Bye bye baby! Travel during third trimester.
September 11, 2015 4:55 PM Subscribe
My boyfriend and I are planning a babymoon over Thanksgiving or Christmas. For work reasons, Christmas would be more convenient for me, however, I'd be 7 months pregnant (I'm due at the end of February). Is this a foolhardy venture?
I love Europe during Christmas, and am well-traveled enough to anticipate and deal with the usual travel emergencies. However, this is my first pregnancy and consequently have no idea what my unique experience will be, or what general expectations to have. Previous questions on the green have gone both ways, and have mostly dealt with earlier pregnancy (hopefully I haven't missed a similar question).
We'd be traveling to NYC to visit family for Christmas anyway, and thus could break the flight into two segments. However, most cities in Europe are walking destinations, and there's likely to be slippery ice/ snow that could be hazardous, etc., but I feel that those risks can be somewhat mitigated. My doctor thinks it would be fine provided we take precautions and am prepared for several eventualities. I'm an otherwise healthy individual and would only plan the trip assuming we could get the right insurance coverage etc. We are comfortable money-wise, but not rich, if that's relevant.
I'd love to hear from those of you that may have had similar experiences, or have thought through similar decisions. Should we make this trip over Thanksgiving? Stay in the US? Postpone the trip, then pack the little peanut up when he gets here and take him along? I'm fighting to keep my last few months of non-parenthood as close to what it was before we got pregnant as possible!
Thank you in advance for your input :)
I love Europe during Christmas, and am well-traveled enough to anticipate and deal with the usual travel emergencies. However, this is my first pregnancy and consequently have no idea what my unique experience will be, or what general expectations to have. Previous questions on the green have gone both ways, and have mostly dealt with earlier pregnancy (hopefully I haven't missed a similar question).
We'd be traveling to NYC to visit family for Christmas anyway, and thus could break the flight into two segments. However, most cities in Europe are walking destinations, and there's likely to be slippery ice/ snow that could be hazardous, etc., but I feel that those risks can be somewhat mitigated. My doctor thinks it would be fine provided we take precautions and am prepared for several eventualities. I'm an otherwise healthy individual and would only plan the trip assuming we could get the right insurance coverage etc. We are comfortable money-wise, but not rich, if that's relevant.
I'd love to hear from those of you that may have had similar experiences, or have thought through similar decisions. Should we make this trip over Thanksgiving? Stay in the US? Postpone the trip, then pack the little peanut up when he gets here and take him along? I'm fighting to keep my last few months of non-parenthood as close to what it was before we got pregnant as possible!
Thank you in advance for your input :)
Traveling with an infant can be exhausting but definitely do-able with the right mindset. We travelled with our 5-mo-old to Germany and it went really well. It changes your pace but you get a different experience and people are so friendly when you have a cute baby.
You never know what you'll be like at 7-8 mo. You might be feeling spry or you might just want to nest and enjoy the calm before the storm.
posted by amanda at 5:05 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
You never know what you'll be like at 7-8 mo. You might be feeling spry or you might just want to nest and enjoy the calm before the storm.
posted by amanda at 5:05 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
I did a similar thing at a similar stage, minus the international flight. We laid out some ground rules beforehand that amounted to "if I need a break we are taking a break right then and there." You may want support stockings for the flight to minimize swelling. We did a lot of walking and let's just say I learned what chafing was after a lifetime of blissful ignorance. But! Because of the ground rules, I had a lovely time anyhow.
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:06 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by tchemgrrl at 5:06 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
I felt great at seven months and would have had fun on a trip. Way easier than traveling with a newborn or one year old in my experience. I'd totally go under your circumstances.
posted by Kalmya at 5:12 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Kalmya at 5:12 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
I was about that pregnant when I flew to Italy in 2014. It was great, though to be fair I had the advantage of being from there and familiar with the health care system if something had gone wrong.
