Would you go on USA holiday while pregnant?

[lavenderbluedilly]

Disclaimer - I’m about to turn 40 and incredibly lucky to have just got a BFP. I realise this is a first world problem!

We have already booked a 3 week holiday to USA which is due to take place when I’m 28-30 weeks pregnant. It’s a road trip along Route 66. I’m in good health but my last baby arrived 3 weeks early. I’ve checked with the airline and it’s fine if I get a letter from my GP and I have travel insurance.

I can’t change dates due to school holidays. I’ll lose £1300 by cancelling (no-refund flights , but common sense tells me it’ll be worth it to avoid worrying about it. What would you do?

I'd go. Why not? My sister had her first at 34 weeks and her second at 42 so it doesn't follow that the next will be early. You should be feeling fine around 18 weeks too

Yes, go! It will be amazing.

Have you had a travel insurance quote yet?

Not unless your health insurance is fantastic. Check the small print, sometimes they exclude pregnancy!

Thanks all, I have travel cover which comes with my current bank account, but I’ll be ringing them and double checking the fine print. There’s just something niggling at me, telling me not to go ahead with it. I’ll speak to DH and see what he thinks. I’d be doing all the driving, which normally I’d live, but not sure about feeling uncomfortable with a bump in the heat.

*love

If you were asking whether you should book the holiday I’d probably say no just in case you’re not fit to fly when the time comes. but since it’s already booked and you can’t change it maybe just wait and see closer to the time? If your doctor is happy for you to go then go

Depends on how you’re feeling at the time - it’s difficult to gage isn’t it? I’m at 30 weeks now and was contemplating another short trip somewhere in Europe before birth but I can’t bring myself to doing it as I just feel uncomfy all the time! Was in Rome around 24/25 weeks and that was a struggle as bump popped out but still made the most of it. Good luck chic!

One thing to be aware of when checking the travel insurance is whether, in the event of baby coming early, you would have cover just for you or baby too. Most wont cover baby but I have heard a few horror stories where people have been caught out and faced a huge bill after going into premature birth abroad.

I thought I read that after 26 weeks you can only get travel insurance for you, not the baby...so if you gave birth early if may not be covered.

I had a trip planned (in my head) until I read about travel insurance so it's UK only for us now...can't go anywhere until 30ish weeks!

I would look into it with the airline and insurance company. Many airlines won’t let you fly last 28 weeks and many insurance companies will exclude pregnancy and you need excellent health insurance for the USA. I found out I was pregnant (surprise third baby) and was due to fly to France would be 30 weeks in return. We have cancelled it and taken the hit financially as insurance was proving difficult due to my last son being born at 37 weeks and I can’t guarantee I will get signed of too fly.

We had travel
Insurance through Barclays with our account and it covered me when I was 30 weeks which was a good thing because I ended up in the hospital. We didn't pay a penny.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I really appreciate it. I think we met end up taking the hit and cancelling, for peace of mind.

I’m sorry you’ve had to cancel your holiday OP but you can’t put a price on peace of mind.

Hope everything goes well for you and your family and make sure you visit the US with the little one before he or she is two so you don’t have to pay for a seat!

Many airlines let you travel up to and including week 35. I found one that lets you go to the end of week 36 but I have heard there are others. That said, you do need a letter from your doctor and some airlines insist the letter is issued within 7 days of flying so that can be a major headache for your return flight because you would need another letter. Personally I would go but I have amazing healthcare that would cover all costs - mine and baby. Without that there is no way I would go to the US. Pregnant or otherwise.

Sorry you had to cancel your trip. You'll have to do one with baby to make up for it

Aside from the medial checks and making sure insurance cover is appropriate for yourself and baby in every situation .... just be aware that all babies born in the USA are automatically US citizens. No need to renounce UK citizenship and your baby would have dual .... but US citizens have international tax reporting obligations etc. Can renounce US citizenship if you want but there is a fee to do so ($$$) and might have implications on any future US residency applications etc.

As long as you can get insurance that covers you plus the baby i wouldn't necessarily cancel.

However, if it's a road trip how long were you planning to be in the car for every day? I had a fairly easy 3rd trimester, but even so at 30 to 32 weeks the car was pretty uncomfortable. Also, what time of year will it be and how hot will it be?

Thanks everyone, we are going to make the phone calls today to cancel, we’ve decided it’s not worth the anxiety.

Now I’m just curious what GG23 has posted??

If you've only booked flights can you change it to something more relaxing so you can still go but not have to do all the driving?

I'd still go personally especially as your previous pregnancy was good. I feel most well at that stage, it's not the uncomfortable stage I don't find. I imagine you won't be doing route 66 for a good while with a small child if you don't take this chance either. You obviously feel anxious about it though so you're right to cancel if so.x

Also re travel insurance, I have travel insurance with the bank and its family cover, and you don't have to name/register your children on the policy. I'd check fine print but pretty sure it would cover baby should they arrive that early and its very unlikely they would.x

Travel insurance companies consider birth an expected part of pregnancy so once you go over a certain one they don't cover premature birth. I had an argument about it with them when I was travelling to the US at 32 weeks. Not covered. Luckily my health insurance did.