fly whilst pregnant. But I agree with PPs that I also wouldn’t go if DP didn’t want me to because I would respect his concerns. Having said all of that I was crippled with pelvic pain and deeply uncomfortable at 34 weeks so barely wanted to leave the sofa let alone the country!

There is no evidence to say flying whilst pregnant is unsafe.

Go if you have baby while your away your mum will be there and it's not like he'll never get to meet the baby- I'm sure you'll be coming back at some point!

soydora

That’s why I say paranoid! 🙈

My dc3 arrived out of the blue at 34 weeks after a very fast labour. Then spent two weeks in NICU. So personally I’d say not worth the risk...

It sounds like you want to go, but only you can make your mind up. I feel like you came on here for some reassurance it's ok to go, as that's what you really want to do.

Yes, it could be a disaster if you give birth abroad - and your DH would probably not find it easy to forgive you if he didn't want you to go in the first place.
However, very unlikely.
Worst that can happen if you don't go - you are pissed off you've missed your holiday.
The key is - the likelihood of the first scenario happening compared to the likelihood of the second.
Weigh it up and i would say, involve DH in weighing it up, then decide.
Please let us know what you decide to do! Xx

OP, how many weeks are you presently?

I wouldn't, just because there's so much can go wrong with flights being cancelled, delays, etc. I wouldn't want to be stuck somewhere a plane ride from home, heavily pregnant, if my flight was being messed about. Not to mention volcanoes, air traffic strikes, pregnancy health issues etc. Just too much can go wrong that would lead to everything becoming a PITA.

Echoing the other posters who’ve advised you to read the BUPA policy ..... does it actually cover maternity costs if you go into labour? Will it cover the baby themselves?

Whilst there is a very slim chance of the baby coming early or needing any kind of special care, reading the stories of women who have had babies overseas and then been stuck there in special care for weeks it is an awful awful position to be in and so for me whilst it’s a very slim chance it just doesn’t seem worth the risk for the sake of a something as inconsequential as a quick holiday

I flew home from Malaysia after a 2 week holiday at 34 weeks. Lots of fluids and extra exercising on the flight.

I do agree you need to double check your insurance. Most don't cover the newborn if baby does arrive while away. You also need to check if they cover a straightforward labour, many only cover if there's complications. I recommend ravenhall insurance

I probably wouldn’t have thought of doing this but will pile in with my 2 cents anyway. My mum had me 6.5 weeks early and my brother 4.5 weeks early. So there would be no way my DM would be taking me on holiday at 34 weeks or me going as I was worried I go into labour early.
But now I know my body likes to hang onto babies until 41, 42 weeks, then yes I’d go, probably, I think!!