Buy travel insurance that covers pregnancy (surprisingly difficult!) and make sure to clear the trip with your OB right before you fly out - I had a checkup two days before and got the all clear, had there been any red flags I definitely would have canceled.
posted by lydhre at 5:16 PM on September 11, 2015
Buy travel insurance that covers pregnancy (surprisingly difficult!) and make sure to clear the trip with your OB right before you fly out - I had a checkup two days before and got the all clear, had there been any red flags I definitely would have canceled.
posted by lydhre at 5:16 PM on September 11, 2015
Best answer: The earlier you go the happier you're likely to be. We did a trip to Australia at 25ish weeks and I was completely happy and comfortable including during 19 hours of air travel. I'm 32 weeks now and have been increasingly uncomfortable and tired for the last 3-4 weeks and would be miserable.
So I think it just sort of means what you really mean by "7 months". If you mean 27 weeks, in my opinion you'll probably be ok. If you mean 30 weeks, you might be starting to feel kind of shitty.
Here's what feeling shitty means to me right now: swollen ankles and feet, not sleeping well and tired and low energy all the time, having to pee constantly, more often short of breath while walking around, none of my clothing fits. And I have had a relatively easy pregnancy overall - no risks, few symptoms, not much weight gain. The 3rd trimester just sort of hit like a ton of bricks in the last few weeks.
If you can travel at Thanksgiving rather than Christmas, I think you'd be happier.
posted by vunder at 5:26 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
So I think it just sort of means what you really mean by "7 months". If you mean 27 weeks, in my opinion you'll probably be ok. If you mean 30 weeks, you might be starting to feel kind of shitty.
Here's what feeling shitty means to me right now: swollen ankles and feet, not sleeping well and tired and low energy all the time, having to pee constantly, more often short of breath while walking around, none of my clothing fits. And I have had a relatively easy pregnancy overall - no risks, few symptoms, not much weight gain. The 3rd trimester just sort of hit like a ton of bricks in the last few weeks.
If you can travel at Thanksgiving rather than Christmas, I think you'd be happier.
posted by vunder at 5:26 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: You might be fine. There was some woman a few years ago who ran a marathon at 8 months pregnant, so it's certainly possible to be physically active throughout your pregnancy. I wouldn't book a vacation banking on that as some sort of likely outcome, though. There is a significant probability that you will find the trip utterly exhausting and then not want to leave the hotel room because the idea of walking another foot sounds like torture.
For me at least, there was a world of difference between the second and third trimester for my physical abilities. I traveled during my first pregnancy when I was six months along, and it was fairly active trip (a lot of walking, one 30 minute simple hike, a lot of swimming and snorkeling). I mostly did great, but that 30 minute hike was BRUTAL. I can't even express how miserable of an experience that was. If the trip had been a month later then I would have had to also deal with the beginnings of bad pelvic pain plus horrible random sciatic pain every 20 steps or so, and the beginnings of bad backaches with any prolonged standing. A walking trip would be hellish. A long plane flight would be hellish. A city trip where you could rely a lot of taxis/subways with minimal trekking would be awesome, but there is a reason so many babymoons are to resorts for pampering or lazy beach vacations.
posted by gatorae at 5:27 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
For me at least, there was a world of difference between the second and third trimester for my physical abilities. I traveled during my first pregnancy when I was six months along, and it was fairly active trip (a lot of walking, one 30 minute simple hike, a lot of swimming and snorkeling). I mostly did great, but that 30 minute hike was BRUTAL. I can't even express how miserable of an experience that was. If the trip had been a month later then I would have had to also deal with the beginnings of bad pelvic pain plus horrible random sciatic pain every 20 steps or so, and the beginnings of bad backaches with any prolonged standing. A walking trip would be hellish. A long plane flight would be hellish. A city trip where you could rely a lot of taxis/subways with minimal trekking would be awesome, but there is a reason so many babymoons are to resorts for pampering or lazy beach vacations.
posted by gatorae at 5:27 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you can go earlier (Thanksgiving) I would do that. Earlier is always better and the thing is, you just can't predict how your pregnancy will go, especially in the later months when your body is under much more stress. I had my babymoon at five months and was active and had heaps of energy, it was a fantastic holiday.
