Flying and aeroplanes when pregnant. Some facts.

[Backinthebox]

Just diving back into the pregnancy pages again in order to write a little essay about flying for the concerned pregnant lady. I keep getting messages from my friends saying 'there's another flying thread on MN again, go and sort it out.' So with any luck, someone will sticky this, or at least remember it is here!

Fwiw, I am a mother of 2 small children and have held a pilot's licence for 16 years, flying large commercial airliners for the last 13 years.

So, some facts.

Firstly, the rules about flying vary from airline to airline, but most of them let you fly as a passenger without restriction until 28 weeks. After that you will need a doctor's certificate saying you are expected to have a healthy and normal remainder of your pregnancy. The reason for the 28 week limit is because there are no facilities on an aircraft to deliver a baby, nor are there any trained staff. Diverting an airliner because someone pops one out at 34 weeks is a costly venture. There is no risk to mother or baby that is not is not also a risk to other passengers - ie you should drink plenty of fluids to keep hydrated and keep yourself moving on a flight to avoid DVT regardless of whether you are pregnant or not. The only things that may impact on you more is if you suffer from morning sickness - you may want to be closer to a toilet in that case. If you are one of the unfortunates who has a miscarriage, flying is not going to trigger this, or make the risk higher, but being on a flight when it happens will increase your distress.

The subject of unpressurised flight occasionally crops up. This requires some common sense. If you are going on a 20 minute seaplane hop in the Maldives, you will not suffer oxygen starvation, nor will your baby. You will not bounce the baby out of your uterus with a water landing. (I was throwing emergency landings in the simulator at 747 pilots up till my 39th week, and failed to bounce the baby out. In fact she had to be prised out by CS 11 days overdue.) If you are planning to fly at 14000ft for a couple of hours, this is a different matter altogether (and would be an issue for the pilot too.)

For anyone who is still skeptical, bear in mind that it is perfectly legal (although unlikely in the UK) for pilots to be flying you around until their 26th week of pregnancy. In the States, many cabin crew fly throughout their entire pregnancies.

Aircraft cabins are pressurised to 8000 feet, meaning that the air pressure in the cabin is the same as it would be outside if you were standing up an 8000ft high mountain. The air is drier than at sea level. Turbulence will not affect an unborn baby.

There are very few noises an aircraft can make that will affect a baby, and generally those noises are crashing kind of noises, in which case you have a bigger problem whether you are pregnant or not!

If anyone has any flying+pregnancy or flying with babies questions, I can generally answer them. Please no 'I'm 12 weeks, is it safe to fly for an hour' types though!

Thanks for the advice, what an interesting thread. I have a question about cabin pressure - normally when I fly I get painful ears (they are very sensitive and they hurt when the 'pop' despite trying to spend the whole flight sucking sweets and swallowing the juice. I'm currently 15 weeks pregnant and am suffering from congestion which has been affecting my ears nose and throat, and at times my ears have popped similar to the sensation I have on a plane. I'm due to fly to Italy in two week's time - will the problem be worse than usual and what can I do to alleviate it? Thanks.

Thank you backinthebox runningoutofideas and lacroixsweetie for your bfing with extender belt tips!! Much appreciated, because unless I see someone on my flights to/from hols next week bfing I'm going to be figuring out how to do it for the first time in November!

Also re: the getting a medical cert to fly after 28 weeks - that is actually a helluva lot harder than you would think. I thought it was no big deal, but my GP and hospital have policy of not issuing them unless it's an emergency (and I'm very low-risk pregnancy, under Domino/community midwife care). So my plans of a few more shorthaul trips between now (25 weeks) and my trip to NZ with bubs are scuppered. Good thing we didn't go with DH's original hairbrained plan of me flying to New Zealand alone at 36-38 weeks to give birth in the nice new hospital in his hometown I mean honestly.....

When I lived in South Africa as a kid there was the most DREADFULLY cheesy but hilarious advert about how good South African Airways' customer service was. It was demonstrated by a woman giving birth on a plane.... ie the flight attendant delivered the baby, right there in an non-exit row economy seat , while an old lady in the row behind them exclaims to her husband "that woman is having a baby!" I found this old news article about it but I've never found a clip of the commercial itself... has anyone else ever seen this?!?! It was hilarious! SAA's budget rival did an ad shortly afterwards with the tagline "on Phoenix, you don't have to give birth to a baby to get attention..."

