Frequent business travel during second trimester - is it ok?

mumandmore · Postby **mumandmore** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:06 pm

Looking for advice from any mums who have travelled every two weeks or so for work during their second trimester or pregnancy or from mums who were advised against it. I need to travel for work (they don't know yet) approximately every two weeks in my second trimester only 1 trip is over 10 hour flights but the others are 3-4 hours each way. Would appreciate any advice from women who had a similar dilemma. To be honest I feel fine to travel and travel in business class so it's comfortable but am worried about miscarriage or regular cosmic radiation exposure to the foetus.

sezwedz · Postby **sezwedz** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:18 pm

I appreciate your concern, and respect that you worry, but sometimes we can over analyse these things. I'm sure your doctor can advise on this though.

nvmof3 · Postby **nvmof3** » Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:40 pm

Hi, I was a frequent business traveller and was advised by my GP after having some bleeding and pain after my 4th long haul flight in a week during my first trimester to cut down my travel to maximum 2 short haul flights a week which represented a substantial reduction in my normal travel. I spoke to the OT people at work who were brilliant (I didn't even know they existed before then) and they saw my head of department on my behalf and refused to disclose what the reason was but insisted that he stick to it. It was awkward to insist on it without explaining why but because the OT people had been fairly insistent, he didn't push back too much. Once bonuses had been announced, I explained what it was all about and he was surprisingly sympathetic.
All BA staff are grounded as soon as they are pregnant because of the radiation risk to the foetus of frequent travel. I kept that in mind when dealing with the hassle, risk and irritation of sending other people off to see MY clients.
Good luck!

mumandmore · Postby **mumandmore** » Sat Feb 08, 2014 9:41 am

Thank you for responding - I would just prefer to tell my boss but I only just started the job 11 months ago and ideally wanted to wait until 5 months pregnant to say anything. I thought about asking my doc to write a letter (given I am borderline anemic) and using that as my get out card for the next month or so until I say something but not sure a GP would do that. If anyone else has any good excuses please let me know!

NVMof3 when you say he recommended 2 short haul a week do you mean 1 out and 1 return consists "2 flights"? There is really only 1 Trip I am concerned where I have to do 3 x 10 hours flights and 2 x 2 hour flights in 6 days. Hmmmm

nvmof3 · Postby **nvmof3** » Sat Feb 08, 2014 10:01 am

Hi, yes it was one flight out and one flight back max 5 hour flights. Do you have OCcupational Health people at work?. They were a huge help to me and basically wrote what I wanted - I didn't have to have any medical evidence. But I think the GP would have written a letter had I asked.

nvmof3 · Postby **nvmof3** » Sat Feb 08, 2014 10:03 am

Ps I waited until 5 months because I didn't want my boss to know until bonuses had been announced as I knew he would cut my bonus if he knew.

mumandmore · Postby **mumandmore** » Sat Feb 08, 2014 6:23 pm

Thank you NVMof3. I don't think we do have OH people at work just an HR departement. I will try the GP route and see if mine will agree to write a letter. Fingers crossed!