Hellobee Boards

I flew internationally at 7 weeks, 24 weeks and 28 weeks. I went through the regular scanner each time.

The only tip I have that may help is with compression stockings to help control swelling in your feet and ankles. Ask your doctor if he/she can prescribe them for you.

I flew at 4 weeks and will be flying back at 5 weeks (went to visit my dad across the country and ended up telling him the good news).

I felt normal, but maybe it's because I'm so early into my pregnancy. I had a window seat and slept most of the time. I did buy a giant bottled water after security so I wouldn't have to flag the flight attendant down every 10 minutes.

I flew a ton during my first trimester including multiple cross country flights and a trip to Hawaii. I was pretty miserable with morning sickness, so it pretty much sucked. What made it slightly better was that my doctor prescribed me some anti-nausea medication to take. The other things that were unpleasant about flying were that I constantly had to get up to pee (and I had previously booked window seats not knowing that I would be pregnant). Also, I would get really dizzy and tired during my 1st trimester, so standing in long security lines was no fun.

All that being said, I made it through just fine. It's considered totally safe to fly during your first trimester. Technically there is the *tiniest* increased chance of miscarriage due to higher radiation levels at the altitudes where airplanes fly, but it's really only something that you would potentially worry about if you were a full time flight attendant and spending time every day on airplanes.

I just flew in to Chicago from Australia at 10 weeks pregnant - it was a 29 hour journey in total. I flew economy and overall, didn't find it any more challenging than making that journey when not pregnant.

I flew economy and had an aisle seat, which was nice as I got up every couple of hours to use the bathroom. I also tried to drink a lot of water, but was still fairly parched by the time I got to LA after the Trans-Pacific leg of the journey. I packed a bunch of snacks with me but hardly touched any of them. I didn't bother with compression socks and had no issues with swelling, but I never experience any swelling on long flights so maybe I'm just lucky that way.

The worst part for me was the 6 hr layover in LA. Aside from the fact that LAX is the most godawful airport on this planet, waiting in security lines for nearly an hour was not good as I was feeling rather dizzy and lightheaded (presumably from low blood sugar as I was quite hungry at that point). Other than that though, no issues with the journey.

Oh yeah, I also just went through the normal security scanner machines - I didn't worry about the radiation and didn't even ask about it.

Overall, you'll probably be more tired than normal from the journey but for me, with the exception of the tiredness, the journey was no different from normal. Hoping it's that way for my return journey as well when I'm 12 weeks!

I flew at 4 weeks (before I knew) and again at 30 weeks.

I'm not worried about the scanners or anything since I do it so seldom. My doctor's advice was to ask them for a pre-boarding allowance and sit in the back near the bathroom if possible and to get up every hour just to move around.

We flew Southwest, so once we got to our gate I just told them that I'm pregnant and slow to move around and need to sit near a bathroom. We took the second row in front at the aisle (pre-boarding can't sit in exit rows). Sitting up front really helped with short layovers so we had bathrooms right there and were first off the plane and didn't have to run to the next gate. These days I only break into a run if something big and scary is after me.

I think that I used the bathrooms more in those 4 flights than I have in my past 29 years of flying.

btw, my hubby's a doctor - he said any amount of radiation is not good. why risk it? so i never go through the radiation machines. i just get a simple pat down - no big deal. a women does it.

thing about radiation is that it builds up. so you should minimize it as much as possible. i'm not going to not go on my trip just because of the flight, but i'll try to minimize it where i can.