Cool! I guess if you're above an ocean then you can still land like that pilot did in the river in New York! I know aircarfts float, landing in the sea doesn't seem to worry me though :)

I found the advert!!!!

Watch it watch it, it's sooo cheesy! I'm so proud of myself, I've been looking for years for a clip of it!

Backinthebox hope you never have to say on a flight "we'd like to welcome a new passenger on board".

Going to post this on the "Great Ads" thread too...

I flew at 24 weeks with no Drs note, as they are not required until you are 28 weeks. At the boarding gate the lady questioned how far along i was and didn't believe that i was only 24 weeks pregnant. She demanded a Drs note, which of course i did not have, then decided i wasn't allowed to board the plane without the Captain's authority.

So the poor Captain, who looked like he was just out of nappies himself, paid me a visit. He had no idea what a 24 or 28 week pregnant lady looked like and confessed as much. Luckily i remembered i happened to have my 20 weeks scan photo in my purse, which was dated, titled 20 week scan and had my name on it too. I showed it as proof i was not lying and was then allowed on board.

Moral of the story, carry your scan photo with you just incase you are met with idiotic airline staff who have no idea how big a 28 week pregnant lady looks.

Thanks for that GreyElephant I will make sure I have a copy of my scan photo/scan report with me next week!

What a fab thread! I worked as cabin crew for years, we didn't have that many female pilots at our base but I love to get female captains or fo's when I fly, I find they do much better landings!

I flew with DC4 when she was 11 days - it was indeed a rush to get the passport! - we were totally spoilt on the plane and all the crew came to coo at the "smallest baby they had ever seen" (she was 5lb 1oz).

She slept or BF the entire 7 hour journey and despite flying only with my other two DC it was the easiest flight I've done. Not so the journey I did with her last week at 15mths which is easily the absolute worst age to fly with!

I have flown at 29 weeks (when no one was in the slightest bit worried about my drs letter) and at 34 weeks when it was examined several time

I totally agree about traveling light - but understand it is far easier with an infant than a toddler. I just wish the airlines would allow small umbrella folding buggies on the aircraft so you can get it on landing. Some airlines are better than others and it makes a HUGE difference.

SaraBellumHertz,

you wouldn't believe how hard it is to marry up passengers and buggies at the aircraft door - the aircraft needs to be emptied of passengers so the cleaners can get on straight away for the next flight, and security issues mean you can't just have passengers hanging around on the jetty while the aircraft is cleaned and checked. While the passengers should be getting off, the baggage handlers should be unloading the plane. But sometimes they get there after the passengers get off, and although they make the effort, a lonely buggy sits at the bottom of the steps waiting for someone to do something with it. There might be more room in the cabin, but everyone seems to need their kitchen sink in a wheelie bag with them, so the lockers get full. It's not ideal, and most airlines are trying to improve it, but knowing how airports work, it is a big job to ensure EVERY buggy is definitely at the door. Sorry - sounds pathetic, I know. I just drive the plane!

Devondeva, your suspicions are right, you would probably squash your baby. I made a special effort to hold mine a bit to the side of me, iyswim, when I flew with them on my lap. It's only for the 50 seconds the plane is on the runway. If you have a crash after that, it'd probably be a bit terminal for all involved, adults or babies. Grim thought that I don't like to dwell on - bear in mind you are STILL more likely to crash your car on the way to the airport! You can pay a child fare for an infant in their own seat once they are 6 months, if it worries you greatly.

GreyElephant I had a bit of an argument with the checkin girl when I was about 19 weeks pregnant about not having a certificate of fitness to fly, then when I flew last week, nobody even asked and I am 29 weeks now! I am flying again this weekend so it's good I have it just in case. The docs charged me £25 though and needed 10 working days to process, which is bananas.

