Dubai when pregnant

[ImMeantToBeWorking]

My DP booked to bring me to Dubai before we knew I was pregnant. I will be 20 weeks by the time we go so I will be showing.

Is it safer for us to say we are married, wear rings etc when we go? I don't want to get in any trouble but we will never get this opportunity after we have our baby so we need to do it now.

Also, any must do's that I will be able to do when pregnant? Raging I prob wont be able to go on all the big water slides in the water park etc but sure what can you do??

I live and work in the region. You can go without worrying, no one will ask for a marriage certificate so long as your hotel is actually in Dubai (not Sharjah!). Check this very carefully. If asked outright, say you're married, but no one will ask (it's very much don't ask, don't tell). Don't fly etihad either - nightmare service at the moment, not what you need while pregnant.

Get decent health insurance, you're allowed to be pregnant as a tourist there and unmarried. It's not as strict as people think, not anymore. The best hospitals, should you need anything is Corniche Hospital (for maternity) or Cleveland Clinic - both in Abu Dhabi, but the most able to support you.

If you need anything, let me know! I've got two weeks to go and it's hot (tip: don't go while it's this hot)

Wear rings, refer to each other as "my wife" / "my husband" and be careful.

Thanks,

We are flying Etihad, what is so bad about it??

We are staying just off the man made beach some where. My DP's sister stayed in it before and said it was close to everything, by the looks of google maps it is defiantly in Dubai.

We are going right at the end of Sept and into Oct, what is the weather like then?

I have travel and health insurance (with maternity) but I might look at getting better travel insurance due to being pregnant.

Best of luck with your last two weeks, you must be so excited???

The reason people go to Dubai is that it has absolutely no ‘must dos’. You can lie on your sun lounger without the slightest suspicion that something more fun is happening elsewhere. It isn’t. If you like art, you could head to Sadaayiat Island in Abu Dhabi or there might be something on in Al Quoz. Otherwise, Dubai has shopping malls with a ski slope and a giant aquarium, tall buildings, dancing fountains, and a couple of tokenistic museums. Bring a lot of books.

I’m sure it’ll be fine with Etihad! Just that they now charge for drinks outside of meal service, regular overbooking etc. they’re cost cutting a lot as they’ve been making a loss. I’d suggest just bringing some drinks on board with you, and a face mask or something to relax so they don’t annoy you!

Ah great! The palm is definitely in Dubai so you’ll be all good. The weather is still warm, think mid 30s minimum. It’s a good time to visit, in the evenings sitting outside is beautiful and balmy.

Very excited to meet her! also keen to not be quite so enormous in the heat! Let me know if you need any recommendations/advice, happy to help!

@sergeilavrov I might try checking in early and see do we get bumped if eco is over booked. Or would it be better if we checked in late?? I know they say not to ask cause you will never be bumped if you do. lol

drinks in airport, check. I would normally buy bottles of water and diet coke before flights anyway, I will just buy a few extra for the long flight.

Thanks for all the info, if I think of anything else I will let you know. My aunties have been a few times so have given us some tips, none of them ever went pregnant though!!

I'd say you won't know yourself once she is here!

@inis, I have seen pics of the ski slopes alright, not too sure I will be going on it with bump though! lol

There will be loads of tasty mocktails! Everywhere you go will be set up for not drinking!

@DianaBlythe sounds good to me. The DP's sis was telling us about this great Irish bar...I had to bite my tongue!

Definitely better to check in early to avoid being bumped. It's mainly the return to England that is the problem. They tried to do it to me on my last trip home, and I had turned up 3hrs early - check in online being unavailable is a sign they're having problems. I ended up getting voucher + business on next flight, but not worth it: a furiously angry pregnant woman quietly threatening people in an airport is not a good time.

You'll have a great time! This is my second child on the way and do like being pregnant in the region, lots of great perks for us (queues, special rooms, great service, lots of help) - enjoy them to the max. Might be worth remembering that most bars do allow smoking inside though!

Oh wow, you get treated much better over there than here. People don't even give up their seat on a bus for a pregnant lady over here. I didn't realise they allowed check in online. Good to know!

I will keep the smoking inside thing in mind, why do places still allow it?? (coming from a smoker who only quit the day she realised she was pregnant!!)