Pregnancy #67

OOOOR · May 20, 2026

Has anyone chosen to have an elective c-section for no medical reason other than peace of mind?
I’m definitely leaning towards it, given that we’re moving before baby’s due date so the hospital will now be over an hour away. I think I can deal with post-op pain, but how did others who may have chosen to go down this route deal with the recovery, the c-section “shelf” and is it really as awful as social media would have you believe?

disneys · May 20, 2026

Oh it works fine for me

In my chaotic house paper notes would be lost . An app is perfect for me

StarsAroundMyScars · May 21, 2026

Anyone have any experience flying while pregnant? I am 20 weeks and flying 1.5 hours for a wedding this weekend and panicking now. Made the mistake of going on tiktok and reading that pregnant woman can feel breathless when flying. I already have a fear of flying/claustrophobia so now I’m wondering how I’m going to get through it!

yankydoo · May 21, 2026

I have flown a lot whilst pregnant. Check with your airline if you need a fit to fly note - most airlines want it after 28 weeks but best to double check. You will be fine on a 1.5 hour flight as by the time you're up in the air you will be coming back down. Just make sure you have water with you and get some compression socks. I don't recall feeling breathless

Edited to add that I found the plane quite hot with all my pregnancy hormones so take a fan with you too!

disneys · May 21, 2026

In my first pregnancy I flew around 20 weeks . Only to Majorca so it was about 2 hours . I didn’t feel breathless

I just made sure to hydrate , wore compressions socks and that was it . Oh and wore the seatbelt really loose so it didn’t press into my stomach

Insta09875 · May 21, 2026

im going to Greece in 2 weeks (4 hour flight) I’ll be 22 weeks with twins .. midwife told me I’ll be fine just drink lots of water and keep my legs moving when I can as long as you feel fine there’s nothing to worry about

WeepingCassandra · May 21, 2026

I dunno what I'm doing wrong because every time I try to log in it says I have no account, then sends me to the NHS login, which then doesn't accept my password and then when I reset the password it still doesn't accept the new password.

Plus because I'm going to be birthing at a hospital that has paper notes and not Badger, the community midwife appointments are pointless as they never write anything down and they can't see across the systems to check what we've discussed. The community midwives have no notification that I've been to triage twice in May, for instance, and when I go to triage they can't see the fundal height charts or anything useful.

ThisIsMyDragName · May 21, 2026

I think I was around that when I flew to Türkiye which is 4 hours and it was fine. I was the sort to be very breathless if I even thought about stairs during pregnancy

but didn’t experience it during the flight. I wore comfortable clothes, stayed hydrated, had some snacks to stave off nausea and had no issues. Hope you manage to enjoy the wedding!

disneys · May 21, 2026

Oh that’s so weird ! Mine is all up to date and I’ve had no problems logging in etc . It’s a clunky app for sure and can be a bit slow but I haven’t had the issues you’re describing

it sounds a bit pointless in your case ngl . Wonder why they have two different systems … wouldn’t it make sense if the NHS just unified and had the same app throughout lol

tagliatelle · May 21, 2026

I got referred to fetal medicine by my midwife for what I thought was going to be a scan for the baby because I had a congenital heart defect. Only the midwife didn’t write that on the referral, did she? She wrote “[name of my disability]” which is completely unrelated to my ability to have a healthy pregnancy. Not only does it confirm my suspicions she never listens to a word I say, it meant they hadn’t booked me for the scan they didn’t know I needed so I have to come back again. They also told me I should have been receiving follow ups, so another appointment for my echo. Pfft.

Lyricallie · May 22, 2026

I’m still 50:50 on what I want to do on this. My hospital is 2.5h away and I really don’t fancy being in the car with contractions going to the most horrendous road in Scotland. So I would like it for peace of mind on date. But then I’m worried about travelling back to the road after a c-section hahah. So can’t win.

Well I hope it’s fine I travel a lot for work and just flew to Manchester the other day haha.
Also just booked to go on a baby moon and I have a girls holiday after that. All before 27 weeks though so I assume it’ll be fine

WeepingCassandra · May 22, 2026

@Lyricallie 2.5 hours away from a hospital gives me heart palpitations, the A road to our hospital is closed from the start of June over night until the second week of June and I’ve already armed my husband with 5 different ways to get to the hospital XD

Couldn’t sleep again last night, so I sat up and painted my nails. At least I have nice nails now.

anonymous_flower · May 22, 2026

I think I'm leaning towards booking an elective c section with this baby, my first was emergency and although it was scary, the c section was the most calm and relaxed I felt in the 5 days beforehand that I was there. The post op pain was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be, and I was up and walking a lot sooner than I had imagined, I was just very hunched for a few days and couldn't stand up straight. I slept more upright for a couple of weeks purely so it would be easier to get out of bed

The 'shelf' for me is what it is, some have it worse than I do, some have none at all but I'm pregnant again now and I assume it'll just always be there. Worst case, I still have and hate it 5 years down the line, I'll look into a tummy tuck

I hope this helps!

Curly · May 22, 2026

I had a section and I would do the same every time.
I was really unwell when I gave birth so that made me feel terrible afterwards however the actual pain from the incision was definitely not as bad as imagined.
I was walking that night and kept on top of my pain meds for the next week and I felt ok. You just need to look after yourself afterwards and listen to your body and not overdo it

georgiecait · May 22, 2026

I much preferred digital notes. When I lost my first baby I had to give them my folder and it was like turning the knife in the wound

Tuesdaysdoll14 · May 22, 2026

So I managed to find my notes, took them to my scan and nobody ever asked me for them or asked to see them! So bloody painful considering the effort I went to

Tuesdaysdoll14 · May 22, 2026

I’m having an elective section, I do have a low lying placenta and ovarian cyst so that’s a reason to add to it, but it’s a maternal request. I also need a lot of clarity, when it’s happening etc as I have anxiety so the thought of going into labour at a random time of a random day scares me. My partner and I also don’t live together so logistically it would be a nightmare

georgiecait · May 22, 2026

I flew 12 hours at 10 weeks and was sick on descent but I had horrendous pregnancy sickness anyway.
When I flew 11 hours at 19 weeks my legs puffed up a little but I forgot to put my compression socks on! Etihad asked if I had a certificate to fly but I said no as I was only 19 weeks and you don’t have to. They weren’t bothered.
- water
- get up and about a bit
- compression socks

enjoy!

Tuesdaysdoll14 · May 22, 2026

I think flying before 24 weeks is fine, I personally wouldn’t fly after viability week as if I went into labour on the plane I’d want my baby in a NICU as soon as possible, but again, it’s completely personal choice as long as a mother is comfortable and walks about during the flight to reduce blood clots.

poppyred05 · May 23, 2026

How are you ladies sleeping? I go from side to side all night and my hips are killing me

wake up not feeling like I’ve had a good sleep at all. I already have the pregnancy pillow but not noticing any difference