My worst flight ever was flying back from India at 11 weeks pregnant. It was a 430am flight via abu dhabi so no sleep at all the night before, and I had found out I was preggers 3 weeks before (total shock) plus had a bad case of delhi belly for the 4 days before traveling. I spent the whole flying being sick and crying with exhaustion and i was on my own. I felt so sorry for myself! I really wanted to kiss the ground a la terry waite when I landed finally at heathrow - slightly over the top!

Backinthebox I will check out all that stuff. I'd probably stay in Goa which should be fine in Jan. Not sure I will, but I have airmiles to use up and know a few people who will be there in Jan. My mum is very anti the idea though!

ha, ha zara1984 - if only childbirth was that quick, easy and painless

Just wanted to say thank you to backinthebox for starting this thread and taking the time to respond to queries. I have relatives overseas and will be spending a lot of time on flights once the baby is born to visit and will be flying when 19-20 weeks pregnant. Very informative

Backinthebox thank you! So helpful to hear all of that. I am due to go on holiday with family in September at 32-33 weeks bregnant (only a 2hr flight thankfully) but will also be DS's first flight at 2.3 and you have put my mind at rest! Will quiz midwife re fit to fly cert at my next appt though just in case its a nightmare to get like has been mentioned. Thank you!

Backinthebox thank you for a very useful thread; I've no comments or questions as they've all been answered, but it is so reassuring. I think Mumsnet HQ should interview you, you certainly sound reassuringly authoritative on the issue.

I agree about travelling light with kids - I'm pregnant and fly with my toddler a lot, and have learnt that gradually, over the course of some 30 flights in the last 3 years with kids, through bitter experience and DH's nagging wisdom.

My dilemma is whether I can make my only sister's wedding when I'm 37 weeks pregnant. It's a 3 hour flight away (I'm mainland Europe, she's UK), I fly a lot pregnant, but I think flying at that stage (ie almost full-term) is probably out of the question, and I have of course considered driving or (first class) train (taking about 3/4 days to do the journey over land) but I think the odds of me making it are low. And I don't want to give birth away from home as only have very short maternity leave. Very gutting.

Unfortunately I don't think it's a question you can answer for me.

BackintheBox, first, I think it's great to have a mother in such a male-dominated industry. I hope it encourages more young women to take up the profession. Has your airline been supportive to you? There's one story I read about, a pilot for an American airline who in the 90s ended up suing her airline for discrimination after she had her kids. Her bosses basically made it deliberately tough to be a mother and fulfil her contract. I think she won the case but then moved airline to one with a more friendly culture.

Secondly, do you know of airlines that 'bump' pregnant women off busy, overbooked flights, on spurious health concerns? There was a rumour doing the rounds about this in the 90s, which is when I flew pregnant for the first time. I did a three-hour flight at 30 weeks, and with a doctor's note (completely normal pregnancy), but I was carrying very small and deliberately wore baggy clothing for check-in so the issue of 'how pregnant are you' would never arise. And it worked - nobody mentioned the pregnancy, I never showed the letter.

StateofPlay I think you would struggle to find an airline who would allow you to fly at what is technically full term. Sorry! Even with a doctor's note to say you are expected to carry to full term, 37 weeks is officially It. There would be no medical problems with you flying, but it makes the airlines twitchy. You are fairly unlikely to go from start of labour to birth in under 3 hours (although I did!) but how would you feel if you took off, went into labour, and based on the best medical advice the pilots diverted the plane? You would be in a strange country with no one around you. I think you know what the sensible answer is, although I'm only here on this thread to answer practical questions!

Darrowby85 (I was told I was to thick to be a vet, btw. Oh how I loved my school!) My employer has been very supportive of me, although there are anomalies in flying that people would describe as sexist and not-allowed elsewhere, but that we put up with due to the incredible advantages the career brings. I spend 10 days a month at work, and have a very comfortable income. I can choose to work nights, and usually spend a couple of days a month off down route on a beach somewhere. It's a struggle to manage to get all birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, Sports Days, etc off, but I think I do fairly well, and my DC know nothing different. Sometimes Mummy is there, sometimes I am not. I am very adept with Skype, and am not beyond hiding under my desk in the hotel and jumping up to play Peekaboo with them over the miles! My company did famously have a bit of an altercation with one female pilot, but she won a landmark case against them and since then they have fallen over themselves to be pro-family, not just for the women pilots but for the pilot fathers too.

