Work travel to developing countries when pregnant

[TheBeanpole]

Hi everyone

I would like to benefit from your collective wisdom!

I'm 12 weeks today and have my scan tomorrow. If all looks good I am planning on telling my boss within the next few days. In the conversation I have with him, I'd like to give some guidelines on where/when/how much I am prepared to travel for the next 28 weeks (I will also have a risk assessment etc, but not sure how prescriptive that will be).

I work in International Development and my job involves fairly frequent (monthly-ish) long haul travel, including to some 'insecure' locations (think Pakistan, Bangladesh, Middle East) as well as to sub Saharan Africa. I'm normally pretty gung-ho (in-utero Bean has already been on a grand tour of SE Asia between weeks 7-10 - both work and pleasure) so might need a sensible talking to.

I have been feeling ok so far- a bit tired and a sore back and the jetlag hit me much harder than usual, but otherwise fine.

I already have one trip to Pakistan planned in about a month, and think I might be asked to spend a few weeks there in August too. At the moment I'm thinking:

-No malaria endemic areas (rules out most of Africa) because of the inability to take prophylaxis.
-Generally happy to travel until 24 weeks, but would like to avoid extended trips (these usually involve working 16 hour days and weekends) if possible.
-Nowhere after 24 weeks I wouldn't be comfortable with the quality of neonatal care in the event of early delivery (or want to be stuck). This is probably most of the countries I travel to.

Does that seem reasonable? I'd love to hear from anyone else who has done this sort of role/travel and how you negotiated it. I think work will be quite good - they tend to do most things HR wise properly- but also feel a bit guilty as it's so core to my role and I've only been here a year.

DP also keeps making his worried face, but I'm not sure if that's just because he doesn't like me going away anyway...

Thanks!

I don't want to put you off and be all negative but I would never travel to India or Pakistan in August it's far too hot there and there are flies that just seem to be everywhere and you can get ill with the food even if you stay in a five star hotel. Most British Indians would not travel to India in August and Pakistan is around the same temperatures. Can you not postpone your trip until mid to late Sept (apologies don't know how many weeks you will be) this is the advice I would give to a friend so I know it may not be what you want to hear.

It sounds reasonable to me - you're right about neonatal care options for sure. I would have thought your work will be pretty understanding given the nature of your role.

I continued living/working in East Africa until I was 16 weeks pregnant after which I came back to the UK. However, I lived in a capital city so had far less worries about accessing medical care than if I had been in a rural area and I didn't bother with anti-malarials anyway.

So not a GREAT deal of advice from me just to say your list sounds completely fine and very sensible (and I'm very jealous of your job!). Best of luck!

I'm pretty gungho as well and travelled all over the place with both of my pregnancies. I think those guidelines you're setting yourself sound reasonable and pretty much what I set for myself.

My DH also makes worried faces but I just keep thinking is my last chance to travel for a while (did day trips from when DC1 was 6 months-ish and a 4 day trip to India at 8 months - and kept successfully breastfeeding so it can be done - not trying to brag, just allay some worries I had pre DC about whether I would ever travel again ).

I'worked in international develoment too. List sounds good - think mine was similar although I'd have probably travelled to some countries after 24 weeks. I was happy to travel up to 28 weeks.

I was happy to travel to African countries depending on location and malaria issues. I wouldn't have been happy to go to India because I always get stomach upsets there.

Perhaps I should clarify that all over the place included South Africa, Asia, America and everywhere in between, but tends to be 2-3 day trips rather than extended stays, same sort of working days though. Oh, and I found myself ducking out of some of the evening entertainment in favour of room service and an early night too.

And I'm also jealous of your job!

I would say good for you if can continue what sounds like very important work but just bear in mind that your body might not like it - I'm 31 weeks and have had periods of extreme tiredness and lack of energy and currently am suffering from PGP and backpain which makes travelling long distances pretty impossible. And i'm used to having very high energy levels generally.
I would say don't plan too far ahead because everything about my pregnancy has been pretty unpredictable so far.
i wouldn't go anywhere malarial but it looks like you've covered that off. Bear in mind your immune system will prioritise baby over you, so if you do get food poisoning it will probably not harm baby but make you iller than you would do normally. Also remember you can't take usual drugs when pregnant. I got a shitty cold at 14 weeks and it was just hellish without being able to take usual drugs. That said a good friend has been affected by her pregnancy pretty much not at all so far and she's further along than me and has been to asia and back several times -it affects us all differently.

I think you are being sensible, and I'm sure your work will if anything want you to take it easier than the limits you've set, but I would imagine it will come down to the risk assessment and the corporate travel insurance policy.

Wow, thanks for such thoughtful advice all. Monka the city I usually visit is much cooler than the rest of Pakistan and my trips are normally office & hotel in aircon so it should be ok. There are definitely cities I wouldn't consider though.

I think my job might sound more interesting than it is...

allswornout the breast feeding is going to be more difficult to manage than this I think. Am planning about 7 months off at which point DP will take over... But can't think that far ahead yet!

I will definitely keep an eye on how I am feeling more generally and will think again if shattered.

Thanks!