surprise 1st pregnancy - holiday in a fortnight feeling ill and overwhelmed

[eggybrokenoff]

Hi. Found this site while looking for advice on travel while pregnant and thought it looked the most helpful place I've found!

I'm off to a country with malaria in a couple of weeks. Already have my tablets which I can no longer take, and doctor is ringing me back to prescribe something different later this week after telling me I was very unusual in a disapproving way. So I'm feeling concerned and guilty.

With the pregnancy it is a complete surprise - was thinking of trying after the holdiay but I thought it took ages! I am feeling very sick, and worried that I haven't been doing the right things - the list of what you must and mustn't do is baffling!

so just after some advice and someone to tell me I'm not already the worst mother ever

Have no direct experience but didn't want to leave this unanswered. Sorry your GP isnt being very supportive. Oh and there is no way you could be the worst mother for unexpectingly getting pg just before you go on holiday!! Plenty of people go on holiday when pg and they are fine!!

Blimey, you've got a waaaaayyyy to go before you even come close to 'worst mother' title

Why on earth is your GP making you feel guilty? What's 'unusual' about getting pg? Or are you unusual in going on holiday

Where are you going? Probably worth taking a few extra precautions with water, but otherwise, just take things easy ... & enjoy your last ever peaceful relaxing holiday

And don't worry about not doing the right things - there are lots of us on here who have had surprise pgs and have eaten/drunk/snorted/otherwise injested 'contraband' substances in early pg. As long as you start being reasonably sensible now (& start taking your folic acid) you'll be FINE.

Oh, & CONGRATULATIONS!!

thanks - I'm off to Africa. I think I am unusual in still wanting to go to a malarial area on my holiday which has been booked for a year, despite being pregnant. I accept it is a bit more high risk now I have to take different drugs, but then many things are risky!

I feel that if I followed all the advice on what not to do in pregnancy I wouldn't get out of bed in the morning or eat anything!

Hi,

I went on honeymoon to South Africa at 12 weeks and needed to take anti-malarials. I was prescribed a four week course of Proguanil and Chloroquine. I also took 5mg of folic acid as a precautionary measure.

Anyway, I'm now 23 weeks and absolutely fine. The doctor was also a bit funny about my decision to go (I suppose they have to err on the side of caution), but I was in a similar situation to you - not quite expecting to be pregnant and not prepared to cancel my honeymoon!

People have done much, much worse.

Go easy on yourself!

Try and prevent yourself being bitten by mosquitos - this means long sleeves and long trousers, and closed neck from dusk till dawn as this is when mosquitos bite the most.

And use some herbal anti mosquito rememdy - citonella is supposed to be good at preventing bites and is safe during pregancy. Ask your pharmacist.

Congratulations!

I agree re covering yourself up.. That and the various deterrents will really help.

Otherwise, folic acid, follow usual precautions re food when travelling. Ie, try and stick to piping hot food, avoid salads, drink bottled water etc.

Re the flight - if you have bad morning sickness, tell them at check in (or do an advance check in) and see if you can get an aisle seat - useful for legging it to the loo!

And good luck..

citronella I meant in my post

and beware things like ice cubes in drinks. And stay away from salads and peeled fruit (you don't know if they've been washed properly).

Have a lovely holiday.

oh and sleep under a mosquito net - you can buy them in adventure stores.

thank you for all the good advice, it's great to hear other people have been in a similar situation. I like this site!!

welcome to mumsnet

Welcom! Its a very nice place really. Everyone seems to have gone a bit mad though today!

that's true, mumsnet can be very arguementative, but today is far worse then usual!

Mozzies are not keen on the smell and taste of skin if you take Vit B supplements and/or Marmite. And good for early pg too! You can get very attractive mossie net hats too!

Second advice on long sleeves and legs too.

Enjoy your holiday and make sure you do relax and take it easy!

I panicked before a holiday (19 weeks, suddenly started fainting and throwing up) and phoned a midwife even though I hadn't seen one yet, and she was lovely and said a holiday was probably the best thing I could do in the circs! I did need an extra few hours sleep each day, and sometimes to sit down suddenly when it was hot. But felt so much better afterwards.

Just checking - do you have good travel insurance and have you checked it will cover pregnancy-related stuff? Just so you know you're prepared for any eventuality.

If you are taking Proguanil and Chloroquine (which you probably will be as you're pregnant) make sure to take them with/after food. If you don't you will get hideous stomach pains and think you are getting an ulcer or something until you mention said pains to a friend who asks if you are taking P&C... Not that I have any personal experience of this, you understand...

Agree you should check your travel insurance covers you.

Portandlemon - malarial tablets made me very ill with dreadful stomach pains. I had to stop taking them as they just didn't stay down.