Traveling while PG?

[starryfish]

DH and I are trying to plan one more vacation before baby. 

We love cruising, but most of the cruises are out due to Zika. Alaska cruises are an option or going to Europe.

Would you go on a cruise or Europe while PG? When would you stop traveling for domestic? International? cruises?

Just trying to get some ideas, thanks! 

[awick14]

I personally wouldn't BUT if I didn't have my hx I probably would. Lol I wouldn't want to deal with any complications when I'm not here with my doctors who know and love me.

But I wouldn't go on a cruise if I did travel. Motion sickness and such.

[EllenGriswold]

I think it would depend on when you wanted to go - I know I wouldn't want to be on a super long overseas flight and walking around Europe later in the third trimester, BUT would have felt fine doing it sooner. If you want a more relaxing trip where you can lounge and eat and relax, then I would do the cruise and not worry as much about timing (obviously not waiting too late as then you run into travel restrictions).

But personally, I would probably pick a cool domestic destination (somewhere you love or have always wanted to visit), and get a great hotel. Then you can decide at the time how you feel and if you want to stay in and lounge and spa, etc. or if you are feeling great you can get out and do more "stuff." I wouldn't want to plan a trip to Europe and then end up feeling bad and not being able to see/do stuff, but you just don't really know how you are going to feel until it gets closer.

[starryfish]

Jun 7, 2016 14:29:48 GMT -5 EllenGriswold said:

I think it would depend on when you wanted to go - I know I wouldn't want to be on a super long overseas flight and walking around Europe later in the third trimester, BUT would have felt fine doing it sooner. If you want a more relaxing trip where you can lounge and eat and relax, then I would do the cruise and not worry as much about timing (obviously not waiting too late as then you run into travel restrictions).

But personally, I would probably pick a cool domestic destination (somewhere you love or have always wanted to visit), and get a great hotel. Then you can decide at the time how you feel and if you want to stay in and lounge and spa, etc. or if you are feeling great you can get out and do more "stuff." I wouldn't want to plan a trip to Europe and then end up feeling bad and not being able to see/do stuff, but you just don't really know how you are going to feel until it gets closer.

We love love love cruises and are pretty lazy on them, so that would be easy. But stupid ZIKA, sigh.

We are thinking of European Cruise in August (I would be 18-21 weeks PG). We could do as much or as little as we wanted since we love staying on the ship.

I think we are going to wait until I see my OB in 2 weeks. 

ETA: I dont think we are going to do anything big in 3rd tri. This would definitely be in 2nd tri, so ok right?

[EllenGriswold]

Jun 7, 2016 14:38:47 GMT -5 starryfish said:

Jun 7, 2016 14:29:48 GMT -5 EllenGriswold said:

ETA: I dont think we are going to do anything big in 3rd tri. This would definitely be in 2nd tri, so ok right?

That's what I would aim for, and when MOST people feel best. I generally felt really good from about 15 weeks (after nausea subsided) until about 34 or so (more tired, swelling, reflux), but obviously that can vary. You might consider trip insurance just in case something crazy happens?

[starryfish]

Jun 7, 2016 14:51:03 GMT -5 EllenGriswold said:

Jun 7, 2016 14:38:47 GMT -5 starryfish said:

ETA: I dont think we are going to do anything big in 3rd tri. This would definitely be in 2nd tri, so ok right?

That's what I would aim for, and when MOST people feel best. I generally felt really good from about 15 weeks (after nausea subsided) until about 34 or so (more tired, swelling, reflux), but obviously that can vary. You might consider trip insurance just in case something crazy happens?

Yea we will def get the cancel for any reason travel insurance, it's $200.

Thanks for the info! Helps to hear it from grads!

[cactuscookie]

That would be a great time to travel.

I went to Mexico and Iceland in my first trimester, but I was lucky to have an easy pregnancy.

I went camping at 22 weeks, on a weekend getaway at 24 weeks, flew for a work trip at 27 weeks, flew to visit my in-laws at 31 weeks, and drove 4 hours to visit my family for Christmas at 36 weeks. I'm obviously pro-traveling while pregnant, as long as you're feeling well enough to enjoy it.

[G22]

I may have done the most traveling of anyone here while I was pregnant. Ha

I drove from Montana to Ohio and back at 13 weeks.

Drove from Montana to Texas at 18 weeks.

I flew to and from Spain at 25 and 28 weeks.