There is absolutely no way that a pregnant woman would be bumped off a full flight on spurious grounds. It is extremely unusual to bump anyone off an over-full flight, and usually cash incentives are offered until enough volunteers come forward. Our seat analysis department are very good and we are regularly nearly but not quite full. Any airline would be on extremely thin ice if they bumped a pregnant passenger off for no good reason!

Could I ask a question about the pressure? Not pregnant but always wondered...

When you have a bottle of water with you it manages to squeeze itself almost flat sometimes - so if the pressure in the cabin is the same as outside, how does this happen?

May I jump in and answer that backinthebox? I work in aircraft air systems design so know a bit about how the pressurisation works.

When the aircraft is at altitude the ambient atmospheric conditions would not sustain human life (too cold, not enough pressure) so the aircraft is designed to provide an environment that is life sustaining and comfortable. This means predominantly providing a cabin pressure that humans can live in.

However, the pressure altitude is not the same as found at sea level as the aircraft structure would need a lot of reinforcing and would become too heavy to fly. So the cabin is pressurised to an altitude equivalent to being up a small mountain - the exact altitude depends on the aircraft but the maximum limlit is 8000 feet (as mentioned up-thread) and generally long haul aircraft have lower maximum altitudes than short haul aircraft, and Airbuses have lower maximum cabin atitudes than Boeings...

This is a long winded way of getting to the point of why your water bottle collapses - as the aircraft descends the cabin pressure increases back to 'normal' levels (unless you're landing somewhere like Mexico City or Lhasa which are at altitudes above the altitude to which the cabin is pressurised) the lower pressure in the bottle (because you opened it to drink during the flight) gets 'squashed'.

Sorry for butting in on your thread back...

I just got back from London yesterday. We flew to Ireland.
When we left I was 35 weeks. I was asked for a Drs note to fly, which I had. On the way back I was nearly 37 weeks. Nobody even asked for the note, and my bump is huge!
The DR gave me the note no problem. The airline has policy of allowing you to fly until 36 weeks-BMI.

Ah interesting Fenouille thank you! Have always been worried about those bottles!

Love this thread, informative and educational.

Thou I now have major job envy.

I love this thread !! currently 24 weeks and no Intensions of flying during , however planning a long haul for 2014 with a 9yo and 20mo so loving the advice :)

Hello,

Not sure if this thread is still open but thank you for all the really helpful info. I just have one question. Currently, I am 18 weeks pregnant and am getting married in about 8 weeks time. We are planning on going on a honeymoon to Mauritius straight after the wedding which would put me at about 26 weeks returning 10 days later just before I turn 28 weeks.

I spoke to my gynecologist based in France and she looked horrified when I told her my plans to fly. She categorically told me she would not authorise it, as for her, the landing and take off and change in cabin pressure can cause huge problems with haemorrhaging and 'there can be a lot of blood'.

Well, after hearing this, I absolutely didn't want to fly, but there is no warning on the nhs website, your post doesn't mention this and none of the airlines restrict flying at this stage of pregnancy. I wouldn't want to miss out on a great honeymoon because of one doctor's opinion which goes against the consensus.

If you have any more information on this, then I would be extremely grateful.

Thank you

Jacquetta

Backinthebox do you know the doses of radiation experienced during different durations of flight? Eg compared to background radiation or X-rays. I've always felt this was my main concern about flying while pregnant.

Thank you for the enlightening thread btw.

OP thanks for a fab thread! I'm going to be flying a fair bit while pregnant (London to Beijing via Frankfurt, London to Milan to Athens to London, and London to Providenciales) so good to have some real facts.

On the Engine issue, I had a work trip to NYC and we had engine failure during initial descent. We were fast tracked into Newark (with the airport fully red lighted) and had a landing better than I've had on some normal flights. Crew and flight deck very calm and focussed so most people didn't really realise anything was up until we had landed and they gave a brief heads up.

Must admit, as a frequent flyer, an engineer and someone who grew up around planes, I thought it was all rather exciting!

Doh, just realised this is an ancient thread come back to life!