But when my third trimester hit, I had crippling sciatic pain. And when I mean crippling, I mean, when I put weight on my left leg, a lightning bolt of pain shot down from my pelvis, making my leg collapse underneath me so I smashed onto the floor, at eight months pregnant. I should have had crutches or a wheelchair, I certainly couldn't walk. If I'd attempted a European holiday - oh, hah, I literally couldn't imagine anything worse. And yet I would never have thought earlier that my pregnancy - both of them - would end up like that. Yeah, you could be fine, but if you have the option of going earlier, why wouldn't you.
posted by Jubey at 5:37 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
But when my third trimester hit, I had crippling sciatic pain. And when I mean crippling, I mean, when I put weight on my left leg, a lightning bolt of pain shot down from my pelvis, making my leg collapse underneath me so I smashed onto the floor, at eight months pregnant. I should have had crutches or a wheelchair, I certainly couldn't walk. If I'd attempted a European holiday - oh, hah, I literally couldn't imagine anything worse. And yet I would never have thought earlier that my pregnancy - both of them - would end up like that. Yeah, you could be fine, but if you have the option of going earlier, why wouldn't you.
posted by Jubey at 5:37 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Your insurance company may decline to cover you for out of country travel past 29-32 weeks, and if you are stuck in your destination due to a medical emergency when your travel insurance runs out, well, good luck. (Also it typically doesn't cover the baby's medical needs.)
I'd research the insurance situation very, very carefully before I made any decisions.
posted by jeather at 5:55 PM on September 11, 2015 [9 favorites]
I'd research the insurance situation very, very carefully before I made any decisions.
posted by jeather at 5:55 PM on September 11, 2015 [9 favorites]
Much depends on how often you'll be travelling to how many new places, as "Europe" is so vague.
posted by pos at 6:59 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by pos at 6:59 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'm voting for no travel at 7 months. You may feel great, everything may feel fine, BUT no one can predict what will happen - especially with your first pregnancy. My first baby came six weeks early and breech 2 days after my last perfect checkup with my OB.
If anything- ANYTHING- goes wrong, you will blame yourself and beat yourself up for not being careful or taking enough care of yourself, because that's what every mother does. My son did great, no NICU, but for years I worried about everything and blamed myself for his early childhood asthma (maybe I shouldn't have gone to work that day...)
Your doctor may thinks it's OK, but think this over very carefully.
posted by Sweet Dee Kat at 7:09 PM on September 11, 2015
If anything- ANYTHING- goes wrong, you will blame yourself and beat yourself up for not being careful or taking enough care of yourself, because that's what every mother does. My son did great, no NICU, but for years I worried about everything and blamed myself for his early childhood asthma (maybe I shouldn't have gone to work that day...)
Your doctor may thinks it's OK, but think this over very carefully.
posted by Sweet Dee Kat at 7:09 PM on September 11, 2015
This really, really depends on your specific risk factors, which only your doctor can talk to you about - and even then, they might not be identifiable. I was cleared to travel at 27 weeks domestically, but ended up giving birth at 25 weeks. I wound up in the hospital the day after a regular checkup declared me to be having a "textbook pregnancy".
It also depends on how you'll be feeling at 7 months, and that's hard to predict until you're there. With my full-term pregnancy, I was so effing miserable at 7 months that walking to the mailbox was a chore and standing, sitting, AND lying down were uncomfortable. I could never have traveled anywhere. I wish for you a comfortable, instagram-worthy pregnancy, but I personally wouldn't travel past the point of earliest possible viability - around 22 weeks.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 8:02 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
It also depends on how you'll be feeling at 7 months, and that's hard to predict until you're there. With my full-term pregnancy, I was so effing miserable at 7 months that walking to the mailbox was a chore and standing, sitting, AND lying down were uncomfortable. I could never have traveled anywhere. I wish for you a comfortable, instagram-worthy pregnancy, but I personally wouldn't travel past the point of earliest possible viability - around 22 weeks.
posted by peanut_mcgillicuty at 8:02 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
So much can happen.
