Short haul flight & holiday at 28 weeks?

[purpleneon]

Would you do a short haul flight & go on holiday for a week at 28/29 weeks?

Nope probably not, the idea of going into premature labour and my baby needing ICU care abroad does not appeal! Obviously the risks of that are small, but my preference would be to stay at home and do a UK based trip.

I did, while pregnant with dc2. I did let my midwife know and wanted to make sure it would be OK and no extra risk. So maybe do the same before you book juts to be sure.

In my first pregnancy pre covid, I would have done. This pregnancy with covid, no. Main reasons being the ever changing restrictions would potentially spoil the trip. I would do a UK break.

I think it would depend on the destination and what the healthcare is like there and whether you could travel back by road if you needed to. Also, whether insurance would cover healthcare for you and the baby if you went into labour early.

It's obviously not the plan but I would worry about the added stress of being abroad in the event of a pre-term birth in a foreign country.

Would insurance cover weeks on end of NICU care and accommodation for you to be there?

I know it's unlikely but you have to consider the possibility. I've just Googled stats and 8% of babies are born before 37 weeks. Of those preterm babies, 16% are born before 32 weeks, so it's not that unlikely (my maths is crap for things like this, but does that mean 1% of babies are born prior to 32 weeks?).

I know many women do travel late in pregnancy, I was one but I will always advise against it after I end up having my baby at 28 weeks in Italy. And spending 8 weeks in an Italian nicu to need an air ambulance to get back to a uk hospital

If you do travel you need to make sure the airline will carry you, that you have travel insurance that covers you that late In pregnancy
Take your mat notes with you and know where the nearest hospital is if anything where to happen xx

I did in my first pregnancy, a week at a sunny resort at 24 weeks, then a super quick visit to another european capital at 32 weeks. The 32 week trip wasnt much fun tbh, too hot and too busy, but a weeks all inclusive lying around the pool was ace! If you are in good health then go for it!

I did - to Spain. Flew out at 31 weeks and back at 32 weeks 5 days. As long as everything is ok in your pregnancy, you have insurance and you are going somewhere with good health care I say go for it.

@purpleneon We've just booked a Christmas holiday, I'll be 27-28 weeks. Fully insured if something happens between now and then but I feel confident all will be ok.

From the Uk to Tenerife

Xx

@INeedNewShoes

I think it would depend on the destination and what the healthcare is like there and whether you could travel back by road if you needed to. Also, whether insurance would cover healthcare for you and the baby if you went into labour early.

It's obviously not the plan but I would worry about the added stress of being abroad in the event of a pre-term birth in a foreign country.

Would insurance cover weeks on end of NICU care and accommodation for you to be there?

I know it's unlikely but you have to consider the possibility. I've just Googled stats and 8% of babies are born before 37 weeks. Of those preterm babies, 16% are born before 32 weeks, so it's not that unlikely (my maths is crap for things like this, but does that mean 1% of babies are born prior to 32 weeks?).

Thank you - these stats are v helpful! I think I will speak to my doctor and do a bit more research on this before risking it!

Thanks everyone - noted on checking with airline and also travel/health insurance!

We went to Majorca when I was 30 weeks. I think it wholly depends on how you’re feeling and whether you had any complications at all. If all is well with you and your little one, then go for it while you can!

I went into preterm with my 1st at 27 weeks - a couple of weeks before I had been on holiday to the Christmas markets & at about 18 weeks to spain. I'm pregnant again and definitely wouldn't travel this time round even to see my in-laws 2 hours away.

I did this just a few weeks ago. We had a great time. Both double jabbed. I got a fit to fly certificate from my midwife first and talked it through with her, she didn't seem to think it was a problem. It really depends on you and how you're feeling, but for us it was absolutely worth it.

I did, but to visit my parents in U.K. so I knew there wasn't an issue with care (I'm British) I could travel until 34 weeks at the time with my health insurance and ba was fine with a drs note