Quick question about EDD for flying at 35 weeks!

[gherkins]

Hi,

Despite being 35 weeks pregnant, I still can't seem to get my head around due dates, and cut-off for flying. Please help as I need to book a ticket within 24 hours for a quick (and final!) short-haul flight

My due date is 18 January. So, I am currently in week 35 - I think! My question is when weeks start and end.... and in order to do this accurately for the airline, I need to count backwards from my due date.

Question is - on my EDD, will I have completed 39 or 40 weeks of pregnancy? i.e. is my EDD the day after 39+6 and at 40+0, or at the end of week 40, which technically speaking is surely 40+7. When is your actual due-date supposed to fall?

So, for example, if today I am 35+6, a week from today, will I be in my 36th week or pregnancy, or my 37th?

I know I should be able to work this out by now but in my pregnancy-fuddled brain I seem to be totally confused!

It depends on what the airline's limit is. if one method puts you just over, use the other!

Are you certain they'll fly you anyway?

EDD is 40+0

You are currently in your 36th week of pregnancy if you're 35+6

that's my understanding anyway!

EDD is 40+0. Counting backwards, that would make you 34+6 today, so you are in your 35th week and 35 weeks / starting your 36th week tomorrow. A week from today you will be at the end of your 36th week (so last day you can fly). If your airline lets you fly until 36 weeks, you can fly until 20 Dec (next Monday).
That makes sense as my EDD is 26 Jan (so 8 days after you) and am right now 33+5.

think most airlines have a cutoff at either 28 or 32 weeks so you may be out of time already.

i went on holiday when I was 18 weeks with my first. flew BA and their cutoff was 32 provided you had a letter from your midwife after 28 weeks.

i also had to show my maternity notes at checkin at heathrow to prove how far along i was. otherwise they wouldnt have let me travel.

if you were tol buy a ticket and try to chance it, they would most likely turn you away at check in. unless your flight was internal UK flight.

Thanks for the quick replies.

The airline is saying that if I am at the end of Week 36, I cannot fly. On your advice, the 'end' of Week 36 should surely be 36+6 or 37+0.

My EDD is Jan 18. If that is 40+0 as you say twinsister, then I guess that makes me 35+0 tomorrow (which is funny, because my consultant told me today that I'm in week 35, which would surely imply I'm 35+ something).

Aaanyway.

I'm not sure they'll fly me, but I have a doctor's certificate that's good for a week. The flight is only 40 minutes - my main fear is they won't let me make the return journey and I'll be stuck overseas for the birth because of a balls-up over dates!

End of week 36 you will be 36 weeks. It is confusing, but you start your 36th week when you are 35 weeks pg, and finish it when you are 36 weeks. If you count from the very start of pregnancy - your first week of pregnancy would start when you are 0 weeks pregnant (i.e. first day of LMP) and at the end of the first week you are then 1 week pregnant, and so on and so forth from their. You need to check with the airline specifically - is it IN THE 36TH WEEK that they won't let you fly anymore or AT 36 WEEKS OR MORE PREGNANT. It is different for each airline. I was meant to fly on Wednesday when I will be 34 weeks (i.e. in my 35th week) and was ok to fly but had to double-check with the airline exactly what they mean - decided to cancel trip anyway as icy conditions and snow forecast, and don't want to end up being stuck somewhere overnight with no way to get home.

Sorry x-posts.

PinkPeony thanks, this is where my brain freezes up because I have difficulty in thinking that 34+6 (which, yes, according to my EDD then this is what I am today) is Week '35'. I guess it's calculated as weeks completed, so from 35+0 onwards, I will have completed 35 weeks and be in 'in' Week 36. Don't know why my tiny brain cannot compute this! Gah.

So, as you say, this would make end of Week 36 next Monday. Which is probably why my consultant said he wanted me to fly back by Sunday at the latest!

Skandi - thanks - I have just phoned the airline to check I won't be turned away, they say cut-off is end of Week 36, which I guess i next Monday.

Talk about cutting it fine!

So - just out of interest, and not wanting to complicate things! - when they say a 'full-term' pregnancy is anything from 37 weeks - do they mean 37+0 or 37+6/38+0?

Full term is from 37+0 - so coming up soon!