One friend delivered at 25 weeks, two others at 7 months.
You may have complications that pop up suddenly. Diabetes, swelling that won't allow you to wear shoes or turns your hands to carpel tunnel pained claws, or you might not be able to walk much due to all of the aches and pains of pregnancy. You might be very particular about how you sleep. These are all things that happened to people I know, and all very common for 7 months pregnant.
It really depends on how much risk you are willing to take (is delivering overseas ok?) and how much pain you can take (if the airplane leaves your feet so swollen they can't fit in shoes and painful will it still be fun?)
If you are willing to lose the flight money if you feel bad, otherwise book it all the day before you leave to make sure you feel ok.
posted by littlewater at 8:05 PM on September 11, 2015
One friend delivered at 25 weeks, two others at 7 months.
You may have complications that pop up suddenly. Diabetes, swelling that won't allow you to wear shoes or turns your hands to carpel tunnel pained claws, or you might not be able to walk much due to all of the aches and pains of pregnancy. You might be very particular about how you sleep. These are all things that happened to people I know, and all very common for 7 months pregnant.
It really depends on how much risk you are willing to take (is delivering overseas ok?) and how much pain you can take (if the airplane leaves your feet so swollen they can't fit in shoes and painful will it still be fun?)
If you are willing to lose the flight money if you feel bad, otherwise book it all the day before you leave to make sure you feel ok.
posted by littlewater at 8:05 PM on September 11, 2015
If you happen to be fond of fine food and wine, and plan travel accordingly, many European destinations are torture during pregnancy if you're at all strict about dietary restrictions, especially if there's any chance you might wind up with gestational diabetes (in which case you will be strict or you'll hear about it from your doctor). There are quite a few countries in Europe where if you want anything other than a pure carbohydrate breakfast you have to go to an American restaurant.
Think about Paris without soft cheese, rare meat, and wine. Is it really Paris to you? If so, go right ahead!
posted by town of cats at 8:05 PM on September 11, 2015
Think about Paris without soft cheese, rare meat, and wine. Is it really Paris to you? If so, go right ahead!
posted by town of cats at 8:05 PM on September 11, 2015
If you're due at the end of February (let's say Feb 26), then it looks like Christmas day would be 31 weeks exactly.
I'm pregnant and read birth stories over on reddit and have seen a surprising number of people giving birth in week 33. Statistically, it's a tiny fraction, but I've established that as my personal deadline for having the car seat installed, and I also personally wouldn't fly too far away after that stage. There's great info on likelihood of labor here. You'll still be before that point, however. I'd still probably take the earlier trip.
posted by slidell at 8:28 PM on September 11, 2015 [4 favorites]
I'm pregnant and read birth stories over on reddit and have seen a surprising number of people giving birth in week 33. Statistically, it's a tiny fraction, but I've established that as my personal deadline for having the car seat installed, and I also personally wouldn't fly too far away after that stage. There's great info on likelihood of labor here. You'll still be before that point, however. I'd still probably take the earlier trip.
posted by slidell at 8:28 PM on September 11, 2015 [4 favorites]
My wife had a great time on our trip to England at 5 1/2 months pregnant. Bit queasy on takeoff and landing, needed to make time for a nap most days, but she was a champ and she's glad we did it (as am I).
Right now, at 7 months, it's a whole different situation. Her swollen ankles are profoundly unfair. She doesn't even want to do a three day weekend a couple hours drive from home.
posted by chimpsonfilm at 8:34 PM on September 11, 2015
Right now, at 7 months, it's a whole different situation. Her swollen ankles are profoundly unfair. She doesn't even want to do a three day weekend a couple hours drive from home.
posted by chimpsonfilm at 8:34 PM on September 11, 2015
5/6 months is usually kind of a sweet spot in terms of having good energy, and not being so pregnant that you can't stand people being around you. With both of my pregnancies, as I got bigger I got weirdly (to me) super over-protective of my person - I couldn't stand people walking too close to me, and god help the person who bumped me while walking, or who drove carelessly. Both would send me into an absolute fit. Going to a busy store was avoided. Most social situations like going out to listen to music, or in one particular instance going to Chinatown for the Lunar New Year parade (always a packed event) were strictly avoided.
