Long haul flight whilst pregnant

[Butterfly31]

Hi Everyone,
I found out last weekend I was pregnant with my second baby, only 5 weeks so very early. Every March I am expected to travel to the USA with work which involves an 11 hour flight and when I get there it will be 5 days of hard graft. This includes setting up a trade show, visiting a number of stores and working the trade show all day. It’s hard work and with the time difference I can guarantee you come home feeling pretty worn out!
My work was booking my flights today so I ended up telling my manager I was pregnant, although i am very early on I felt I had to as I didn’t want flights to be booked and then cancelled. My manager was a bit taken back I think and basically said if it’s after 12 weeks I’m safe to fly and can go. What’s everyone views on flying? I explained I wasn’t comfortable flying on a long haul flight but she pretty much said I’d be fine. It’s not just the flight which worries but also the strain on the 5days, they are full on and tiring. I would be 16 weeks by the time I went. Thanks x

 

[TORino]

I flew to the states when pregnant with my daughter. I was just under 16 weeks when we came home. It was fine in the main. I’d recommend an aisle seat and to keep drinking and moving about and wear your flight socks. The actual flight is probably not likely to cause you many problems. If what work are asking you to do whilst there is unreasonable when pregnant, that’s a different matter I suppose..

 

[Princess81]

First off check with the airline over their attitudes towards it, some can be sketchy and require a Gp letter after a certain gestation.
It’s up to your work to perform a risk analysis now you’ve declared that you are pregnant and adjust your working conditions accordingly.
Flight wise: keep moving, Lee hydrated and wear flight stockings. .

 

[Butterfly31]

Thanks for your replies, I think I’ll see what the midwife thinks. Last time I was pregnant I was quite ill with vertigo up until 23 weeks so I think I’m getting wound up of the thought of what I’ll be like whilst there and if I’ll be ok.

 

[GBLiz]

i flew to singapore when i was 20 weeks pregnant. You're fine to fly up til near the end of your pregnancy but different airlines have different cut off points

 

[GBLiz]

i'd be more concerned about the intensity of the work itself than the flight. as you dont know how you might be feeling at that point