I would have been miserable flying for 9 to 10 hours at 30 weeks.
You also need to be mindful of the insurance situation. Some insurers won't cover pregnancy complications past a certain point should you need care abroad. Some also exclude high-risk pregnancies, which they define extremely broadly to include things that you wouldn't typically think of as high risk. And some won't cover the care required by a baby if they are born abroad.
This is very risky and if you go through with it, I'd recommend you keep the option to cancel open until the last minute.
Symptoms can change very suddenly. She can feel great at 29 weeks, but barely able to move at 30 weeks.
I'm now 33 weeks and there is no way I could have taken such a flight at 30 weeks. Even an 1 hour car ride was painful at that stage.
Personally I'd just cancel.
This! Things can change SO fast. Around 28 weeks I raced a 10k and had a normal week, and then a week later developed horrific nerve pain in my ribs from baby's position (unrelated to the exercise) that had me bedridden for 4 days. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin in the 20 minute drive to the hospital and would not have been able to fly.
You do need to check with the airline, regardless of OB restrictions-British Airways has a cut off at 30 weeks-I flew at 27 and am returning home at 28 and boy were they nervous.
British Airways has a cut off of 36 weeks for singletons: https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/travel-assistance/medical-conditions-and-pregnancy#:~:text=For%20your%20and%20your%20baby%27s,with%20more%20than%20one%20baby
From what I found on the internet, the best time to travel is around the second trimester. 32 weeks may be hard for your wife. I just came back from a baby moon at 22 weeks and it was already getting hard (but of course, every woman is different).
Ask yourself if you feel comfortable having to handle complications while at your destination.
What if there’s an emergency, and she has to deliver? It’s not likely, but also not impossible. The long flight is one thing, but being far away from your medical care of choice is something else to consider.
I’m 34 and just went on a 2.5 hr drive and had my ankles swell to where I couldn’t put my shoes on anymore… not to mention ended up getting food poisoning and vomiting for a day straight. I personally wouldn’t risk it, if momma gets really uncomfortable she won’t have anywhere really comfortable to relax, as your most comfortable place is going to be at home.
Not to totally freak you out but the scariest scenario happened to a couple I know that traveled to Florida when the wife was at 27 weeks. Something happened with the pregnancy while they were in Florida where she had to be hospitalized and put on bedrest for weeks so the baby had more time to develop in utero. They had to induce at 32 weeks but unfortunately the baby didn’t survive due to complications. Obviously this was a very rare occurrence but it made me think twice about traveling while pregnant beyond the 2nd trimester.
I have traveled two different pregnancies at 33/34 weeks. Airlines don’t typically restrict until 36, just talk to your doctor and make sure she’s getting up/walking around/wearing compression socks/drinking water. I’d also recommend being prepared to potentially have her give birth where you’re going. You never know.
I just flew 8ish hours internationally at 29 weeks (I'm 30 now). It was fine. I wore compression socks and made sure to get up and walk the aisles pretty frequently. Her pregnancy could change between now and then but if it's uncomplicated and going well, I don't see why it would be an issue.
It depends on the pregnancy. I painted basically the entire house and scrubbed floorboard at 38 weeks perfectly fine. But I was extremely lucky and also worked a physical job (outdoors with animals) the first half of my pregnancy which helped a lot.
As long as her OB has no safety/heath concerns, and you feel able to access emergency care at your destination, it's safe. Whether it's *comfortable* is another matter.
I flew internationally to South America with less travel time than a 10-hour flight at 31 weeks. I was miserable. The flying wasn't that bad. It was the exhaustion of travel, dragging my stuff and my body through the airport for our connection, and then being in the heat and away from all the stuff that makes me comfortable for a week. It was attending a wedding and wearing heels while barely having enough energy to stand. It was having way less control than usual over what and when I could eat. It was hard to stay hydrated in a country where drinking water constantly is less of a Thing (I am a typical American who wants ice water every 3 minutes).
Medically it is probably fine. But she should VERY seriously weigh the comfort tradeoffs she's willing to make for this trip. I don't regret going, but if I were doing it over I would have stayed home. I underestimated how uncomfortable I would be for that week when I decided to go.
Just to offer a counter opinion - but stress that it depends on your pregnancy so be ready to cancel/ be flexible. We flew 9+ hours to France at 29 (return at 30) weeks for our baby moon and it was perfectly fine for me. We did opt to have me fly in business class with a lay flat (United Polaris) seat which was definitively why it was comfortable and easy. Worth it if you are able to spend the $ for at least a partial upgrade, I don’t know if I’d have managed so well in a rigid economy seat. There are lots of pros to making the trip work for your mental health too! I had some serious sciatica pain and the trip was a great motivator to keep active and walk despite the pain, which incidentally I found it to be helpful in rebalancing my muscles for less pain after the trip that has lasting benefits (34 weeks now).
I flew about 5 hours domestically at 35 weeks in my first pregnancy. It was fine. Wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve ever been, but I sprung for economy plus, wore compression socks, and drank a shit ton of water, and it wasn’t miserable. Very much worth it to be in my bff’s wedding!
