I’m 100% freaking out right now and I’m going to be late for work if I can’t stop crying and get it together. Last night we booked our flights for my brother’s wedding next months. This was hard enough since I’m terrified to fly and now can’t take any medication. This girl I know just started telling me how I’d better check with the airline because even if it’s early (I’ll be 26 weeks) and I have a doctors note, they can deny me and kick me off the plane. What the actual fuck?! At 26 weeks? I didn’t think to call bc nowhere in my research was this far enough along to cause an issue with an airline.
@ashh2018 Each airline has its own policy about when the cutoff is for them. 26 weeks seems very early for an airline to not allow you to fly. I flew later than that last time and no one said a word to me. Check your airlines pregnancy policy, it should be online, but I’m sure you’ll be fine.
@nackie you’re right. Thank you. I just checked online and as I thought, it’s fine. I just totally freaked out because she was like “can you imagine if you get there and they don’t let you fly” and yes, I can imagine that, and then my anxiety won’t let me stop imagining it haha.
@nackie - It's 88 here!! Yes I complained about never ending winter but this is too hot too fast! Thankfully after tomorrow it's supposed to come back down a bit the rest of the week.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks DS born 9/13/16 BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
I was supposed to have a work trip to Europe (Stockholm--no way I'd find a direct flight) at about 28 weeks. I was telling my doc and she was interrupting to tell me it's fine to fly at that stage, and I was like "no, no. I don't want to go. You need to say I shouldn't go" LOL. She was happy to oblige if I needed her to (but I don't--I'm just telling work I'm not going. I threw in a comment about potentially being high risk alluding to personal medical details I didn't want to go into, and they never pushed at all for me to go).
LOL @MandyMost! @DanyTargaryen ugh, sorry about going to barftown. I think getting germs from your kids is one of the hardest things a parent has to deal with.
LOL @MandyMost! @DanyTargaryen ugh, sorry about going to barftown. I think getting germs from your kids is one of the hardest things a parent has to deal with.
The worst part is the wait between when the kid projectile vomits on your face and you get sick. You feel fine, but know that hell is coming any hour now.
@ashh2018 I just booked flights last night for a quick trip at 26 weeks....now I need to look up the airline policy!!! Ugh. I at least made DH pay for cancellation insurance.
@spottedginger Yeah, TB needs to work on its targeted content. Even the ads drive me nuts - Here are all the things you can't but can't have.
I mostly get ads for cars on TB. Not sure how hey decided I was in the market for a pickup truck. But at least it isn’t tempting me with things I can’t have.
Definitely a good idea to check the policy ahead of time @ashh2018. I know you said you hate flying, could you take benadryl or half a unisom right before boarding to make you sleep through the flight? Just a thought if you can't take something for anxiety, at least it will make you tired and maybe fall asleep.
@ashh2018 Sending you my support too! My last business trip is scheduled at 28 weeks and everything I've seen says that is totally fine, medically safe, and airlines won't care. And I second @nlc8424 about the unisom. I have taken it after getting on a plane several times (mostly so I don't barf on the flight but the sleep helps too!).
@ashh2018 Sorry you're friend stressed you out! I'm flying at 28 weeks and was told by flight attendant friends that it should be no problem! It's in the weeks 34-40 that they start getting strict. I like @nlc8424 's suggestion of Unisom. I also have used the Calm app for meditation. It can help. I get anxious when flying too.
Things I googled today: Can baby bruise you from the inside (answer, yes). Can seat belts harm baby when tightened (answer, probably not). This kid has been continually kicking right at my bladder/cervix area for the past couple days. It's starting to hurt!
So fun random sleep association tidbit, now that most of our babies can hear our voices. W dd everytime when I tucked into bed I sang her lullaby, and continued when she was a newborn everytime it was tuck-in bed time. We still use it today and I swear it helps. Her body totally chills and she yawns whenever she hears it!
I have no idea if it is truly effective, or a fluke, but I plan to do it again, it was also just a fun bonding time for us.
