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flying advice?

759 views 21 replies 17 participants last post by  iris427 
#1 ·
a little late to be posting, but I'm flying across the country (NYC-LA) tomorrow morning. any advice for the plane and the travel in general? drink lots of liquid (hard for me, but I'll try), get up and walk around once in a while... anything else?

and a total longshot... anyone ever been upgraded to business class? if so, how did you pull that off?
 
#3 ·
My midwife gave me the same advice you posted: stay hydrated and make sure to get up occasionally. I'll be travelling from West to East Coast sometime this summer. I'd agree with funfunkyfantastic that it's best to take an aisle seat if you have that option.

I don't know if you fly very often but be prepared for the flight attendants to pass out a little bag of pretzels or trail mix for in flight snack. They will usually have a sandwich or salad that you can purchase if you need something more. Otherwise you might want to make sure to bring something to eat with you.

Some airlines do have the option of a business class or a "coach plus" type deal with more leg room. You can pay to upgrade when checking in if there are seats open there. Otherwise maybe try sticking your tummy out a bit and hope the rep at the desk feels like being nice? I wish I had some trick on how to get upgraded but it only happened to me once and it was because of some mix up on the airline's side that the rep decided to upgrade me.
 
#4 ·
I just got back two weeks ago from a houston, tx to anchorage, ak visit - almost eight hours on a plane both ways.

One tip to maybe help you get upgraded, waddle
up to the people at the desk at the gate and ask how close your seat is to the bathroom. let them know you are pregnant and maybe that will help. it didn't get me bumped up, but it did get me next to the bathroom which was nice - i always knew when it was open, plus it was at the back of the plane so i was able to stand in the flight attendant's area a lot.

also ask to be put in an empty aisle if they have one - because that way at least you could stretch out.

oh, and take your own snacks on board - a wide variety of them, because you'll never know what you want. i took a big bag of twizzlers, two different kinds of trail mix, and a big bag of reece's pieces, along with four clif bars. (and i ate almost everything
)
 
#5 ·
After 10 and half hours to Hawaii a few weeks ago, my only suggestions have already been mentioned - aisle seat, and plenty of snacks. You should get drink service, so that should be ok. But bring both something salty and something sweet. You never know what you'll be averse to eating at any given time!

Aisle seat was so important. I was able to get up whenever I needed, even to just walk the aisle.
 
#6 ·
Hmm... maybe bring a water bottle as well? I've always noticed that they don't serve beverages often enough to keep up with the amount of fluids i'm consuming. lol. You'll have to get the water bottle once you get past the security checkpoint, but after that you can take it on any flight you go on until you reach your destination.
 
#7 ·
You can wrap your abdomen in aluminum foil, shiny side out to protect the baby from radiation on the plane. As long as you don't have a sharp cutter on the box, it will go though security just fine. Under your clothes, you can tuck it in your undies to hold in place or tape it on.
I did this at the suggestion of my health kinisiologist when I flew and it gave me peace of mind that my baby was safe.
 
#8 ·
Definitely pack a sandwich. A lot of flights are getting away from serving foods on the plane, and when they do serve something it's mostly snacky stuff.
 
#9 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by gentleearthmama View Post
You can wrap your abdomen in aluminum foil, shiny side out to protect the baby from radiation on the plane. As long as you don't have a sharp cutter on the box, it will go though security just fine. Under your clothes, you can tuck it in your undies to hold in place or tape it on.
I did this at the suggestion of my health kinisiologist when I flew and it gave me peace of mind that my baby was safe.
I did not know there was radiation on planes? How does this work?
 
#10 ·
It's because of the altitude. The atmosphere is thinner so it doesn't block as much natural cosmic radiation. I can't speak to much to the foil thing as I hadn't heard of that, and I'm not sure how the radiation you'd get on a single flight compares to the radiation you get exposed to on a normal day on the ground, but aluminum foil does actually stop certain kinds of radiation. I don't know how much it helps, but it definitely couldn't hurt.
 
#11 ·
I once heard (not scientific evidence) that you get more radiation from a single trans-continental flight (about 6 hours) then a radiation technologist gets in a year. Apparently worse then X-rays (but again, I don't have the scientific evidence at this point to back this up). I was super-concerned because I had to fly multiple times with my newborn baby when my father was sick in Arizona and I lived in Ontario. Couldn't wrap him up in tin-foil!!

Anyhow, my biggest advice is to bring some sort of hand-sanitizer. I always get sick when traveling and with the immune system repressed during pregnancy you're at risk, and multiple trips to the bathrooms only increase your exposure.
 