Flew to Germany at 34ish weeks. (This one was for a move, otherwise I wouldn't have done it)

I had a very uneventful and healthy pregnancy and had no issues with all the traveling. I did some extra stopping to stretch my legs in the road trips and made a heck of a lot more potty breaks on the flights than usual. On the Spain trip I did a crap ton of walking and sightseeing. I just made sure to stay hydrated and rested when I felt tired.

[icedcoffee]

Most cruise lines won't let you travel after 23 weeks so that narrows your timeframe a lot otherwise I think it sounds fine!

My only tip would be to be extra vigilant about handwashing with norovirus outbreaks and the such.

Zika sucks.

[boiler717]

I went to Europe at 22-24 weeks. It was great! I was nervous about being on the cusp of viability, but it was great. We had business class seats and stayed in super nice hotels so I was comfortable.
I have had 2 different colleagues have premature births in other states so I wanted to be done by 24w, but many people travel until the early/mid 30ws.

[dellabear]

I went on a cruise at 21 weeks and it was great. I took it pretty easy overall though.

[EllieT]

I'm recently back from an overseas trip. We live in Sweden and went to see DH's family in Vancouver, Canada. We left at 25 weeks and had to be back by 28 weeks. It's a 9 hour flight but I made sure to drink lots of water, get up and move every hour or so (that was a necessity really due to all the water) and wore compression socks. The flights really were no worse than normally (actually they were better since we splurged and had Premium Economy one way and Business Class tickets the other)

For me the biggest worry before was insurance. I stressed a lot about what would happen if something were to happen medically. I wasn't really worried about the actual medical care - I know there are excellent facilities and I also knew DH's family would be able to help me find care if needed. After all SIL just went through a very high risk pregnancy with identical twins and a baby with severe heart defects. I think I would have felt differently if we had been somewhere where we didn't know anyone and didn't speak the language. So my biggest worry was financial and that dictated when we could go since my travel health insurance would cover everything up to 28 weeks (including NICU care if baby was born preterm) but nothing at all after 28w0d.

So I would definitely feel ok to go if I were you but I would make sure to do some research before. I probably wouldn't go to a small remote place and I'm also unsure about a cruise (though that might just be due to my regular duslike for cruises). Timewise I think late 2nd tri was perfect. I'm only 31 weeks now so not that far off from when we went but I feel like there's been a drastic change in these last few weeks. My energy levels are not the same and I've developed back pain. And my heat tolerance has taken a nose dive - I was fine on some very hot days while in Vancouver but not at all ok last week in the same temperatures.

[EllieT]

Oh I also went on a small 4 day trip to Basel, Switzerland (two 1.5 hour flights with and hour layover) when I was 21 weeks and that was totally fine. I felt completely normal and really the only thing different was me not drinking alcohol. I would have been 100% ok with a longer overseas trip then.

[Muddled]

I went to Europe between 18 and 20 weeks. It was funny because I left looking pretty normal and came back looking pregnant. It confused a lot of people. Ha.

[cowgirlcutie]

I've travelled quite a bit already this pregnancy.
We flew to Hawaii for 10 days when I was 8-9 weeks.
I had a work trip at 16 weeks, and just wrapping another up at 22 weeks, both Canada to US flights.
I'm planning on attending a cattle show at 33 weeks that is a 7 hour drive away, into USA.
Plus I'm supposed to fly to attend a team get together for work at 35 weeks (domestic flight, otherwise I wouldn't go).

If you are comfortable with cruises, that's what I would do. (I get terrible motion sickness so no go for me). Also, there's great places domestically or up to Canada that you could go too.

[justwaiting]

I don't think carnival cruises will let you go unless you get a note from your doctor saying you are under like 20 or 24 weeks when you get back from the cruise. I am a high risk pregnancy and my doctor didn't want me traveling large distances after 30 weeks. I think I would talk to your DR before you plan something.

[loira]

I did a 9hr overseas flight at 21 weeks. It was no big deal, like pps I just made sure to move around a lot and drink plenty of water.

If I had a normal history, I would definitely go pretty much anywhere in Europe. I would not cruise pregnant, even without my history of loss, because my impression of cruise ships is that they are floating germ factories.

[starryfish]

Jun 9, 2016 14:08:14 GMT -5 justwaiting said:

I don't think carnival cruises will let you go unless you get a note from your doctor saying you are under like 20 or 24 weeks when you get back from the cruise. I am a high risk pregnancy and my doctor didn't want me traveling large distances after 30 weeks. I think I would talk to your DR before you plan something.

it is 24 weeks and we are going to wait to check with my doctor first, thanks! :-)

[justwaiting]

Yeah, I would go early if you do go. I know by the time I was 20 weeks along I was so big and bloated I wouldn't of had fun.