Anyone else start something in uteronand contonue it after?
bfp#1-10/29/12,EDD: 7/3/13. nothing found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 12/10/12. "Bean"
bfp#2-5/10/13! EDD: 1/18/14. "Peanut" Arrived 1/13/14. Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis
bfp#3- 9/26/14. EDD: 5/7/15. no heartbeat found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 10/23/14. "Little Bug"
@BusinessWife Yes! He usually gets into the acrobatics around 3 am Last night, he woke me up with it and I was thinking, “what in the world are you doing in there?!”
Me: 32 DH: 32 BFP #1: 1/23/2012 DD: Born 9/20/2012 BFP #2: 12/30/2017 DS: Due 9/10/2018
@BusinessWife Yes! That was the first really big movement I felt. She went halfway across my lower abs!
Me: 34 | DH: 33 Married Aug. 2013 TTC #1 Sep. 2016 ***TW***
BFP Jan. 15, 2017; MMC Mar. 4, 2017 at 10w6d BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF. BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
How cool to feel somersaults!!! I have only just once felt little internal flicks or taps. I can’t wait to feel more!
Speaking of traveling, I’m still on vacation! And, on the way here I told the TSA guy that I was pregnant and he called for a woman to come pat me down. I fully expected that and didn’t mind at all. Then she ran her hands through a machine and an alarm went off. Then they pulled my stuff and searched it (after it had already passed through the x-ray machine). They went through everything (swabbing it and checking in the machine). Then they sent me to a private room and had a different female TSA agent pat me down again - even more invasively. Then they let me go. The whole thing took about 30 minutes. I have no idea what they thought I might be carrying. I know they were just doing their jobs. Any advice for avoiding this on the way back and on upcoming trips? Thanks!
@magnolia209. Yikes! Yeah, it's called, "have an attorney on speeddial." Holy invasion of privacy there! You probably weren't actually pregnant at all, but secretly smuggling a fake "belly" full of explosives.
But seriously, you're in Cali, right? I have heard that just the local dirt sometimes if you've been hiking or anything like that can contain trace amounts of explosives used in actual blasting in the hills or whatever and can be enough to set off their machines. It's total BS. *typo
@magnolia209 did you opt out of the X-ray? I didn’t have a problem while flying through LAX pregnant last time but we are flying next week and I plan to baby carry through security which means I bypass X-ray and they will swab my hands. Last time I was pregnant while I opted out of X-ray they assured me there was absolutely no harm to pregnant women, but I decided not to anyway.
@jhjocelyn I do try to talk to this baby but with DD there were a few songs that I pretty much played on repeat while pregnant last time and to this day, those songs calm her in the car whenever she cries.
@yosemite2018 Yes! It’s my first time flying while pregnant so I just told them, I’m pregnant so I don’t want to go through the x-Ray machine (the circular one where you put your hands above your head) the rest happened.
Does anyone know if it is okay to go through the metal detectors - the ones that are just a rectangular doorway way shape? Apparently, if you have TSA pre-check you just have to do that and not the x-ray. But I’m not sure if that will solve my problem.
@BusinessWife I’m sure you are right - that it was a trace of something on me. But I’ve lived in LA (and hiked) for many years and never had this happen. I was in a super good mood about going on vacation, so I didn’t let this get me down, but it was extremely over the top and invasive.
@magnolia209 I’ve flown pregnant and opted out of the backscatter before. My experience is that they gently tap your shoulders-waist and legs, then run their fingertips in your waistband and analyze the gloves for chemicals, so in line with what you are describing. I’ve flown several times last pregnancy and this one and haven’t had to go through the extra bag check and getting pulled into a room (knock on wood, flying today so probably just jinxed myself). If I’m in an X-ray line, I’m comfortable doing that as there is more historical proof of safety as opposed to the newer technology that has theoretical safety. DH has precheck so when I fly with him, I don’t have to worry about it, but flying solo I typically do.
@magnolia209 I fly a lot for work and have TSA pre check. I only go through the metal detectors, but the machine still randomly selects people in the pre check line for additional screening. Typically it is just a hand swab like you said. Do not put lotion on really close to the time you go to the airport. A lot of lotion contains glycerin which reads as possible explosive when run through ththe machine. I realize that can be a little annoying, but could help you not go through it again.
I recently was randomly selected and came back positive for possible explosives because I did not know about this. You are right, the pat down and going through your stuff feels really invasive, but I try to remind myself that they are doing their job and trying to keep our skies safe.
