Flying Long Haul

Laurhilou

Mum and expecting #2!
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Hi everyone,

I fly to America with my sons and husband in May, and I will be 22 weeks, I am rather nervous to be honest. I am getting really bad anxiety over it, what if something happens out there, etc...
Has anyone ever flown far away in their pregnancy? If so, have you any advice?

Thanks

:flower:
 
I did America at 13 weeks. Just make sure your travel insurance knows you're pregnant and covers you if you need treatment. And find out where all the hospitals are just in case
 
I flew to the UK last week. I made sure that my travel insurance covered pregnancy and didn't just treat it as a preexisting condition.

In the US, I was able to opt for a pat down in the security line (probably completely unnecessary but I'm in my first tri and paranoid). I was told that security doesn't let you opt out in the UK, but I lucked out and didn't have to go in the scanner anyway.

Other than that, I just did my best to stick to guidelines on which foods to avoid and that was it. If you're staying in a largish city, do look up where the nearest ERs and Urgent Care Centers are located.
 
Oh yes good point about the pat down rather than scanner. I had this too, it was 2013 though so they may be stricter now. Still worth asking though
 
Not exactly long haul as in overseas but I did a six hour flight from Minnesota to Alaska while 8 weeks pg with DD. My dr said to make sure I drank enough water while on the plane so I stayed hydrated and didn't get a bladder infection, and to get up and walk around for a few minutes every hour or so to prevent blood clots. Easy enough and the flight was fine. I just tried to drink enough water or juice that I was up to use the bathroom every hour and counted that as my walk. :thumbup:

I was also considered high risk because I have a history of recurrent miscarriage and I'd had some spotting right before we left but I had a scan a few days before to reassure me and my dr was fine with me flying.
 
You might want to have a note from your doctor with your due date handy and clear to fly. Most restrictions don't happen until tri 3, but they may ask to see documentation so be prepared. I do agree the stay hydrated, get up when you can, get travel insurance. I'm sure things will be ok. I imagine flight attendants are trained to keep you comfy just in case. But I doubt it will. Hf!
 
Thank you so much ladies, luckily my MW is my MIL so I've got all documentation needed from her, and stockings. Its more my anxiety, so worried if something happens. I can't seem to find a 'pregnancy' friendly insurance policy, I'll try again tonight. We will be staying with friends in new jersey, and visiting NY a few days so I'm sure they know where everything is if needed. But its just scary being so far from home, and carrying precious cargo lol. What a good point about the pat down!! didn't think of that, knowing my luck our London airports will still want the scanner, but hopefully they will be a bit understanding.

thanks for all your replies ladies. xxxxx
 
You'll be fine. Try not to worry. It sounds like you've got everything in order just about. I flew long haul several times to the U.S. when I was pregnant with my first, though in 1st tri, but 3 different long haul flights (6, 8 and 11 hours each) as I was traveling for work and also visiting friends and family for 3 weeks. We'll be going again this pregnancy when I'm about 16 weeks and coming back when I'm 18 weeks (to California so 10/11 hours each way). It expect it will be much easier in 2nd tri. 1st tri is definitely harder and I was more exhausted and it was just hard to find things on the plane I wanted to eat and I was just overall more miserable. But by 2nd tri, life is much easier usually and I was much more comfortable, had an appetite again and much more energy.

For the flight, I would suggest bringing on a big bottle of water for yourself. If you don't already have a reusable bottle you can bring to the airport with you, get a 500ml or even 1L bottle in the airport. They can refill it as you need it on the plane, but you want to be drinking lots of water regularly so best to have a big bottle right next to you so you don't have to ask for it. Get it refilled as needed or usually I just go refill it myself. Many of the airlines have a tap for water that you can use, or just ask. I wore compression stockings. They are horribly uncomfortable, but I figured it wasn't worth the risk. I also made sure I got up and walked around every hour and did stretches. Depending on how you're feeling with food and your appetite, I would bring familiar snacks or even a meal on the plane with you. It was different last time because I was 8 weeks for the first flight and 10 weeks coming back, so I was right in the midst of morning sickness and just being weird about food. I brought lots of snacks I knew I'd like, plus one whole meal from the airport, just in case the plane food didn't appeal. Get an aisle seat so you can have easy access to moving around and the toilet.

But really, you'll be fine. As for when you get there, health care in America is perfectly fine and high quality if you need it, but expensive, of course. I'd love to know what travel insurance you end up getting. We need to get some as well. Last time it was just me, which meant more work dragging my bag and lifting things, but this time it will be my husband and 4 year old too. I also used to have U.S. health insurance as a perk through my work (I worked for a U.S. university, but based in the UK. But this time I no longer have that, so at least for my daughter and I we want to make sure we have insurance because we don't want to feel like we can't get medical help if we needed it because of cost. My husband probably wouldn't see a doctor there unless he was dying, so I'm not as worried about him! I would love to know what you find though. I've never had to buy travel insurance before as I always had it via my U.S. employer (until recently), which covered me globally, though I honestly never used it and otherwise, my work has mostly taken me to developing countries anyway, so I usually just pay out of pocket (I've spent 3 days in hospital overseas before with loads of medicine and xrays and room service, etc. and it still cost me less than the cost of the insurance to begin with!). So usually I'm just willing to take my chances, but we don't want to chance it this time!

Enjoy your trip! We're going in May as well. I used to live in NYC. You'll have a great time. It's a good time of the year to visit, not too hot and not too cold.
 
My gyn actually says airport scanners are safe so if they don't let you opt out of the scanner the exposure is so quick it won't do anything. It's more women who commute via plane and travel regularly that need to avoid the scanner.

It's hard not to worry especially flying over an ocean, but if your pregnancy has been healthy then really what are the odds that one day for 12 hours it won't?
 
Thank you so much ladies, luckily my MW is my MIL so I've got all documentation needed from her, and stockings. Its more my anxiety, so worried if something happens. I can't seem to find a 'pregnancy' friendly insurance policy, I'll try again tonight. We will be staying with friends in new jersey, and visiting NY a few days so I'm sure they know where everything is if needed. But its just scary being so far from home, and carrying precious cargo lol. What a good point about the pat down!! didn't think of that, knowing my luck our London airports will still want the scanner, but hopefully they will be a bit understanding.

thanks for all your replies ladies. xxxxx

I flew to Florida in first tri in my last pregnancy, it was fine, a bit of swollen ankles on the return flight but that was it. Like others said do your research in the area so you know where to go should you need to. I took travel insurance last week for a Europe trip from insure and go and their policies cover pregnancy as standard.

https://www.insureandgo.com/travel-insurance/travel-insurance-whilst-pregnant

Sarah xxx
 
So much information!!!

Thank you so much everyone, feeling so much better now xxx
 
I flew from Scotland to New Zealand return during my last pregnancy 12wks and 15wks. At that stage wasn't showing. My consultant put me on aspirin before my flights and advised flights socks which I wear anyway when I fly home. It was fairly uneventful. I made sure my travel insurance covered pregnancy as well.
 
On the subject of insurance we just had a standard policy but dh called them to get them to include pregnancy and we paid a bit extra
 

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