PinkPeony - they are saying no flying after the END OF WEEK 36. So using your great model (thanks for that!) I think if I fly back next Sunday, at 35+6 and 'in' Week 36, I should be one-day clear of the cut-off point.

Now you have sorted out which week you are in I would double check with the airline that you are in fact OK to fly at 36 weeks.

I am flying with BA next week at 29 weeks and returning at 32 weeks. Their cut off is 34 weeks and after 28 weeks you need a drs letter confirming you are fit to fly.

gherkinss flying back one day of the "cutoff" is cutting it very fine.
what if your return flight is delayed, or you are unable to get to the airport, due to weather or some other reason?

is this trip really necessary and if so, is there another way of travelling?

gherkins you do also need to give some thought to what you would do if you got stuck. Having been caught out by the volcanic ash debacle at Easter I have adopted the anything might happen approach.

Thanks nancy and pink.

Now I'm clear that I will be flying back towards the end of being IN week 36, you are right about double-checking. I will visit the airline's office tomorrow to ask in person now I have my dates sorted, to be 100% clear.

I agree day before cut-off is cutting it fine. However, I am in the Middle East, so no weather issues like snow/gales to contend with, and - if the worst came to the very worst and airports shut for security reasons - I would in theory be able to drive home (although it would necessitate a visa for travelling through a third country, a hassle but not insurmountable).

I'll be travelling with my DH, so at least if I do go into labour I won't be alone!

By the way, this is not a 'necessary' trip. It's a holiday really, with DH.

DH is insisting that we should have a last weekend away, and because we are overseas, and I won't be able to travel for 8-10 weeks after the birth due to time needed to get passport/travel docs for baby etc, we are conscious that this really will be our last chance to go somewhere 'normal' for several months. We are just doing a quick long-weekend trip.

Is the general consensus that I'm NUTS to consider this?

Please be honest!

Well you're not nuts for wanting to go on a short break with your husband, but any relaxation you may get from it could very easily be counteracted with major stress about flying. Is there anywhere you could go for the weekend that wouldn't entail flying?

Furry - nowhere else, no. We are trying to get to Dubai.

Currently the only place available by road is Saudi Arabia - NO THANK YOU would rather stay at home!

gherkins what airline is letting you fly at 36 weeks?

I thought the general rule was 28 weeks without a note and 32 with a note.

IMHO you are being very irresponsible to fly at 36 weeks pregnant, despite the obvious increased risk of DVT, have you considered that you 'might' go into labour mid flight?

Youve have 36 weeks to plan a trip fgs, why are you going now?

Get a room in a nice hotel somewhere close to where you live and relax

hmm dubai at 36 weeks, you sound perfectly reasonable

I didn't think you could fly after 33 wks?

Are you covered by your travel insurance? - My usual "annual" one wouldn't cover me when I was 33wks and went to Brussels on the Eurostar & I had to find somewhere that did special cover.

I gave birth at 33+5, 4 days after we got home.

To be clear mosschops, I live in the Middle East - the flight is only 40 minutes! So very little chance of DVT and other issues, it's basically up and then down. It's like flying from London to Birmingham, or something.

The airline letting me fly is Etihad.

I know we've had 36 weeks to plan - and we have had other holidays - but we've got cabin fever! We will be separated from family and friends over Xmas as we'll be out here waiting for the baby, so we thought one final weekend away would be fun.

Oh - I should add - I will be fully covered by private healthcare, and obviously while I certainly don't WISH to deliver away from home in Dubai - I will be able to go to an excellent private hospital should there be any twinges.

Most people seem to think I'm mad! Fair enough. Maybe I should re-consider.

Why on earth would you want to risk it? Can you not persuade your DH it's insane?! Think your brain might have given up completely !!

Good luck with the birth!

Ba8y1 that's very possible!

Part of me does think it's a bit of a silly risk, the other part thinks well sod it, why not, it's only 3 days and what are the chances? It's not like I'm going to the back and beyond, and I will be with DH...

I think you are mad to even consider it! - Good luck!

Well I don't think you are mad. I am guessing you are flying out of Q which doesn't seem to be a long process - certainly no having to check in three hours beforehand to clear security etc. So the chances of something dramatic happening whilst you are even at the airport let alone in the air are virtually non existent.

FWIW my "backup" when I fly next week is the American Hospital in Dubai who are pretty good. I am happy with that.

Good Luck.