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Original poster

Flying at 36 weeks

75 replies

leannefox85 · 05/04/2023 18:13

I'm in a dilemma!!!
I'm currently 32 weeks and due to go on family holiday 1st may when I will be 36 +2 weeks and flying back 37+2 weeks to Turkey (4 hour flight)
This is my 5th pregnancy and alwyss had straight forward labours and pregnancies apart from 1st when I had pre eclampsia,I'm currently on blood thinners for this

What are the odds of going into Labour or having baby abroad?
The thought of not flying and my family (children) going abroad without me present and water and balconies and just general looking after them fills me with dread as my psrtner sometimes doesn't hesr my 5 year old waking up as he suffers insomnia and once asleep is asleep,just not being present and being home fills me with dread if I decide not to go.....

I'm not sure what to do and the odds and risks.... my midwife seems to think I'll be fine but of course there is always that what if.....
If I don't go I'll be so stressed with worry but if I go,I'm just going to be resting for a week once there.....

Please help me!! Any advice welcome bad or good,just honest....

I'm losing my mind and don't know what to do
I cannot cancel or amend or I will lose all of the £3,000

I'm losing sleep with what to do for the best.... don't go and worry about the safety of my children with my partner or go and risk possibly going into Labour,which I've read on Google are contradictory and ever changing?!!

Thank you! Much appreciated

OP posts:
DiscoBeat · 05/04/2023 18:31

I wouldn't. I even cancelled a long haul flight when I would have been 26 weeks.

Meandfour · 05/04/2023 18:31

I’ve travelled abroad in each of my pregnancies so I’m definitely not against it but I can’t believe you’re considering flying home after 37 weeks.

Pay and change the holiday. You’ve had months to do this if it’s been booked a year so it’s only yourself to blame if you loose money or have to pay more. You’ve known your due date for 5 months now.

BlueBunting · 05/04/2023 18:32

Your travel insurance will be invalid if you fly out of the guidelines by the airline. Then you could have a NICU baby and have to pay thousands per day and med Evac them home.

BlueBunting · 05/04/2023 18:32

Cross post with @Overthebow what they said!

endofthelinefinally · 05/04/2023 18:37

Your midwife sounds irresponsible. I doubt very much she thinks you would be fine.
In this situation a midwife would tell you the rules about insurance and flying.

Dinoboymama · 05/04/2023 18:37

You won't be allowed to board if they realise how far along you are.

Your insurance won't pay out if you give birth abroad when you've flown against the airlines rules.

You might however be insured if you had insurance before you got pregnant so they may pay for the holiday to be cancelled.
I had a medical emergency when pregnant abroad i wasn't pregnant when we booked but the insurance company covered my medical fees as it wasn't pre-existing when we booked.

Dinoboymama · 05/04/2023 18:41

If it's a holiday package they may let you move the holiday dates but at a cost. It is better than losing the full thing if your insurance say no to cancelling it.

PurBal · 05/04/2023 18:43

As PP biggest issue is you won’t be insured. And nor will the airline.

endofthelinefinally · 05/04/2023 18:45

I had to cancel a package holiday due to sudden illness. Because it was a tour company they gave us a voucher to use when we want.
I don't know if they would do that in the case of pregnancy at this late stage, but you could ask.

LightDrizzle · 05/04/2023 18:46

Sorry but you’d be mad to do this. You could end up in huge debt (assuming you don’t have a massive pile of savings).

I’m sure you can deliver safely in Turkey but your insurance won’t pay for the hospital bills nor for your travel back to the U.K. If your baby needs special care or NICU then it is even more of a nightmare.

Dinoboymama · 05/04/2023 18:49

If you booked an easy jet holiday last year, you could have cancelled until last week without any money loss. We booked last year with them as they had the 28 day cancellation clause so we could cancel anytime up to 4 weeks before and get all the money back.
It's now more but people who had the 28 days terms and conditions are still honoured.

Kay286 · 05/04/2023 18:50

I wouldn’t take the risk, my husbands work colleague and wife flew for a family emergency she was 36 weeks got a fit to fly. The worst happened during the flight …. Lost the baby :( mother required emergency medical care and it was very touch and go… she survived but an awful situation. To have to go through all that and espec in a foreign country would be horrible .
Not worth it for a holiday , it’s unlikely but does happen.

RosesInWater · 05/04/2023 18:51

Don't be daft, you will not enjoy the holiday whether you go or stay home and are worrying about your kids being away without you. Far too risky outside reciprocal health agreements (EU) also, as Turkey is not covered with that.

Change the dates.Tomorrow, pay the difference to move the trip to another time, and maybe change to EU country also?

Good luck with the baby, but without lecturing you I wouldn't do it myself, I would be terrified of something happening. Sorry to be so blunt.

OdeToBarney · 05/04/2023 18:58

No way. Don't go OP!

desqel · 05/04/2023 19:01

You won't be allowed to fly.

Why didn't you contact your travel agent and insurance when you found yourself pregnant?

At this stage I expect you've blown it. Sorry

Lizzt2007 · 05/04/2023 19:03

leannefox85 · 05/04/2023 18:23

It has been booked for a year and I have insurance through my bank,I don't want to go but the stress of them being abroad without me is giving me major anxiety

Show quote history

You need to check your insurance policy. Most dont class pregnancy as a payable cancellation reason, and also won't cover you if you fly after 35/36 weeks.

FedUpWithEverything123 · 05/04/2023 19:05

I would not go

MintMa · 05/04/2023 19:07

The airline will need a fit to fly certificate but you can't fly that late into pregnancy anyway. My bank travel insurance requires you to notify them of pregnancy but again, they won't cover after 36 weeks.

usererror99 · 05/04/2023 19:09

Can you even get holiday insurance to cover you at that point of pregnancy?

No way would I go sorry

gogohmm · 05/04/2023 19:25

If you have insurance through your bank you need to call them anyway, you have to inform them of preexisting conditions, they may, possibly, be able to help. Can you not pay a supplement to change the dates by 3 months?

mummyh2016 · 05/04/2023 19:27

You can't go. You will most likely be turned away at the airport.
Can you see if you can change the dates? Either go a couple of weeks earlier or delay it for say 3 months and take baby with you?

endofthelinefinally · 06/04/2023 03:40

Just read your OP and seen you are on blood thinners. I am finding it hard to believe you would have thought this holiday was feasible.

Notquitethere60 · 06/04/2023 03:48

Just no.

Divisionoflabour89 · 06/04/2023 04:06

No way op.

A fifth child could arrive very quickly. I don’t understand how your midwife could possibly say it would be ok either?

Is your dh pressuring you? Is that why you are so stressed? Remind him of the costs, not to mention legal hassles, of giving birth abroad op.

Ring up your insurance provider and the holiday company to discuss any options tomorrow.

Could someone else go with your dh to help? Another family member? A friend?

Emilia35 · 06/04/2023 04:16

This has to be fake. No one would be so daft and no way a midwife said it was fine when you would literally get stopped by your airline and not allowed to board.