Trip abroad 35 weeks?

[Writerz34]

Is this cutting it too fine? I know some airlines ban flying by then but others allow till 36 weeks - I'd be returning at 35+3, it's for a wedding I'd like to go to. Planned c section at 39 weeks but I know I can't control that necessarily. What would others do?

Why would you?

No way !

I think it might be difficult to get insurance. Mine would only cover me until 20 something weeks and I wouldn’t want to travel pregnant with no insurance.

No - this is cutting things too fine.

Depends where it is and how long the flight is. Ireland- fine. Australia- no way.

I flew every 3 weeks in my first pregnancy and developed a fear of flying- anxious mess the entire flight. Disappeared after the birth and I've had no issues flying with babies only when pregnant.

I wouldn't go. I gave birth unexpectedly at 32 weeks.

It's a 2 hour flight.

It's not the flight, it's possibly going into labour while you're away from home.

No way. Currently 26 weeks and in Germany for the Christmas markets and I'm not really relaxed as so bloody paranoid being away from home while being past 24 weeks pregnant. I went away at 16 weeks and was fine as I knew if baby was born then there was nothing we could do. It's different now that he could be okay with the relevant help. No more holidays abroad after this one until baby's here!

I'm 33 weeks now with my second and I have tk say I don't think I'd bother unless it was close family

I went on a 5 day girls trip at 34/35 weeks (literally the last dates I was allowed to fly). I’ve been lucky with all my pregnancies but on reflection I do think it was a bit silly and unnecessary. I booked it in my ‘having kids won’t change me phase’ 😂

the only thing I remember was I wasn’t allowed to sit in the seat by the exit of the plane and I wore hideous compression socks

I'm also planning a domestic trip at 33 weeks - but there will be a driver available and I'll obviously look up my closest hospital beforehand - but you're all making it sound like even that might be too much?

(Not my first baby btw just don't remember how I felt at the end!)

Not in a million years.

I wouldn't consider it at all even if I could get the appropriate insurance.

The upside is limited. What if you go into labour or have some sort of complication? Would insurance cover you? I assume you might be liable for the full cost of the delivery and care of a premature baby. You could end up stranded there if you go into labour. Who would be there to support you? The possibility of giving birth on my own in a foreign country or having pregnancy complications would mean I wouldnt go. Imagine trying to organize a plane trip back with a newborn in tow?

I personally never travelled after 22 weeks after having had a reduced foetal movements scare while on a business trip with DC1.

But I am also an extreme outlier having worked in healthcare and looked after families who unfortunately had preterm births abroad while on a babymoon.

I think that when you are so close to the due date, it’s always a question of “must I go?”. And if you do go, you need to have full medical insurance, know where the nearest reputable hospital is, etc etc.

DC3 was born 10 days ahead of the booked c section date. Had a bleeding, so an “emergency elective” it was x

Thanks all. Sounds like I need to give it a bit more thought and maybe make my domestic 33 weeks trip the last one!

Absolutely not. I last flew at 25 weeks and that was late enough for me.

I developed a serious condition unexpectedly at 35 weeks - and have needed weekly checks and ultrasounds since then, and my delivery was moved forward by 3 weeks. I’m essentially housebound now. That’s after a normal healthy pregnancy - until it wasn’t.

Domestic trip fine, overseas I wouldn’t. It’s not the flight as such, it’s the enormous hassle and potential emotional rollercoaster if you end up being admitted to hospital and/or having the baby abroad. Navigating hospital, potentially SCBU, getting discharged to a hotel, having to find what you need, have to get a local birth certificate, having to get a passport for the baby abroad without paperwork to hand, flying back with a tiny baby. If you’re there for weeks what about your partner, family?

Partner and kids would come on the trip but see what you mean

Your issue isn't so much the flying which most airlines allow up to 36 weeks, it's the insurance.
I don't know any companies that will insure you that late in pregnancy and please, please, please do not risk it without adequate insurance in place

I think it depends on the location and how you're feeling. Second pregnancy and I just flew 2.5h at 34w, but it was to my partner's home country with the rest of the family and if I had to unexpectedly give birth there, it wouldn't be a huge problem (feels somewhat like home, have support, covered by nationals health service, speak the language, etc.). Also felt fine to travel 14h for a work trip at 32w. But there's no way I could have done either of those trips in my previous pregnancy... I had fluctuating blood pressure, extremely swollen legs and feet, and just generally wouldn't have felt comfortable being away. Overall, I totally get the FOMO but 35+3 really does feel very late...

Domestic trip at 33 weeks - I wouldn't worry about this. We went away around the same time (I'm 35 weeks now) - four hours from home. I felt pretty relaxed about it, just made sure I knew where the closest maternity hospital was and saved the location in my Google maps just in case. Took all my notes etc.

Abroad - no way! We went on holiday when I was 26-27 weeks and that was the limit for me. I still found it a little stressful. I also think you would find it v difficult to get insurance and you could really have a nightmare if you're not insured and you do go into labour.

No way, I'm 36w now and baby has been engaged since 34w, feel so uncomfortable not to mention the very real possibility of going into labour while away from home!!

I really wouldn't, I know of someone who gave birth at 35 weeks abroad, and it was a nightmare.

Their baby was in intensive care for months, in a non English speaking country, it was awful, and trying to get the baby home without a passport and not being able to register the child for a passport as they were not residents in that country. I just wouldn't do it personally.