Would you go on a 10-12 hour flight at 24 weeks?

[saoirse86]

a friend asked me this question today. She's currently 11 weeks I think so experiencing tiredness and sickness but she's not sure how she'll feel at that stage.

Apparently this holiday sounds amazing, no idea where it's to, and she'd love to go but wanted honest advice about how she'd cope.

Any thought?

Is there a way of splitting up the journey? We were living in Asia when I was pregnant with DS2, so when we went back to the UK for a visit at around that stage of pregnancy we travelled via Dubai so we could have a few hours break.

Because I was very quite large even at that stage I carried a doctor's letter with my due date and confirming that I was fit to fly.

Oh, and it was absolutely fine.

I'm 24 weeks at the moment and feel fine to fly and would love a holiday. Can't promise your friend will feel the same as I do but my sickness stopped at 11 to 12 weeks and I have felt fab since.

You are at higher risk of DVT when you are pregnant - agree, can she not split the journey up?

i don't see why not. I flew 8 hours around then with no problems, apart from a spirited toddler to look after by myself. I wore compression stockings, but I always do anyway. I felt much more lively at that point than at 11 weeks. The tiredness should be gone by then.

I went on a 12 hour flight around that time with my first pregnancy and it was fine. But I also felt great in my first pregnancy. This pregnancy has been very rough and I don't think I could have done it without a lot of thought put into it (food to bring, lots of water, good times for me to sleep, making sure I got the aisle, etc). Saying that though, I would still do it.

You all sound more positive than I did when she asked me! All I could remember was doing a 4 hour flight at 29 weeks and it being horrendous. I was in so much pain and at that stage I was finding the only thing that relieved it was lying down which you can't do on a flight. I did consider lying down in the aisle!

I also went to Devon at 25 weeks and I don't remember the drive at all so that was probably fine. It was just that I couldn't walk very far. Thinking about that, would you think you could manage lots of walking around at that stage? Again I don't know where they're going so it might not matter but thought I'd ask anyway.

I did tell her that I had spd so it might not be the same for her.

I suspect the flight's to the US, possibly Florida, as they wanted to go earlier this year, so if it is then there's not much opportunity for a stopover with the atlantic being in the way! I'll suggest that to her though in case they can think of anywhere to stop, or in case it's elsewhere they're going.

It's very difficult to predict whether someone else will be up to flying at a certain stage in their pregnancy as every woman will feel different.

Personally, I'm flying to florida on Saturday (9 hour flight), leaving at 3am and I'm massively excited about it. I have no doubt in my mind that I'll be shattered and needing to rest when we arrive but then what are holidays for?

I'm 26 weeks on outbound flight, 28 weeks on return flight.

She will need to check with her airline that she's allowed to fly, get a note from her midwife or GP to say that she's safe to fly and on longhaul flights, flight socks (the tight ones like hospital stockings) are a MUST.

Ria x

I flew back from California at about that stage in my first pregnancy and it was absolutely not problem at all. But I did have a pretty trouble-free pregnancy. I also spent the previous night sleeping on the floor as we'd sold all the furniture in our apartment. That was less good.

Far rather fly when pregnant than with small children!

Just get her to check with her doctor and midwife and ensure that she wears them tight stockings to prevent DVT,

I did an 8 hour flight at 20 weeks and although it was uncomfortable, it was certainly do-able. and much easier than flying with a toddler!!

She also really needs to do her leg exercises, stay well hydrated and avoid caffeine to reduce her thrombotic risk.

Thanks for all the advice. I've passed it on and she says it's very helpful so thank you.

It's difficult trying to plan the future when you're pregnant isn't it!

no. because I did it before and NEVER would again!

I flew from Oz to the UK when I was 27 weeks pregnant with my first and back when I was 29 weeks. 30 hour journey all up with a 23 hour flights. We stopped in Singapore and London for a couple of hours each but only for flight changes.

I carried a letter saying I was fit to fly amusingly the only people to ask for it were the domestic 1 hour flight in the UK to London.

I didn't find it uncomfortable. My OB told me to not take asprin, wear flight socks, drink lots of water (just kept asking the crew for more water and they were fine with it) and to move around regularly. Given all the water I drank and the subsequent trips to the loo, the moving around part wasn't a problem : )

If she is going somewhere with a time difference don't push through the time change tiredness as much as you normally would, when I was tired I did rest for a few days and it did take me a bit longer than normal to get over the jet lag.

I am currently 26 weeks with no. 4 and would fly tomorrow with no concerns if someone else would take the other 3!!

No, but only because in both my pregnancies from day 1 I have felt pretty awful and by 24 weeks was uncomfortable sitting down for any great length of time.

Get those ugly support socks from boots. Get someone to put them on! Get a seat close to the loo, drink water all the way and you will be fine. I flew a 9 hour flight nonstop at 24 weeks. With 3 hours at heathrow and another 2 hour cab ride at the other end. Felt tired, but not unusually so. Go go go!

Yep. I flew (alone) home and back so 10 hour flight plus a channel hop. I would have flown much later on if necessary as well. MUCH easier than flying with DS....