A few thought. Consider, if the doctor gives you the choice of inducing, doing so to prevent you being a week or more over due and the baby even younger. Do everything safely possible to avoid a C-Section. Call the airline and talk to a supervisor and find out if you need a birth certificate to prove your child is both old enough to fly, AND under two if you do not buy a ticket. I know the later is crazy but some airlines require proof for every baby....no exceptions. Ask him or her to email you the response in case you have issue at boarding. Think through buying her a seat. She is soooo much safer, but you can not nurse her on take off or landing. We choose to not take our boys as lap babies but you get to decide. Ask your doctor for a pediatrician at both locations that you can contact if she gets sick. Newborns can get very sick very fast and ANY fever is serious. Use a carrier instead of a stroller and do not allow anyone to touch her during travel.....yes....strangers will try to touch your baby! Thumbs up for nursing.....that might be your saving grace!!! Be prepared for the family. Will you let everyone hold the baby? What if little cousins come sick to a get together? Don't forget you are flying into the North East in Winter....prepare for delays. Prayers for your grandmother and that you all can have a wonderful visit.
Lots of advice and opinions on this topic.
First, We really thought this through before purchasing the trip in June and over half of the price was covered by family as me and my husband's birthday present from my mom. If the baby has jaundice or any medical issues then the insurance would cover the whole trip cancellation. We shopped around a lot and stumbled into these flights at a great deal.
We have brought up the travel with my OBGYN from month 3. She is on board for inducing to make sure the baby meets the airline flight requirements. The baby will be out by December 12 so it is 7 days old at a minimum (Delta's requirement).
I plan to avoid a c section unless it is medically necessary. My whole maternal line has given birth ******lly so I hope it is in my genes. Of course if the baby need to come out to keep me and it alive, then yes... Do the c section.
The pediatrician is on board for travel and is willing to field calls. She also suggested seeing a pediatrician where we are if we have any concerns that she can't help with over the phone. I know my best friends dad is a doctor and has done pediatric patients in the past, so I will have them lined up. Only thing the pediatrician recommended was to leave the baby cover on the plane the whole time if possible.
I do need to find out what we need to get the baby on the plane. The birth certificate will not be ready. (Great thought everyone! BRAVO everyone. )
I have no little cousins where I am going. The little cousins are actually here in Texas. The youngest person I will be interacting with is 13 and he will have just had major major brain surgery (November 13) for epilepsy. He will not be up for holding the baby. His family may not even be over more than once or twice depending on his recovery.
We do not need to pack any big baby things other than the car seat, and stroller. We have a pack and play with bassinet insert in Ohio, and a bassinet and swing in NY. We do want to bring baby's rocker/bouncer for comfort and as a place to put it down. I also plan to ask local Ohio friends to borrow a swing for that week so the baby has a swing.
One other thing people might not realize is that I will have more help in Ohio than I would have in Texas. My husband and I live far from all family. The closest extended family is over 4 hours away. By going to Ohio, I will actually be able to rest, get help with feeding diapering and all the new daily activities. If I stayed in Texas, it would be my husband and I alone without help. Yes, it will be hard. Yes, I may not be social. Yes I will sleep at all hours of the day. And yes, my mom is OK and understands.
In an ideal world, my grandmother would not be dying and I would not have the overwhelming urge to need to go see her one last time. She lost 8 pounds in the past 2 weeks. She may not even make it till Christmas. Her mind is going fast. She has trouble talking. She hallucinates, and has days where she is inconsolable. She has little interest in things that had brought her pleasure (like movies). Between the Parkinson's and the quadriplegic accident, she is deteriorating. One of my bigger fears is that she will die while I can't fly because of the pregnancy. I just hope to have one last visit with her and introduce her to her Great Grandchild.
I do read all the comments here and am creating a to-do list and packing list. Lots of great ideas. Thanks for all the advice and comments.
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