All that to say, if you really must go, the earlier the better. But if you're asking for opinions, I personally wouldn't leave the country.
posted by vignettist at 8:52 PM on September 11, 2015
All that to say, if you really must go, the earlier the better. But if you're asking for opinions, I personally wouldn't leave the country.
posted by vignettist at 8:52 PM on September 11, 2015
Remember that British couple who came to the states on Vacation and the baby came super early and needed a ton of work? They racked up something like $200,000 in bills. If you go somewhere outside the states, make sure to get travel health insurance. I think AIG provides something. It's not that bad: only $150 for a couple weeks but it could be very handy.
posted by Piedmont_Americana at 9:44 PM on September 11, 2015
posted by Piedmont_Americana at 9:44 PM on September 11, 2015
It's not a great idea. You'll be stuck in a foreign country for a while if you give birth there and the baby is in nicu, your husband would have to go back to work, it would (likely) be expensive for anyone to come support you and you wouldnt be able to stay for long. And the culture shock is- shocking. Who will bring you food? Believe me when I tell you german hospital food is disgusting and someone has to bring you food!
And things go wrong in pregnancy. I, like a couple women above, was cleared as fine at my 21 week appointment. My husband was told he was fine to travel to Spain on a last fitness holiday, I was fancying a trip to the UK to see my friends for the last time before becoming a mum. I cancelled my trip because I was knackered and I ended up going into preterm labor that week- we spent 3 weeks in the hospital and I had a surgery to prolong the pregnancy and was then in bed rest for the remainder. I now don't believe women should travel that late. It would have been a disaster if I'd had the baby in the UK, my husband would have had to go to work, I'd have been very alone.
And you can travel with baby! We are currently on holiday with our 2.5 month old and its really nice, we take turns laying by to pool and baby sleeps out with us in his koo di...
Don't try to do to much. People don't like to accept that pregnancy changes things, but it does. And to ignore that can be detrimental to the baby.
posted by pairofshades at 9:47 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
And things go wrong in pregnancy. I, like a couple women above, was cleared as fine at my 21 week appointment. My husband was told he was fine to travel to Spain on a last fitness holiday, I was fancying a trip to the UK to see my friends for the last time before becoming a mum. I cancelled my trip because I was knackered and I ended up going into preterm labor that week- we spent 3 weeks in the hospital and I had a surgery to prolong the pregnancy and was then in bed rest for the remainder. I now don't believe women should travel that late. It would have been a disaster if I'd had the baby in the UK, my husband would have had to go to work, I'd have been very alone.
And you can travel with baby! We are currently on holiday with our 2.5 month old and its really nice, we take turns laying by to pool and baby sleeps out with us in his koo di...
Don't try to do to much. People don't like to accept that pregnancy changes things, but it does. And to ignore that can be detrimental to the baby.
posted by pairofshades at 9:47 PM on September 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Also a couple more travel experinces I had- before the preterm labor we went to lanzarote. The travel in airports was sooooo hard! I couldn't get comfortable at any point. I had restless legs and would get up at night and that was hard in a place I didn't have my things. Later on I started having projectile acid reflux and needed my bed propped up. All of that is hard somewhere new. Ice and public transport might make you feel uncomfortable... I went to some
Christmas markets while pregnant as well and I didn't like being bumped into. Also most food tasted yuck... Which for me is a large part of the travel fun. And you can do travel with a baby! We took ours on a weekend wellness getaway at 3 weeks... We took him to ireland, and now we're getting our last bit of sun.
posted by pairofshades at 11:22 PM on September 11, 2015
Christmas markets while pregnant as well and I didn't like being bumped into. Also most food tasted yuck... Which for me is a large part of the travel fun. And you can do travel with a baby! We took ours on a weekend wellness getaway at 3 weeks... We took him to ireland, and now we're getting our last bit of sun.
posted by pairofshades at 11:22 PM on September 11, 2015
Best answer: I really wouldn't do it, for all the reasons above.