@magnolia131 The metal detectors are safe for pregnancy. Some women are going through metal detectors every single day (courthouse, government building, etc.) and they have been well studied with no correlated birth defects. I go through these with no concerns.
The backscatter machines are theoretically safe from a physics perspective as long as they are properly calibrated, BUT you have to trust that they are being professionally monitored. TSA staff are not trained in this and there have been zero large n or long term studies on their safety, so I do not go through them when pregnant.
@magnolia131 like @klj0228 said, it was probably your lotion that triggered the second, more thorough check. I always opt out of the back scatter machines, whether or not I’m pregnant. The pay down can feel a little invasive, but I try not to dwell on it. Next time avoid putting any lotion on and hopefully it will go more smoothly!
I go through the machines...metal detectors and/or the backscatter X-ray...even when pregnant. If I was taking multiple flights per week I might opt for a patdown instead, but the 4-6 flights I’m taking this pregnancy and took throughout my last one I’m fine with. Just in case anyone wants another point of view! And for the record, I have a PhD in epidemiology and have worked in research on causes of birth defects in the past, so it’s not like I just live on a whim. I just know all the things that can happen and things that cause them, and decided not to live my life avoiding minor things with no substantial evidence for a high risk (for the record, I’ve also had a glass of champagne this pregnancy, eaten tuna fish, and don’t buy organic berries).
I flew twice when pregnant with DS. I skipped the machine and opted for a pat down when traveling with MH at 8 weeks. PGAL and all that so it made me feel better.
I went though the backscatter machine at 25 weeks when traveling for work with my boss and co-manager. I was more comfortable with just going through once I was that far along in my pregnancy considering those were the only 2 trips I made my whole pregnancy.
This time I won't be traveling anywhere that requires air travel.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks DS born 9/13/16 BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
@klj0228 That's interesting about the glycerin! Thanks for the tip.
Me: 34 | DH: 33 Married Aug. 2013 TTC #1 Sep. 2016 ***TW***
BFP Jan. 15, 2017; MMC Mar. 4, 2017 at 10w6d BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF. BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
Thank you all for sharing, this is some great info and I feel better about flying knowing that plenty of pregnant women do it all the time and it’s not a giant deal. I’m just a baby (No offense to babies) lol
@assh2018 U.S. airlines are very relaxed about pregnant women flying. This pregnancy I will fly for a total of three trips. I flew at 11/12 weeks, 16 weeks and will fly at 27 weeks in June.
Check the airline's website but most of them prevent flying or require documentation starting at 36 weeks. No worries. In terms of flying jitters, I don't have that issue, but do have some anxiety issues in general. I really like the calm app which guides you through some breathing exercises and meditation. Check it out if you think it will help. I know this sounds crazy, but intentional deep breathing helps me so much with anxiety!
@Wishilivedinflorida I fly several times a year and have TSA pre-check. It allows me to go through a simpler security check (don't have to remove shoes, jackets, laptops etc) and they let me go through the metal detector when I opt out of the backscatter Xray.
Highly recommend anyone getting TSA pre check or global entry if you travel often! If you are traveling for work ask if your company will pay for it.
This may make me sound like a paranoiac but do your homework before you sign up for Precheck and make sure you are comfortable with the privacy rights you are giving away. To join, you must consent to the government digging into your background in an undefined, expansive way. You consent to allow DHS to create a file on you, track your movements, etc., indefinitely. You also give the government your fingerprints, which they can use for anything, not just related to homeland security. Some people won't be bothered by this but from a civil liberty perspective it is not innocuous so make sure you read the fine print.
@adirat I grew up in a government family (one of my parents had a career in the foreign service) so the U.S. government has probably had a file on me since birth. I don't mean to be cynical, but I feel like privacy is dead. We've all given ourselves to big data whether its through TSA pre check, social media or other.
Re: Weekly randoms 4/30
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
Things I googled today: Can baby bruise you from the inside (answer, yes). Can seat belts harm baby when tightened (answer, probably not). This kid has been continually kicking right at my bladder/cervix area for the past couple days. It's starting to hurt!
