Holiday when 36weeks

[Sandy2013]

Just want people's general thoughts on this. We've paid for flights ( not refundable) and deposit on a holiday. Was really looking forward to it as our first proper holiday as a family (2yr old). Just found out I'm going to be 35 or 36 weeks pregnant. It's abroad in a country with good medical facilities.....but a 6hour flight. Should I stay or should I go? Or make the decision closer as stand to loose flights anyway?

The airline may not let you fly so close to your due date. I'd start with the airline and take it from there.

I checked with airline and they allow travel to the end of the 36th week.....

If you're going to go you need watertight travel insurance that covers maternity care but also special care for the baby / repatriation etc.

Yes i would make sure I had the correct insurance cover. Am I crazy thinking about going?

I think you need to consider things such as sitting on a plane for 6 hours!

I wouldn't go - I'm 39 weeks now with DC2 and I started getting a bit twitchy about things 4 weeks ago, even though I'm certain this one won't arrive until 42 weeks just like it's brother

I'd go on holiday in the UK (and did - we got back 4 weeks ago) but not abroad.

Be careful that your insurance covers you for premature labour by natural causes. So many will only cover an early birth if it is triggered by an unnatural event - say you fell over, or had a car accident (god forbid). I think it's there way of covering themselves for people wanting to have the baby abroad. I could only get natural causes cover until 32 weeks. That said, if it's Europe your EHIC might cover you for the medical side, but wouldn't help for things like hotels and changing flights.

Ok say I had insurance covered, flights ok, was in good general health. Would people still do it or not?

What if the baby is born early and then you have to wait weeks till you get a passport to bring him/her home?

I know what we should do really, it's just hard to accept we'll lose the holiday and a lot of money when it seems so far away and I feel fine at the moment! It's not worth it for the sake of 1 week away.....I was sooooo looking forward to it though.

not 6 hours sitting on a cramped plane, no
i might send the rest of the family if we were going to lose money

have you tried your insurance yet? they might cover and reimburse you

Not not covered for cancellation. But we paid by credit card can I make a claim there or am I clutching at straws?

Try speaking to the airline about cancellation and speak to the credit card -just in case they will. You never know.

I would go!

It's hard to know if you'll feel like it at 36 weeks. We recently went on holiday but kept within UK just so that incase of an emergency it's all the same old NHS & no surprises. If things go wrong abroad, they could really go wrong! Not worth the risk IMO.

I'm just getting to 36 wks and the thought horrifies me, walking is painful and chasing my other dd round a pool is the last thing I'd want. Plus the idea of being somewhere hot when enormous let alone the stress of giving birth where i didn't speak the language. Horses for courses though, if you feel you'll be up for it...

I definitely wouldn't go - sitting still for that long puts you at risk of DVT, bear in mind that 37 weeks is full term, not 40 weeks, so you are basically talking about coming back from holiday when you are full term. Its also the time in pregnancy - as you will know from last time - when you might need to pop into hospital for some monitoring etc if you get worried about the pattern of movement, which will be difficult to do abroad no matter how good your insurance/how westernised the country is. I am sure no insurer would cover you at that late stage, at least wouldn't cover you fully.

I'm due to go on holiday at 29 weeks and be back 31 weeks and going to Thailand. The airline said they don't let people fly after 35 weeks and a doctors note is needed to show they are happy for me to fly etc.

I think at 36 weeks you'll be too far gone...may be not in yourself, but I don't think the airline will let you travel.

I went away at 31 weeks (3hour flight). Really enjoyed the holiday and glad I went. I'm now 36 weeks and tbh couldn't think of anything worse than a 6 hour flight! Even if the country you're going to has good health care 6 hours is a long time where something could go wrong. Could you try altering the dates and go 6-8 weeks earlier?

I'm pretty sure I'd be worrying to whole time so no point in going! Interestingly the airline would take me up to 36+6 with a doctors note!

I wouldn't. Six hours is a long and tiring flight. If you need medical help are you comfortable dealing with doctors in a foreign language? If you go into labour will this medical system be able/willing to accommodate your birth choices? If the baby arrives early can you afford to stay longer if the baby needs treatment and while waiting for all the bureaucracy to get a passport? It sounds very stressful to me.

If you'd lose the money anyway, just leave the holiday booked and see how you feel at the time. It's really hard to know in advance. Can you not move the dates forward and pay for an amendment?

Cna you just move the dates? Speak to travel agent or airline, do u have flexible tickets? Could go earlier?

I thought all airlines followed regulations based on the WHO guidelines, and which require HCP letter from 28 weeks and cut off for (singleton, healthy PG) at end of 36 weeks.

OP - you say 35 or 36 weeks. Are you still early on? It might be worth waiting for dating scan to see exactly how it falls with due date.

But, remember that some jabs and some malaria drugs are contraindicated in pregnancy. Are there any potential problems there?

Also, if your baby arrives when to are abroad, your stay will be extended (until you and baby are fit to fly and baby is documented). You will need very good insurance covering the baby too in case of early arrival.