And as an anecdote, I've never ever seen a heavily pregnant woman on any of my travels. I have however seen a tonne of people travelling with infants and they looked as happy and relaxed as anyone else.
posted by kitten magic at 12:34 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
And as an anecdote, I've never ever seen a heavily pregnant woman on any of my travels. I have however seen a tonne of people travelling with infants and they looked as happy and relaxed as anyone else.
posted by kitten magic at 12:34 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If you do travel, make sure you have a letter from your midwife/obstetrician clearing you to fly.
I traveled to Austria & Switzerland from the U.S. with my mother on a choir trip when I was pregnant with my first daughter. One of the other ladies on the trip was an obstetrician. I was at just about 28 weeks for the flight back. The ticket agent in wherever it was we were flying home from in Switzerland almost wasn't going to let me on the flight---despite the letter. There was much consulting of rule books, etc. (it's not clear what I would've done if she hadn't let me fly, of course---you aren't even eligible for birthright citizenship in Switzerland! And what, stay in a hotel for two months?)
posted by leahwrenn at 1:14 AM on September 12, 2015
I traveled to Austria & Switzerland from the U.S. with my mother on a choir trip when I was pregnant with my first daughter. One of the other ladies on the trip was an obstetrician. I was at just about 28 weeks for the flight back. The ticket agent in wherever it was we were flying home from in Switzerland almost wasn't going to let me on the flight---despite the letter. There was much consulting of rule books, etc. (it's not clear what I would've done if she hadn't let me fly, of course---you aren't even eligible for birthright citizenship in Switzerland! And what, stay in a hotel for two months?)
posted by leahwrenn at 1:14 AM on September 12, 2015
I went to the caribbean at 7 months. It was fine. Wonderful, even. My OB had no problem with me doing it. Yes, I was a bit nervous about what might happen if I went into early labor, but the pregnancy was very healthy and the risks were very small. In contrast, for me, a fun vacation with the baby after the baby was born was pretty much impossible. Between figuring out feeding schedules, sleeping schedules, pooping schedules, and the trauma of labor, travel with kids is at best tolerable and at worst a lot of sitting around while the baby naps and feeling like you're wasting your precious travel time in hotel rooms.
That being said, I would have hated a walking vacation, and REALLY hated a 7+ hour international flight at 7 months. You're big, you're tired. I don't think an adventurous vacation is likely to be super enjoyable. So if you want to do something at 7 months, you might want to look into something a bit more chill.
posted by ch1x0r at 2:30 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
That being said, I would have hated a walking vacation, and REALLY hated a 7+ hour international flight at 7 months. You're big, you're tired. I don't think an adventurous vacation is likely to be super enjoyable. So if you want to do something at 7 months, you might want to look into something a bit more chill.
posted by ch1x0r at 2:30 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
So if you're due end of February you're what, four months now? How are you feeling now?
No one can tell you exactly how you'll feel it how it would go. Anecdotally, based on my pregnancy (when I had to move literally around the planet at 4 months), I'd happily go at 6 months (so your Thanksgiving), maaaaybe 7 months. I did domestic travel -- up to 3.5 hours flying -- at 7.5 months with no problem. But both bits of travel required a lot of downtime and nap time compared to what I was used to. My ankles were really swollen. Many of my trusty shoes didn't fit any more. I'd honestly say it's the "walking" part of your plan that concerns me. Babymoons are better for relaxing and lounging than they are for Let's See Everything kind of travel.