I have no idea if it is truly effective, or a fluke, but I plan to do it again, it was also just a fun bonding time for us.
Anyone else start something in uteronand contonue it after?
bfp#1-10/29/12,EDD: 7/3/13. nothing found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 12/10/12. "Bean"
bfp#2-5/10/13! EDD: 1/18/14. "Peanut" Arrived 1/13/14. Diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis
bfp#3- 9/26/14. EDD: 5/7/15. no heartbeat found @ 1st u/s, natural mc 10/23/14. "Little Bug"
**Psalm 139:16**
BFP #1: 1/23/2012 DD: Born 9/20/2012
BFP #2: 12/30/2017 DS: Due 9/10/2018
@businesswife Yes! Such a weird feeling!
@jhjocelyn What a sweet tradition! It makes sense to me that on some level, she would remember the song.
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
Speaking of traveling, I’m still on vacation! And, on the way here I told the TSA guy that I was pregnant and he called for a woman to come pat me down. I fully expected that and didn’t mind at all. Then she ran her hands through a machine and an alarm went off. Then they pulled my stuff and searched it (after it had already passed through the x-ray machine). They went through everything (swabbing it and checking in the machine). Then they sent me to a private room and had a different female TSA agent pat me down again - even more invasively. Then they let me go. The whole thing took about 30 minutes. I have no idea what they thought I might be carrying. I know they were just doing their jobs. Any advice for avoiding this on the way back and on upcoming trips? Thanks!
But seriously, you're in Cali, right? I have heard that just the local dirt sometimes if you've been hiking or anything like that can contain trace amounts of explosives used in actual blasting in the hills or whatever and can be enough to set off their machines. It's total BS.
*typo
@jhjocelyn I do try to talk to this baby but with DD there were a few songs that I pretty much played on repeat while pregnant last time and to this day, those songs calm her in the car whenever she cries.
Does anyone know if it is okay to go through the metal detectors - the ones that are just a rectangular doorway way shape? Apparently, if you have TSA pre-check you just have to do that and not the x-ray. But I’m not sure if that will solve my problem.
@BusinessWife I’m sure you are right - that it was a trace of something on me. But I’ve lived in LA (and hiked) for many years and never had this happen. I was in a super good mood about going on vacation, so I didn’t let this get me down, but it was extremely over the top and invasive.
I recently was randomly selected and came back positive for possible explosives because I did not know about this. You are right, the pat down and going through your stuff feels really invasive, but I try to remind myself that they are doing their job and trying to keep our skies safe.
The backscatter machines are theoretically safe from a physics perspective as long as they are properly calibrated, BUT you have to trust that they are being professionally monitored. TSA staff are not trained in this and there have been zero large n or long term studies on their safety, so I do not go through them when pregnant.
Source - my husband is a physicist
As a PSA, TSA screening does not use X-rays.You can still opt out if you want and have a good old fashioned pat-down! https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2014/07/22/tsa-travel-tips-pregnant-passengers
I went though the backscatter machine at 25 weeks when traveling for work with my boss and co-manager. I was more comfortable with just going through once I was that far along in my pregnancy considering those were the only 2 trips I made my whole pregnancy.
This time I won't be traveling anywhere that requires air travel.
MMC 8/5/15 at 8 weeks
DS born 9/13/16
BFP 1/13/18 - EDD 9/20/18 - It's a boy!
Married Aug. 2013
TTC #1 Sep. 2016
***TW***
BFP Jun. 5, 2017; MMC Aug. 2, 2017 at 11w6d
BFP Nov. 20, 2017; ended in CP
All the tests. Everything normal except treated for ureaplasma and DH potentially has high DNAF.
BFP Dec. 25, 2017; EDD Sep. 5, 2018; DD arrived Aug. 26th
My chart: https://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/63f71d
Check the airline's website but most of them prevent flying or require documentation starting at 36 weeks. No worries.
Highly recommend anyone getting TSA pre check or global entry if you travel often! If you are traveling for work ask if your company will pay for it.
TTC since Oct 2016
DX: Undetermined possible PCOS+MFI
July 2017-Dec 2017 Letrozole+TI
Dec 2017 CP
Jan 2018 BFP:EDD 9-25
Your friendly neighborhood Ben Franklin