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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Holiday at 33 weeks?

28 replies

Marghe87 · 21/01/2019 10:11

My husband and I have started TTC but we have a seaside holiday planned this summer.
I am fully aware of the fact that it might take months or even years before we are lucky enough to succeed but I can't help thinking that there is also a small possibility this might happen sooner rather than later. If so, it means that I could be anywhere between 31 and 33 weeks by the time we go on our holiday - do you think it is too risky? Has any of you done it before?
It will be a 3 hours plane journey in southern Europe.
The high temperatures don't bother me as I am not from the UK and am used to very hot summers.

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forgotpassword · 21/01/2019 10:15

My ds was born at 33 weeks

popcornwizard · 21/01/2019 10:17

Personally I wouldn't fly when pregnant - lots of people do, it's a personal thing. Providing that your travel insurance and airline allow it and that the doctor says that you're fit to fly you can choose for yourself. No doubt you'll get lot of stories from people saying that they did and everything was fine - lots do and most are, but if bad things had happened with my pregnancies I wouldn't have any regrets about risks taken at all. I don't think flying at that late stage would give you peace of mind.

Aprilshowersarecomingsoon · 21/01/2019 10:22

I drove home from Portugal and had dd 20 days later. Wouldn't fly tbh!!

FeelingFlat · 21/01/2019 10:45

Out of five couples in my N T group two have birth at 33 weeks

Bee91 · 21/01/2019 10:50

Check with the airline some have cut off points for allowing you to fly

NigelsBird · 21/01/2019 11:02

I don't think I would have felt happy leaving the U.K. at 33 weeks. But I would have holidayed here and taken the chance of early labour provided I knew there was an NHS hospital nearby.
But if you're not originally from here, perhaps it feels different for you. You're always going to be giving birth abroad iyswim, and probably more flexible than I would have been.

snoopy18 · 21/01/2019 11:07

Everyone’s pregancy will be different so it’s difficult making that decision...

I’m currently at 31 weeks and very glad we did the trip in the second trimester - right now all I want to do is sleep & relax and be comfortable! I was going to book a last minute trip for this month or Feb but I’m very easily irritated and uncomfy 😂

ems137 · 21/01/2019 11:15

I went to Egypt at 32 weeks pregnant. I got a fit to fly letter from my GP. I was pregnant with my 3rd baby, no health concerns and my previous 2 babies were 2 weeks overdue though.

I suppose the risk here for you is that you don't know how healthy your pregnancy will be. If you think about it logically how many babies are actually born at 33 weeks? That's classed as premature so not vast amounts. Your travel insurance will cover you as long as there are no health concerns related to your pregnancy.

Original poster
Marghe87 · 21/01/2019 12:17

Thanks all. I suppose waiting an extra month might be wiser.

@NigelsBird I have lived here for a very long time and a Greek Island is probably not the best place to give birth anyway :)

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user1471426142 · 21/01/2019 17:28

The risk is you might have a lovely pregnancy or a dificult one: you just won’t know. I’m 32 weeks and have just needed to go in for an extra growth scan as the midwife had concerns. I’m utterly exhausted and fed up and wouldn’t manage a holiday away at this point. Last time round I would have been physically ok but wouldn’t have wanted to at that stage. If there are complications you can suddenly find you have a lot more appointments in your third trimester than you might have expected.

stackhead · 21/01/2019 17:33

Keeping in mind that the vast majority of travel insurance will not pay out if you give birth abroad.

I personally wouldn't travel that late.

Original poster
Marghe87 · 21/01/2019 18:25

Thanks all. Would 28 weeks sound more reasonable?

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Passthepigs · 21/01/2019 18:26

I’m currently 31 weeks and no reason why I couldn’t go on holiday. I’m still working, lugging around a toddler and doing everything I did before, just a little slower!

baabaamoomooneigh · 21/01/2019 19:07

I went on holiday at 21 weeks, a short city break in Europe. I hated it. I just wanted my own bed I couldn't get comfy, in the end DH had to book a second hotel room but our hotel was full so he had to stay in a neighbouring hotel. I had to ask for extra pillows to try to get comfy. I was exhausted and didn't want to walk about. All I wanted to do was eat pizza.