On the other side, we've traveled with our daughter quite a lot already -- at six months of age she had spent 1% of her life in the air -- including a two week trip from Australia to the U.S. when she was about five months. Totally recommend it! She travelled great, the jet lag was manageable, and we could push her in her stroller all over cities where she'd mostly sleep and feed her on the go sitting on a bench in the park and no problems. Now, at 10 months? She's squirmy and wants to crawl all the time and needs solid food as well and that trip would be a whole different kettle of fish today. So if you go on the other side, go before 6 months, is my recommendation. (Note: she was a good sleeper, good eater, and pretty chill baby. YMMV and make travel easier or harder)
posted by olinerd at 3:44 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
No one can tell you exactly how you'll feel it how it would go. Anecdotally, based on my pregnancy (when I had to move literally around the planet at 4 months), I'd happily go at 6 months (so your Thanksgiving), maaaaybe 7 months. I did domestic travel -- up to 3.5 hours flying -- at 7.5 months with no problem. But both bits of travel required a lot of downtime and nap time compared to what I was used to. My ankles were really swollen. Many of my trusty shoes didn't fit any more. I'd honestly say it's the "walking" part of your plan that concerns me. Babymoons are better for relaxing and lounging than they are for Let's See Everything kind of travel.
On the other side, we've traveled with our daughter quite a lot already -- at six months of age she had spent 1% of her life in the air -- including a two week trip from Australia to the U.S. when she was about five months. Totally recommend it! She travelled great, the jet lag was manageable, and we could push her in her stroller all over cities where she'd mostly sleep and feed her on the go sitting on a bench in the park and no problems. Now, at 10 months? She's squirmy and wants to crawl all the time and needs solid food as well and that trip would be a whole different kettle of fish today. So if you go on the other side, go before 6 months, is my recommendation. (Note: she was a good sleeper, good eater, and pretty chill baby. YMMV and make travel easier or harder)
posted by olinerd at 3:44 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I would skip London because the airports just add really a lot of agony to the travel, but if you're going to be in New York would you consider Ireland as an English-speaking European destination? The standard of maternity care is high, there is little chance of snow, and it's the dead of winter so you can leave the specifics of planning to the last minute. If you want to walk through all the cities, you won't have an issue getting hotels, and if you want to nap next to a peat fire in Kerry for a week, you won't have an issue renting a house.
posted by DarlingBri at 3:47 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 3:47 AM on September 12, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: For what it's worth, I'm writing this answer with my 1.5-week-old infant in my lap who was born two days shy of 8 months (34 weeks). I had a very healthy pregnancy and, bam, one day he just decided it was time to be born. If you are going to Europe, I'd make sure you're psychologically and financially comfortable delivering at your vacation destination if it comes to that. It could very much happen.
posted by whitewall at 4:35 AM on September 12, 2015
posted by whitewall at 4:35 AM on September 12, 2015
I have two kids. I'd rather tote a small infant on vacation than fly anywhere while 7 months pregnant. Young babies are delightfully portable.
posted by stowaway at 7:34 AM on September 12, 2015
posted by stowaway at 7:34 AM on September 12, 2015
Just another data point, but -- my husband and I had to decide whether to travel to Italy during my first pregnancy, and I just wasn't comfortable with the risk of possibly giving birth prematurely in a foreign country where we did not even speak the language. As it turned out, we would have been fine, as the birth was full-term and our baby was healthy.
However, with our second child, things were going swimmingly with the pregancy right up until they weren't. Specifically, my appendix burst and I had to have an emergency c-section at week 30. Our baby spent four weeks in the NICU, and I was in the hospital for two weeks on 24/7 IV antibiotics. With excellent care, we were both fine by the time we went home from the hospital. But I am so very glad we were at home in New York City at the time!
I do think you would probably be fine with domestic travel, if your OB okays it.
posted by merejane at 12:44 PM on September 12, 2015
However, with our second child, things were going swimmingly with the pregancy right up until they weren't. Specifically, my appendix burst and I had to have an emergency c-section at week 30. Our baby spent four weeks in the NICU, and I was in the hospital for two weeks on 24/7 IV antibiotics. With excellent care, we were both fine by the time we went home from the hospital. But I am so very glad we were at home in New York City at the time!
