Flying home after csection

Gritsinalaska

I have to have my twins at a hospital on another Island than where I live about a 40 minute flight. I am really nervous about this and how I will feel and be able to sit in an airplane for 40 minutes. This is my first csection but not my first baby. Any thoughts on how to best handle this and what kind of pain and discomfort I can expect?

MrsNyberg09

First off have you talked to your dr about flying right after ? Your so will be with you right? I would say if dr says yes and so is with you take a pillow to hug to help with pain and all should be just fine.

Gritsinalaska

Oh yes my DH will be with me, and yes my Dr knows. We live on the big Island in Hawaii and have to fly to Oahu to have our twins because the hospital here is not equipped for my delivery. I just really do not know what to expect having to come home this way after 3 days.

bumpuser5078523

If there is a lot of walking required for your airport, I would probably request a wheel chair. 3 days out i was still very sore, combine that with a possibly bumpy ride, you might be too sore to walk through the airport.

MrsNyberg09

When going through the airports use a wheel chair and when on the plane make sure you have a pillow because any slight jolt will hurt like a mf.

rockyrollgirl

I agree with using a wheelchair at the airport and seeing if they accomodate you. Personally, I was fine sitting and walking but getting up was the hard part. Are the newborns flying with you? I am confused on that part and is that okay to have them in a crowded space? I think you should ask your doctor about this.

Gritsinalaska

Yes they will be coming home with us as long as everything goes as planned. I am worried about this as well, it's pretty standard for people here to fly back and forth. I have seen moms flying with there newborns also, I guess we will just have put up a barrier around them!!

LittleFish1

Gritsinalaska:

Yes they will be coming home with us as long as everything goes as planned. I am worried about this as well, it's pretty standard for people here to fly back and forth. I have seen moms flying with there newborns also, I guess we will just have put up a barrier around them!!

do you have friends on the island where you are delivering? Might see if you can stay with them (as a back up plan) if you are discharged from the hospital before the babies. There is alwsys the option of staying at a hotel if needed. The hospital might have a hotel that they have a deal with so famalies of patients get discounts.

ladybugpjb

I'm not sure if this is the type of info you want, and it's probably more than you want, but it's based on my experience with the Oahu airport. We did a number of inter-island trips last summer before we moved away from Hawaii.

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Having been through the Honolulu airport multiple times, DEFINITELY get a wheelchair. Even if you are used to the humidity, it's going to affect you differently after surgery, and that airport can get really muggy since you have to walk outside to get to your gate.

Also, you should be able to go through the family-friendly/disabled person security line instead of standing in the regular security lines. They never gave us issues with doing that when we flew with DS between islands. The last time we flew out of Oahu was December, so I'm assuming it's still the same.

Make sure you get there early, especially if you are checking any of your baby gear. Our car seat got delayed when we flew Oahu to Kauai because TSA took so long to screen it. (We got there about an hour ahead of our flight, so I thought it was plenty of time.) The car seat was just on the next flight, but we still had to kill an hour waiting for it. So if you're checking strollers or anything, just make sure you have plenty of time because you don't want that to get delayed.

Also make sure to get there early so you can check in with the gate and get any strollers/car seats tagged for gate check. Don't assume they will let you pre-board just because you have newborns. I can't remember if we had pre-boarding issues with Hawaiian Airlines, but United doesn't always do family boarding any more. You didn't say which airline....I'm assuming Hawaiian since that's the most common between islands. They are usually nice, but make sure they know it's a MEDICAL issue (not just that you have newboarns) because medical preboarding is usually before family boarding anyway. If you're in a wheelchair already, that should let them know you need to get on with that first group. You really don't want to be boarding with everyone else.

So just give yourself time, take it easy, and talk to the airline so that they will work with you.