Pregnancy Question

[jenniparker]

Hello, all you expert cruisers. Me, DH, DS (18 months now), my mom, dad, and grandmother have booked a cruise on Dec. 26th, 2006. We received the fax confirmation, and I was suprised to see the message about not allowing women that are beyond 24 weeks preggo on the trip.

Obviously, I'm not pregnant now, but we were thinking about starting to "try" late spring. Well that would put me more in the category of 32 weeks at the time of the cruise, if I get preggo right away (which I did with DS #1). Anyway, if I decide to wait to TTC until mid-summer that would put me around 22 or 23 weeks for the cruise. My question is do I need any documentation from my OB stating that I am under 24 weeks?

BTW - I understand the reason for Disney's policy, and I would not claim to be at a different week in the pregnancy than I am, but I might cut it really close and don't want a last minute glitch like not having a letter from a Doc, getting in the way. I blew up quickly with DS, so I expect that might happen again.

It's funny to think that I might delay TTC for a Disney Cruise! I think that might be an illness.


Thanks for your expertise.

Jennifer


POFQ - Oct. 2005
Coronado Springs - May 2000
Coronado Springs - May 1998

 

[mommasita]

YEs, you most definitely do need a letter from your OB/GYNO....The rule is not having entered your 24th week of pregnancy upon cruising... I hope it all works out for you...I am also addicted to Disney, but would not stop TTC., sometimes these don't always work out the way we plan..I too got pregnant with DS right away (on BC), and tried for a year and a half before getting pregnant with DD...GOod luck to you...

 

[momto3gr8boys]

has the rule always been 24 weeks? i cruised in 2000 on disney and i was 20 weeks. with it being my third, and i always have enormous babies, i'm sure people thought i was further along, but no one asked me for anything...in fact, no one even commented. i also know the year before when we sailed there was a woman who looked like she was 8 months pregnant...i remember being surprised she was on the ship. anyway, my shop is closed, so i don't care, but for the OP, does anyone know if they really enforce this?

christine

 

[ohiominnie]

wow. I thought I knew a lot of abbreviations, but no matter how hard I squint TTC is getting by me.


???

 

[mommasita]

wow. I thought I knew a lot of abbreviations, but no matter how hard I squint TTC is getting by me.


???

Trying To Conceive..

 

[ohiominnie]

nevermind, it hit me...trying to conceive (for anyone else out there who's struggling)

Is that word not allowed on the DIS?

 

[Amlee]

Most doctors are against a women traveling for long distances with in the 24 week period. As a TA it is my policy to have a medicial release form from the doctor saying it's ok to travel. This is something I do to protect myself. Also I just called Disney to see if this policy is inforced. She said yes it was. I told them I had a women in my group that was 12 weeks along did she need any special forms. The rep said yes they would need a MRF stating it was ok for this women to sail. I do find it strange that their policy says 24, but yet they are saying they need a form for someone not that far alone.

 

[mommasita]

has the rule always been 24 weeks? i cruised in 2000 on disney and i was 20 weeks. with it being my third, and i always have enormous babies, i'm sure people thought i was further along, but no one asked me for anything...in fact, no one even commented. i also know the year before when we sailed there was a woman who looked like she was 8 months pregnant...i remember being surprised she was on the ship. anyway, my shop is closed, so i don't care, but for the OP, does anyone know if they really enforce this?

christine

Yes, it has always been the rule..Try this thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=985912&highlight=pregnancy

 

[jenniparker]

Thank you all for responding so quickly. This is such a great place for info. If I get preggo before this summer, I'll just cancel the trip for myself and let all of the others go. My grandmother is close to 80, and I know she is really looking forward to it. If I'm under the "24 rule", then I will make sure and get a note from my ObGyn.

Jennifer

 

[MarcyIn Florida]

My question is do I need any documentation from my OB stating that I am under 24 weeks?

Officially, yes.