We had a heat wave at home when I was around 33 weeks. I usually manage fine in the heat but the swelling was unbearable. Two days I couldn't even get my feet into flip flops

MonkeyToucher · 21/01/2019 21:26

Most airlines need a note from your doctor after 28 weeks saying you have a low risk pregnancy and are fit to fly. As you are not pregnant yet you don’t know that you will necessarily have a low risk pregnancy (all sorts of random things can crop up!) so I would schedule your holiday for pre 28 weeks...

Sexnotgender · 21/01/2019 22:29

There’s no chance I’d fly at 33 weeks!

We went to a lovely cottage a couple hours drive away around that time and that was enough. I wouldn’t have wanted to be abroad just in case.

Teddyreddy · 22/01/2019 06:45

You may be fine in the heat normally, but you'll be much more sensitive to it at 33 weeks so no guarantee you will be. I'd work on the basis that your threshold for 'too hot' will be at least 5 C cooler than normal, if not more - how hot is where you are planning on going?

le42 · 22/01/2019 08:32

It’s hard to say as each pregnancy is different.... I was very healthy pre pregnancy and I’ve just not had a nice time at all. I have very bad pelvic girdle pain which makes sleeping and moving really awful. I wouldn’t have been able to manage a holiday at 33 weeks I would have been miserable. But I know lots of women who were fine! It’s just the unknown you need to contend with. Can you see how your pregnancy goes and book something last minute?

Original poster
Marghe87 · 22/01/2019 09:13

@le42 the thing is that we have already booked, that's why I am asking :)

@Teddyreddy it won't be too hot - around 28-30 degrees. I am used to 35+ in summer so that really doesn't bother me. It's more for health/safety reasons I am asking.

I seem to understand that beyond 28-29 weeks becomes a bit more of a concern for most.

Thanks for all your answers!

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shecamefromgreece · 22/01/2019 09:25

To be honest I'm quite surprised at all the people saying don't go, I thought everyone would say go for it!
I would go in a heartbeat in fact I did with one of my pregnancies (I have four children) I swam in the sea, floated on a lilo in the pool ate nice food and just generally relaxed it was heaven. The temperature was in the 30s and like you I'm used to hot summers as long as you're not lying in the midday sun and keep hydrated it's fine.
The only slight downer was I did get swollen ankles from the heat but I took lots of aloe Vera gel which I kept in the fridge and I would get dh to massage my feet and ankles with it at night which really helped.
Make sure you get a letter from your midwife/doctor saying you are fit to fly just in case the airline ask for it.
Oh and be careful with your skin despite having quite olive skin I found I burnt much much quicker when pregnant so slap on the sun cream regularly.
Have fun and enjoySmile

Original poster
Marghe87 · 22/01/2019 09:29

@shecamefromgreece thank you! how far were you in your pregnancy?
I too was expected everyone would say "go for it" as I thought that if airlines let you fly until 35 weeks, then it should be safe-ish. But I guess everyone is different and of course you cannot predict how you would feel.
Most of my colleagues came to work right until the 9th month (which meant commuting at rush hour etc) so I figured that swimming in the sea and strolling around a cute little town would be like a piece of cake compared.... ?!

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Original poster
Marghe87 · 22/01/2019 09:30

*expecting

OP posts:
shecamefromgreece · 22/01/2019 18:42

I was 32 weeks and went to southern Spain for a week it was a really lovely holiday!

user1471426142 · 22/01/2019 19:18

As a few posters have said the issue is the unknown. You’ll get a mix of people saying they loved it and was fine or those for whom it wasn’t or wouldn’t be. You just have to work out whether it would annoy you more to
A) have it booked, assume the best and cancel if necessary or
B) assume the worst and plan around it or reschedule and then be ok and regret not going.

That gamble will play out in different ways for individuals.

popcornwizard · 22/01/2019 19:38

It's not the swimming in the sea and wandering round little towns that causes the stress, it's the altitude and oxygen that can cause problems.

Commuting and working won't leave you stranded for weeks away from home if baby comes early and has problems. I'm fairly certain that most people will all know of babies born before 30 weeks that stayed in hospital for a couple of months, why would you risk it?