Travel and Pregnancy Expectations

TRAVEL AND PREGNANCY EXPECTATIONS – Last week Disney Cruise Line updated their policy of woman traveling on-board while pregnant. The current policy states:

Women who have entered their 24th week of pregnancy as of their embarkation date or who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy during the cruise will be refused passage due to safety concerns. Neither a physician’s medical statement nor a waiver of liability will be accepted. In addition, Disney Cruise Line cannot be held responsible or liable for any complications relating to pregnancy at any stage.

The change in Disney travel policy got me thinking, what should people expect when traveling with an expectant child? Disney, effectively states, if you are 6 months pregnant, they do not want to assume any risk of you going into labor or complications that may arise while under their supervision.

I am sure there will be people on both sides of this issue arguing for or against the traveling restriction. So, the first person I thought to contact was Angelina, who writes “Just Another Points Traveler” over at BoardingArea.com. With a baby due any day now, you will see why we value her opinion on travel policies. So please welcome Angelina to the discussion.

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Hi, I’m Angelina! As the rest of the world gears up for the SuperBowl this weekend (which is ironically happening merely miles from me here in NJ), I am packing up the final items of my hospital bag, as I am days away from meeting “Baby Points Traveler.”

2013 was my most-traveled year to date (in the end, I calculated that I took a total of 90-flight segments by year’s end). Who can blame me though – traveling with points and miles, booking mistake fares, and going on mileage runs are all very exciting components of the wonderful world of points and travel. Although, I usually have a taste for traveling on a whim, without much planning, I found myself booking trips left and right ahead of time due to a deal or redemption opportunity I just could not refuse.

Then right smack in the middle of the year (June to be exact), Mr. Points Traveler and I found out we were expecting. At that point, I had already had a dozen or so trips planned in the months ahead. I’ve learned that many first time parents switch gears the instant they find out they are pregnant. I, on the other hand, was determined to keep on globe-trotting before the baby came, not because it was my “last chance of freedom,” but because I felt healthy enough to continue living my life as I normally did prior to finding out I was pregnant. Life doesn’t stop with a pregnancy.

I traveled extensively throughout the first 7 months of my pregnancy on both domestic and international itineraries, sometimes even as frequent as every weekend. I am so grateful that I had a “good pregnancy” all around, without any sickness or complications.

When I really started “showing” (around my 7th month), people close to me told me I should slow down on my traveling. I still felt pretty good, so I did not see the need to stop. I told my doctor ahead of time, and I was diligent about taking good care of myself. I knew what my cut off would be, and it was very much before the “standard” 36-week no-fly policy that the majority of airlines have in place.

Believe it or not, deciding when to stop traveling is not just a product of common sense – most airlines and cruises have a policy for pregnant-women travelers, and while I am sure it is enforced on a case-by-case basis (meaning, no one wears a sign saying “hey, look at me, I am 36 weeks pregnant), it is in place for the safety of the passenger and for liability reasons.

I personally think a no-fly past 36 weeks pregnant policy is very generous. I personally stopped traveling on airplanes at around 33 weeks. However, when I came across Disney Cruise Line’s new pregnancy policy, my jaw dropped.

In fairness, I have never traveled on a Disney Cruise before, and cruising is not exactly my “go-to” preference of travel, but 24 weeks?! WHAT? Granted, I understand that cruise ships are a breeding ground of food-bourne illnesses, and the company does not want to assume any liability if something should happen on board, but the second trimester is the safest and most comfortable time to travel for a woman. Doctors even recommend planning a “baby moon” as a “last hurrah” for the couple.

What really bothers me the most is this – how on earth would the cruise personnel “pick out” a 24-week pregnant woman from a crowd. I feel this policy is completely discriminatory towards pregnant passengers, and I am shocked that such a “family-friendly” company would have such policy in place. At 24 weeks pregnant, I was still wearing my pre-pregnancy clothing, taking fitness classes, and most importantly, traveling. I was healthy and no different than anyone else – life was a breeze, and I felt good.

As a visual reference, here’s what I looked like at 23 weeks pregnant:

Regardless of my hormonal pregnant-woman rant right now, at the end of the day, Disney has their rules, and rules are rules. It is important to know travel policies before booking any travel, and most importantly, it comes down to how you feel. I know some people who hang low during their entire pregnancy for various reasons, and that is okay too. Traveling or not traveling while pregnant is your preference, and only you know what is best for you.

What do you think about Disney Cruise Line’s new and updated travel policy for pregnant women? Do you agree or disagree with it?

Have you traveled at all while pregnant?

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Cheers,

For associated travel policies of the major airlines, please reference your specific airline polices and consult with your doctor. The Baby Center website has a great list highlighting the carrier pregnancy travel policies.