#12 ·
I just flew to Disney with dh and our two boys. It was a shorter flight, but I didn't have any problems. One thing to keep in mind is that they don't let you bring any liquids or lotions over 3.4 oz. so you have to buy your water after you pass through security. Also, on my flight, everything had to be paid for, whether it was a blanket or a snack or water (cheap flight, though). So bring your own. Make sure you license is up to date. Dh didn't realize his had expired, so he had to go through all the extra security.
 
#13 ·
We are flying to Mexico in 2 weeks...3 different planes in one day...not looking forward to 3 planes, but anyways...i plan on drinking lots of water and vit C and pro-biotics. I will be traveling with my 3 kids...so lots of bathroom oppurtunites for me to get up and moving. What if the flight attendants ask me how far along i am....any one been asked that. Sometimes they dont want you to fly because of the risk of going into labor on the flight...but hey..if i do it will be an ultimate UC in the sky's....lol..that's ok with me.
 
#14 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by honeybee View Post
...One thing to keep in mind is that they don't let you bring any liquids or lotions over 3.4 oz...
I thought it was an even 3 oz?
 
#16 ·
You can bring them from home as long as there are no gels or liquids (no juice, soup, gelatin, pudding, etc.)

For stuff like PB&J, I have little packets of jelly and peanut butter (or almond butter) that I buy from minimus.biz. I put a couple of them in the ziploc baggie for the security line (since each is under 3 oz., it's ok) and pack the plain bread. Then I put the sandwich together on the plane.

If I'm packing a different sort of sandwich, I do the same thing with the mayo or mustard for the sandwich -- packets of condiments in the baggie -- and then have my bread, sandwich stuffin' (lunchmeat, cheese, lettuce, etc.) packed together.

I also try to take things like cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, fruit, etc. along with me since they're sources of "non-liquid" hydration.

You can find out the current TSA regulations on gel and liquids (as well as any other carry-on items) at the TSA website.
 
#17 ·
You can take your own water bottle but empty and then fill it with water from the water fountain once you get past security. I do this all the time, I even called TSA to make sure it was okay, because I don't like spending $5 on a plastic bottle of water. I take my big Kleen Kanteen.

Also, I'm thinking of getting some compression hose/socks things for my flight coming up so I don't arrive with big swollen ankles and feet.
 
#18 ·
I have flown during both pregnancies and I get sick...I mean throwing up on the plane and in the subway station.. If you already know that this doesn't happen to you..wonderful!..If it might, try something that alleviates motion sickness 1/2 hour prior to the flight. I though that drinking a carbonated soda would help on my last flight...and I guess it did in that my puke was less messy than if I ate a sandwich
 
#19 ·
You're probably already on your flight, but my advice is:

1. Bring a jacket or shirt that you can bunch up to provide back support during the flight. Those seats are awful on a pregnant back. You could even bring a small pillow. The steward(ess) may have some pillows on the plane, but apparently a lot of airlines are cutting back on things like that.

2. Bring something to eat with you. Being hungry on a plane when you're pregnant is the worst, and it will make you feel awful.

3. Get an aisle seat. If you don't get one, I'm sure you can trade with the person next to you with the pregnant card. Explain that you will have to get up and pee a lot. Or even better, that you still have morning sickness
 
#20 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by iris427 View Post
Bring a jacket or shirt that you can bunch up to provide back support during the flight. Those seats are awful on a pregnant back. You could even bring a small pillow. The steward(ess) may have some pillows on the plane, but apparently a lot of airlines are cutting back on things like that.
Oddly enough... that's why I pack a zippertop ziploc bag! It makes a great inflatable lumbar support pillow.
 
#21 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Mamato3wild ponnie View Post
We are flying to Mexico in 2 weeks...3 different planes in one day...not looking forward to 3 planes, but anyways...i plan on drinking lots of water and vit C and pro-biotics. I will be traveling with my 3 kids...so lots of bathroom oppurtunites for me to get up and moving. What if the flight attendants ask me how far along i am....any one been asked that. Sometimes they dont want you to fly because of the risk of going into labor on the flight...but hey..if i do it will be an ultimate UC in the sky's....lol..that's ok with me.
The airlines each have their own rules about how late in your pregnancy you can fly, but the ACOG says it's fine for low-risk women to fly until 36 weeks. If you check our your airline(s) policies, you'll know what they allow and be prepared. I'm sure you're fine, so don't let anyone give you any grief about it.
 
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