Flying to Japan at 30 to 32 weeks pregnant, would you book?

[Friedbanana]

We cancelled our big Japan in 3 weeks time due to Dubai stopover flights. The next time I could possibly take off work is late September/October so we decided to rebook then, but I just got a really really faint positive pregnancy test (testing very early) it could be an evap line . But if I was pregnant that would put me at 30-32 weeks . Would you be comfortable booking a big holiday and flying then? This would be my first pregnancy and I would be 33 then. Or should we rebook flights with a different airline and go in 3 weeks as originally planned?! Would have to book everything from scratch, hotels etc and have no activities booked either.

Ok thanks everyone, pretty unanimous and helpful! So now I’m thinking rebooking for 3 weeks time. I ovulated on 10th March so this would put me at just over 4 weeks pregnant on the way there and 6 weeks on the way back. Or 6-8 weeks if you use the 40 week dr timing (why is this so confusing!!!)
i know there’s a chance I could be completely miserable but surely I’ll feel better in Japan than home?!

Either go before 12 weeks or after the baby is 3 months old. Anything else is madness.

Really depends! I get awful sickness and nausea and I think I would feel worse having spent all the money going to Japan, only to spend the whole trip in the hotel bathroom.

No way

If you can make it work with work then I think second trimester is the best time to travel as most women’s symptoms are milder then. But that would probably put you in summer which isn’t a great time to be in Japan.

My morning sickness and exhaustion kicked in from about 5/6 weeks (based on LMP) and I think that’s quite common but everyone has different experiences.

You say you’d rather be miserable in Japan but surely you’d rather wait and save your money and go on the trip when you can enjoy it more?

I wouldn't plan a trip like this and a pregnancy at the same time! Even if you go before 12 weeks there's a chance you may have complications which I wouldn't want to have to deal with so far from home. You may also feel nauseous and tired. Between 12 and 24 weeks may be the best time but not something I'd personally do. I definitely wouldn't go after 24 weeks for multiple reasons!
I'd probably wait till the baby was 4 months or so and go as a family. A baby doesn't add much to the overall cost.

Aww you blatantly are. I conceived first month both times. It’s really not that unusual.

Congratulations 😊

I don't think there is any "surely" about it. You may be fine, you may be having a very difficult pregnancy and be under consultant care or anything in between. I would either go before you're pregnant or waiting until the baby is born.

It is an amazing and beautiful country but a very long flight, a huge amount of walking (we averaged 10 miles of walking a day), and food can be tricky if you're trying to stick to the pregnancy advice and (for example) only eat sushi made with frozen fish.

This is a bit mad, OP. I mean, there are no guarantees. In early pregnancy (before I’d even taken a pregnancy test) I sometimes felt so tired I would get in from work and lie down on the floor in the hall, and there were days when walking ten feet felt like running a marathon with ankle weights. Other days I was fine. I also alternated between being absolutely starving for very specific things and violent nausea. This was perfectly manageable at home, but it would have wrecked a holiday where it wasn’t possible to say ‘You know what, let’s go home — this is no fun.’

Early pregnancy can be difficult to. With my first I was exhausted (and I wasn’t working) and felt constantly sick in my first trimester. I went on a European city break and it was a struggle. You may be fine (and I hope you are), but it’s not always easy in the early stages either!

The extra 5 hours on top of 9 makes a huge difference when flying. I’ve done Australia via Asia a few times and it’s way worse than an 8hr flight to the USA for example.

There’s no way I would consider it when pregnant. I went to Munich at 25 weeks and I could barely walk. My ankles and feet were so swollen, my back was in agony and I was tired. And that was a two day trip with a very short plane journey.

You really don’t know what your pregnancy will be like either. I was so sick from 5 weeks up to 14, and the exhaustion was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before. I wouldn’t waste your money. As for it being better to be miserable in Japan? No.

absolutely not

The time difference can wipe you out for a week even when not pregnant. I wouldn’t want to do the flight or suffer the jet lag. I don’t think you’ll get anything like as much out of your trip at 30-32 weeks pregnant. Also, if there are any complications insurance will be a nightmare.

Sept/Oct can also still be very wet and humid in Japan. Going mid April will be better. I would try and rebook everything for original travel dates if you can.

Absolutely not.

I went to Japan while 15-17 weeks pregnant and it was just what I needed. The flights were fine (we had one change each way). I appreciate this is somewhat earlier than 30+ weeks though!

If you ovulated on March 10 then you are 3 weeks 3 days today. Congratulations!

Yes.

£3300 for two return flights to Japan in April isn’t especially expensive. I’m going in a week and our flights cost more than that. JAL economy and we booked about 10 months ago.

I’d just rebook for your original dates, which from your update it sounds like you plan to do. Have fun!

Rebook direct

It’s 5 more hours plus advanced pregnancy! I’d want o go premium economy minimum

A 14 hour flight with pregnancy sickness?
Crazy.

I would personally not go.

Japan is such an amazing place to visit and I would want to enjoy it to it's max. At that stage in pregnancy your big, unsteady, fed up, tired and uncomfortable. Not to mention any potential pregnancy complications.

Go and ENJOY it when the timings are better.

I flew to Hong Kong at 20 weeks and I was borderline acceptable by airline and insurance company. Obviously you need to check this out.

Hello, I have just done Japan direct flights 15hrs, 3 week holiday. Flight is absolutely awful with it being so long, chairs are so uncomfortable, the jet lag is awful. The worst I’ve ever experienced having been to Asia before. You are walking miles and miles everyday exploring, it’s very flat and easy to get around though so you don’t realise until the end of the day when you’re knackered. So unbelievably busy in Toyko and some other cities, the closest I can compare is Leicester Square in London but that’s all of the city not just one place. Lugging all your luggage around. I was exhausted and I wasn’t pregnant and honestly I get you want to go but you will regret and it’s a bad idea. Never mind if you had any complications and English really is not widely spoken

It’s not really about the flight. It’s the risk to your pregnancy. A trip to Japan is full-on.

No way, it’s a waste of thst trip. You could have an awful pregnancy and be vomitting the whole time. Even if not, consider the risk of preterm birth and having to spend weeks / months there, and the cost.