Acceptable to festival when pregnant?

[DimplePeach]

Im completely gutted about missing Bestival! (Best amazing most wonderful festival on the isle of wight) its next weekend and I have been dreading it since I found out I was pg (totally not planned). I go every year its literally the highlight of my year and its always an amazing experience, this year my absolute fave band is playing absolutely soul crushed to miss them and being a local I cant really escape all the hype of it all! My partner is dead against me going, he does worry about baby (his first) but I get the impression its more to do with the fact he thinks it would look bad for a pregnant woman to go and I would be frowned upon rather than the safety aspect of it all! He actually says that bit before the it not being safe. Il only be 15 weeks then, so not huge. Im a pretty experienced festivaler so I know to stay out of the crush etc and generally how to stay safe. Also camping is not an issue for me im a taxi ride away from home so if I get tired its home in 20. I can pay extra for the fancy loos too so I really dont see the big problem! Am I a bad mum for wanting to go? Would I actually be frowned upon lol? Im not going anyway now to save agro but would just like to hear what you guys think!! Hes making me feel really guilty for even thinking about it! To be honest I am bloody missing socialising too!! and bestival is always the time I see all my friends at once. Finding it hard to think about the next 6 months of not going out :( it sounds awful but I really valued my saturday nights out I work bloody hard in the week and have my 7 year old 24/7. Feeling a tad depressed and rather lonely

Definitely go! I went to a festival at 34 weeks pregnant. Got some funny looks when carrying round DH's pint while he carried DS though

Of course you can go, your dp sounds like an arse.
I went skiing when pregnant!

It's worrying that you dare not go! It is of course fine to go. You're pregnant, not ill.

Agreeing wholeheartedly with all the PP (I went to a one day festival on my due date, so might be an extreme example!). I also take my small DC to family friendly festivals (youngest went to one at 2 months old).

Of course you can go to a festival. At Glastonbury you can give birth.

Definitely go! Is your OH going? Is there something in particular that he thinks would be a risk to the baby or does he just think it's not appropriate?!? I don't see what the problem is as long as you feel up to it in terms of being over the first trimester tiredness & sickness. In fact seems good timing as your back and hips are prob not under too much strain yet. I've been to a medium sized festival at about 5 months both pregnancies and was fine, but did need to sit down more and was flagging by 11ish. Was local to me so didn't camp and drove home. It's a good option to have, best of both worlds! People have always been lovely to me too. Letting me push in if a queue for the loo etc.

Are you even showing at 15 weeks? Most women just look slightly more rounded to strangers. So why is he worried about you being seen in a bad way? Even if anyone noticed, which I think is extremely unlikely, why would they think badly of you? And why does it matter to him what strangers think of you? It sounds like he's treating you as his possession. And the being seen in a bad way sounds like an excuse to me. Does he not trust you perhaps, to stay off alcohol/ other harmful substances when you're in a different environment?

Go! I went to a local club at 8.5 months as DP was DJing. Haven't had a night out since, so jolly glad I did!

Obviously just avoid the acid trip and jäger bombs and the swordfish sandwiches!

I went to a festival pregnant this year with two year old DS. Be careful as you would anywhere else, drink bottled water, wash your hands and watch what you eat. You'll be fine.

I've been to Glastonbury twice when pregnant. Once at about 11 weeks, the other time at almost 6 months. Both were fantastic experiences. Yes I was tired, but I was never hungover which evened out the experience!!! People were lovely. I ate my way around, took a camping chair round with me to sit on, happy days.

You're not ill, you're pregnant, what exactly about the festival experience does he think makes it inappropriate for you to go?

I went to reading festival at 20 weeks, it was fine. I'm not sure what the problem could be tbh. Your dp sounds like an arse.

Yet another one saying go, go, go! I did Isle of Wight festival earlier this year at 32-ish weeks pregnant and loved it. Didn't camp as had SPD (plus had 4yo DD with me), so we stayed in a holiday chalet a little way offsite, but would've camped no problem if I hadn't been in so much frigging pain. We had a brilliant time and i was fine - slept in in the mornings and managed to stay up for all the headliners, although I was fairly knackered by Sunday night! Would definitely recommend buying one of those camping chairs - was a lifesaver for me, easy to carry with me and so handy for when I started flagging.
Show this thread to your OH. He needs to see that his ideas of how pregnant women should behave are pretty far off the mark! Know your own body, take it easy, be sensible and you'll be absolutely fine. Don't let him spoil this for you OP!

Hell, I was dancing on the podiums at my local nightclub at 8months, you're pregnant no dead!

Why would a festival affect the baby?

I wouldn't have touched wine though, and would be pissed off about that if I was the other parent.

I'd have no problem going and looks like you have solved any potential issues - loos etc. If your friend was very cautious is he maybe just judging by her standards - not that he should be able to tell you what to do. Maybe leave a copy of Zoe Williams 'what not to expect when you' re expecting' lying around. Debunks a lot of the pregnancy shouldn'ts you hear.

Hi sweetie,

Hope you manage to go!

I've just got back from Green Man and am 10 weeks. It was fine - I have kept pregnancy quite quiet so far but told friends who would be there and explained I was feeling tired and quite sick sometimes so they would know in advance. Throwing up in a field wasn't great but apart from that good to get away and hopefully you're not feeling too sick at 15 weeks!

The only thing I felt weird about was carrying my quite big rucksack about and wearing a 'baby on board' badge on the trains there & back - I felt worried people would judge me for that but it was a weight I could manage, avoided any twisting about putting it on and had read on the NHS website that carrying a heavier bag is not a cause of miscarriage.

I was also careful with what food I had but would be generally.

I hope your partner starts listening to you more and is willing to discuss your different ideas about what women should and 'shouldn't do'. If not able to do that, I'd be worried he's using pregnancy as a means to be controlling.