On an unofficial note, I was not asked for any documentation (although I had it with me) on my last cruise, when I was about 24 weeks along and looked even larger. That's not to say that you won't get asked, of course, but my own experienece was that they did not ask.

If you do book, look into whether travel insurance will cover cancellation for either pregnancy complications OR being over the 24 week mark. Of course, you'd know 75 days out how far along you'd be, so I guess that isn't an issue.

 

[dharma517]

We planned our trip around TTC..lol. We even had a babysitter in line for our "possible baby" 18 mths in advance. Also during anther PG I was 12 weeks pg on the cruise and I did not have any documentation. Some people don't even know they are pg before like 8 weeks. If you are showing I would have a note.
Jenn

 

[tvguy]

It is only recently I've heard about this. DW and I cruised on another line (RCCL) many years ago, 19+ years or so when she was about 28 weeks along with our first child.
Nobody with RCCL asked for a doctors note, or said a word, and we made no secret how far along she was. She did get a wide birth on the dance floor!!!!
We did clear it with her OB-GYN before going.
Doctors only comment was that women that stay physically active during pregnancy seem to have fewer problems. DW's only comment was, until the last 100 years or so, women worked on farms right up unti they delivered, then went right back to work!! I know my mom said her mom worked right up until delivery, took a day off, and went back to work on the farm with each of her 5 kids.
DW also worked right up until delivery......actually, she went into labor 2 hours before she was scheduled to work.

 

[lillygator]

yep - you'll need documentation. We had to change cruises due to a Wonder souvenier we had the prior year!!

 

[txaggie94gigem]

the main reason the "magical" week of gestation is 24 weeks is because that is the age if viablility; in other words the age that most babies can be resusitated if they are born near a nicu unit....disney obviously does not have those resources onboard and chooses to not allow patients that far along specifically for that reason...even though most patients would never have any problems you just never know....

 

[barkley]

i'de recommend that even if someone is in the early stages of pregnancy or trying to become so in the months before they get travel insurance. pregnancies always carry a risk of need for medical attention and sadly an attempt to become pregnant can result in a tubal pregnancy both of which require expensive treatment. the majority of health insurances do not cover any type of treatment outside the u.s. and once that boat sails...

i would grab coverage now so it would'nt be a pre-existing condition (and look carefully at the fine print about pregnancy exclusions).

 

[crisi]

It is only recently I've heard about this. DW and I cruised on another line (RCCL) many years ago, 19+ years or so when she was about 28 weeks along with our first child.
Nobody with RCCL asked for a doctors note, or said a word, and we made no secret how far along she was. She did get a wide birth on the dance floor!!!!
We did clear it with her OB-GYN before going.
Doctors only comment was that women that stay physically active during pregnancy seem to have fewer problems. DW's only comment was, until the last 100 years or so, women worked on farms right up unti they delivered, then went right back to work!! I know my mom said her mom worked right up until delivery, took a day off, and went back to work on the farm with each of her 5 kids.
DW also worked right up until delivery......actually, she went into labor 2 hours before she was scheduled to work.

19 years ago, babies born prematurely often didn't survive - though it was way better than it was 40 years ago. Now with neonatal ICUs there is a much better chance. Medicine advances.

And yep, women have given birth working right up to delivery throughout history (I did). But there was also a better chance mother or baby wouldn't survive (and sometimes both). I'm sure no one wants to risk their life or their babies for the sake of a vacation. Toxemia (which I had) can put you in a coma, cause liver damage, and kill you - and can happen rather quickly.

 

[eblack0409]

My entire family took a Christmas cruise back in 2000....my aunt was 34 weeks pregnant at the time...and ENORMOUS....everything was fine with her....she actually went into labor 2 days after we got off the ship!!!!

 

[eblack0409]

My entire family took a Christmas cruise back in 2000....my aunt was 34 weeks pregnant at the time...and ENORMOUS....everything was fine with her....she actually went into labor 2 days after we got off the ship!!!!