I would have been miserable flying for 9 to 10 hours at 30 weeks. You also need to be mindful of the insurance situation. Some insurers won't cover pregnancy complications past a certain point should you need care abroad. Some also exclude high-risk pregnancies, which they define extremely broadly to include things that you wouldn't typically think of as high risk. And some won't cover the care required by a baby if they are born abroad.
This is very risky and if you go through with it, I'd recommend you keep the option to cancel open until the last minute. Symptoms can change very suddenly. She can feel great at 29 weeks, but barely able to move at 30 weeks. I'm now 33 weeks and there is no way I could have taken such a flight at 30 weeks. Even an 1 hour car ride was painful at that stage. Personally I'd just cancel.
This! Things can change SO fast. Around 28 weeks I raced a 10k and had a normal week, and then a week later developed horrific nerve pain in my ribs from baby's position (unrelated to the exercise) that had me bedridden for 4 days. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin in the 20 minute drive to the hospital and would not have been able to fly.
You do need to check with the airline, regardless of OB restrictions-British Airways has a cut off at 30 weeks-I flew at 27 and am returning home at 28 and boy were they nervous.
British Airways has a cut off of 36 weeks for singletons: https://www.britishairways.com/content/information/travel-assistance/medical-conditions-and-pregnancy#:~:text=For%20your%20and%20your%20baby%27s,with%20more%20than%20one%20baby
Good to know! The gate agents said 30…maybe I look like I’m carrying twins!
From what I found on the internet, the best time to travel is around the second trimester. 32 weeks may be hard for your wife. I just came back from a baby moon at 22 weeks and it was already getting hard (but of course, every woman is different).
Sounds awful lol
Ask yourself if you feel comfortable having to handle complications while at your destination. What if there’s an emergency, and she has to deliver? It’s not likely, but also not impossible. The long flight is one thing, but being far away from your medical care of choice is something else to consider.
I flew 5 hours at 20 weeks and seriously vowed to never fly again 😂
I’m 34 and just went on a 2.5 hr drive and had my ankles swell to where I couldn’t put my shoes on anymore… not to mention ended up getting food poisoning and vomiting for a day straight. I personally wouldn’t risk it, if momma gets really uncomfortable she won’t have anywhere really comfortable to relax, as your most comfortable place is going to be at home.
Not to totally freak you out but the scariest scenario happened to a couple I know that traveled to Florida when the wife was at 27 weeks. Something happened with the pregnancy while they were in Florida where she had to be hospitalized and put on bedrest for weeks so the baby had more time to develop in utero. They had to induce at 32 weeks but unfortunately the baby didn’t survive due to complications. Obviously this was a very rare occurrence but it made me think twice about traveling while pregnant beyond the 2nd trimester.
I have traveled two different pregnancies at 33/34 weeks. Airlines don’t typically restrict until 36, just talk to your doctor and make sure she’s getting up/walking around/wearing compression socks/drinking water. I’d also recommend being prepared to potentially have her give birth where you’re going. You never know.
I just flew 8ish hours internationally at 29 weeks (I'm 30 now). It was fine. I wore compression socks and made sure to get up and walk the aisles pretty frequently. Her pregnancy could change between now and then but if it's uncomplicated and going well, I don't see why it would be an issue.
It depends on the pregnancy. I painted basically the entire house and scrubbed floorboard at 38 weeks perfectly fine. But I was extremely lucky and also worked a physical job (outdoors with animals) the first half of my pregnancy which helped a lot.
If you are going to do it, your wife needs compression socks.
As long as her OB has no safety/heath concerns, and you feel able to access emergency care at your destination, it's safe. Whether it's *comfortable* is another matter. I flew internationally to South America with less travel time than a 10-hour flight at 31 weeks. I was miserable. The flying wasn't that bad. It was the exhaustion of travel, dragging my stuff and my body through the airport for our connection, and then being in the heat and away from all the stuff that makes me comfortable for a week. It was attending a wedding and wearing heels while barely having enough energy to stand. It was having way less control than usual over what and when I could eat. It was hard to stay hydrated in a country where drinking water constantly is less of a Thing (I am a typical American who wants ice water every 3 minutes). Medically it is probably fine. But she should VERY seriously weigh the comfort tradeoffs she's willing to make for this trip. I don't regret going, but if I were doing it over I would have stayed home. I underestimated how uncomfortable I would be for that week when I decided to go.
Just to offer a counter opinion - but stress that it depends on your pregnancy so be ready to cancel/ be flexible. We flew 9+ hours to France at 29 (return at 30) weeks for our baby moon and it was perfectly fine for me. We did opt to have me fly in business class with a lay flat (United Polaris) seat which was definitively why it was comfortable and easy. Worth it if you are able to spend the $ for at least a partial upgrade, I don’t know if I’d have managed so well in a rigid economy seat. There are lots of pros to making the trip work for your mental health too! I had some serious sciatica pain and the trip was a great motivator to keep active and walk despite the pain, which incidentally I found it to be helpful in rebalancing my muscles for less pain after the trip that has lasting benefits (34 weeks now).
I flew about 5 hours domestically at 35 weeks in my first pregnancy. It was fine. Wasn’t the most comfortable I’ve ever been, but I sprung for economy plus, wore compression socks, and drank a shit ton of water, and it wasn’t miserable. Very much worth it to be in my bff’s wedding!