Flying at 34/35 weeks

[TheWanderlust]

So my SO is desperate for us to go away before our baby is due and has found a crazy good deal to go to New York for a week. What is the latest I can safely fly? The dates he found I would be 34 weeks returning at 35 weeks.

That sounds a bit too late and you will need a fit to fly note from the Doctor. Most airlines don’t let you fly at all past 36 weeks. What airline is it with?

Not sure if you would get travel insurance that late on which is another thing to factor in.

On another note, will you really be up for walking around NY heavily pregnant?

For safety I'd check with your midwife or consultant. I never take out travel insurance when staying within Europe as the EHIC is valid there and covers routine maternity care (unless you're going to the country for the purpose of giving birth there). For trips to the US I'd most definitely want travel insurance that covers health care! You might struggle to find a company that is willing to cover you - apparently most insurers don't cover you if you're more than 28 weeks pregnant. Lastly, you'd want to check with the airline to see whether they will take you. I'm visiting family in Europe when I'll be 34-35 weeks and found that Flybe wouldn't take me (cut off is 34) but KLM will (cut off is 36 weeks). Let us know what you decide!

Theoretically fine but you’d need to find a midwife/GP that would be happy to sign a fit to fly letter (difficult at that gestation) and an insurance company that would cover you and your baby at that gestation (even harder, particularly for the US). I doubt you’d enjoy the flight or the holiday much, you’ll be big and probably sleeping badly. And there’s a reasonable chance you could be stuck in New York with a newborn! My first came at 35 weeks. If that’s the only time you can go away then how about a nice hotel in the uk?

Cross post, but I forgot to mention about the medical note.

THis is probably one to discuss with your midwife - I believe that most airlines require you to have a letter from a midwife or doctor confirming that you’re considered fit to fly once you’re in the third trimester.

Also, if you do decide to travel abroad, I’d advise you to make absolutely certain that you have travel insurance that covers you in the event of premature labour and birth, and covers any necessary postnatal care or neonatal stays for the baby.

Hopefully that won’t be necessary, but if you do have an unexpectedly early baby, the last thing you need is medical bills racking up. Giving birth in the USA is not cheap even for straightforward vaginal births.

for your US insurance make sure you factor in

Extended special care in case of problems
Accommodation for you /partner in case of having to extend your stay
flights for partner if required
Possible medical evacuation if required.

I know that sounds doom laden but I am thinking of the couple a few years ago who didn't have any insurance and ended up crowd funding (I know they had their very sick baby's medical expenses paid in the end but that might have been a one off)

And if you can find an airline that will take you do you really want you and your unborn to be sitting in a plane seat for 6 hours breathing other people's air in a reduced oxygen environment?

I wouldn’t advise it past 30 weeks tbh.

I can’t remember who it was but I know a few years ago a woman went on holiday to the US and ended up going into premature labour. It wound up costing about 25k and they had to crowdfund to raise the money.

And another thing, how much of NY would you get to enjoy when you are that pregnant, last time we went we didn't stop! you need to be fit and raring to go to enjoy everything NY has to offer, not coping with swollen ankles and needing a loo every twenty minutes.

I flew to and from Dublin from Manchester recently at 32 weeks...very short flight and low risk pregnancy. There is no way I'd do longer or later in pregnancy....it was really hot and my ankles were huge even going that short distance.

Thanks ladies. I think you've made our decision. My gut feeling was that it will be too close and too longer flight for me to be comfortable.

Convincing him earlier on and closer to home is a better idea 🙂

the day i flew back was 35+5 was prefectly fine did need a docs note though, airlines never even questioned me

My friend has just flown to Chicago from Dublin at 26 weeks and she said it's the worst thing she could have done , she ended up in the local hospital the following day with a Suspected dvt and pulmonary embolism . That settled down , after chewing up three days of her holiday , now today she's back in with bleeding and cramps due to cabin pressure . And she wore stockings on the plane too. I flew Dublin to New York last year not pregnant and even I blew up , crazy bloated tummy and swollen fingers . Strongly advise against . Pre book for when baby is a few months and has jabs and take them with u , buy a baby sling and enjoy the sights for a few days. Or wait til and go for five nights as an anniversary gift and leave baba with grandparents . New form absolutely floors u , it's bananas and u need a lot of stamina . We walked about 40 miles inside five days on our fit bits . Xox

I'm just over 31 weeks and whilst the idea of flying off somewhere exotic sounds like a dream compared to working still, I don't think I'd be up for much more than laying (in the shade) near some water. If you'd have asked me a few weeks ago, I'd have gone but the third trimester seemed to hit me hard this week. I think you've made the right decision.

I'm flying Austria to UK at 30 weeks which I know will be more than enough for me (2.5 hr flight). I flew to Canada during my first pregnancy at 22 weeks and I was definitely glad I wasn't later along in the pregnancy!