I do think you would probably be fine with domestic travel, if your OB okays it.
posted by merejane at 12:44 PM on September 12, 2015
Response by poster: Welp! Looks like the relatively symptom-less pregnancy I've had so far isn't indicative of what the entire pregnancy could be. I didn't think the third trimester would be a walk in the park, but it looks like I've severely underestimated the toll it can take.
We'd have visited Lapland over Christmas (likely Finland), but I think we will now plan our international trip over thanksgiving, or postpone it until our wee one makes an appearance so it'd be our first trip as a family!
Thank you for all of your insight and for giving me things to think about that I hadn't previously :) I will say one thing... based on what I've read here, I'm more than slightly intimidated by the thought of my third trimester!
posted by Everydayville at 6:47 PM on September 12, 2015
We'd have visited Lapland over Christmas (likely Finland), but I think we will now plan our international trip over thanksgiving, or postpone it until our wee one makes an appearance so it'd be our first trip as a family!
Thank you for all of your insight and for giving me things to think about that I hadn't previously :) I will say one thing... based on what I've read here, I'm more than slightly intimidated by the thought of my third trimester!
posted by Everydayville at 6:47 PM on September 12, 2015
Yes, I knew the third trimester would suck, but I thought it'd be more of a ramp-up. I thought it would be a slow progression as my weight increased and the baby dropped.
NOPE. It was like a switch flipped at 28-30 weeks; I was just tired all the time. It got worse after that, too, sure. But I remember that switch flipping. All of a sudden, the good weeks (the second trimester) was over and it was back to the slog of pregnancy. And my pregnancy was pretty good, all told.
Hey, every pregnancy is different, so who knows? But you'll probably be happier moving up your trip.
I traveled during my second trimester, when I was about 24 weeks along, so it was still the "good weeks" and I had pretty good energy and felt ok. The trip went fine, but I hated the flights (both nonstop, 3 hours each way). I had to get up to pee every hour, and sometimes I had to wait in a long line for the restroom, which was pretty miserable. I also felt that the seat had grown uncomfortably narrow for my newly-widened hips. And I was only 24 weeks!
posted by aabbbiee at 1:50 PM on September 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
NOPE. It was like a switch flipped at 28-30 weeks; I was just tired all the time. It got worse after that, too, sure. But I remember that switch flipping. All of a sudden, the good weeks (the second trimester) was over and it was back to the slog of pregnancy. And my pregnancy was pretty good, all told.
Hey, every pregnancy is different, so who knows? But you'll probably be happier moving up your trip.
I traveled during my second trimester, when I was about 24 weeks along, so it was still the "good weeks" and I had pretty good energy and felt ok. The trip went fine, but I hated the flights (both nonstop, 3 hours each way). I had to get up to pee every hour, and sometimes I had to wait in a long line for the restroom, which was pretty miserable. I also felt that the seat had grown uncomfortably narrow for my newly-widened hips. And I was only 24 weeks!
posted by aabbbiee at 1:50 PM on September 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Please don't be intimidated by the idea of the 3rd trimester, given that you have had a "relatively symptom-less pregnancy" so far. To counterbalance a lot of the cautionary narratives in this thread, I would have been totally fine traveling internationally up to the airline-allowed maximum weeks with both of my pregnancies, which like yours, were relatively symptom-less, and I was in great shape each time. Pregnancy is absolutely a case of one's milage widely varying. I hope you are able to take the trip over Thanksgiving-- it will be sooo much easier than traveling with a small child! Best wishes on the rest of your pregnancy continuing to go smoothly!
posted by hush at 4:58 PM on September 21, 2015
posted by hush at 4:58 PM on September 21, 2015
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7 months can be pretty miserable to be honest. I'd go for the earlier trip.
posted by k8t at 5:03 PM on September 11, 2015 [9 favorites]