1

My wife and I were in Oaxaca when she broke her arm, a closed fracture. I am a retired Fire Captain and EMT, (with a hell of a first aid kit) and helped her through the first night. We went to the hospital the next day and the general conditions were not acceptable to us. We then went to a private clinic with an English speaking doctor. 4 office visits, 4 X-Rays, cast application and removel cost us less than $300.00 USD.

We stayed in Oaxaca for 2.5 months during the healing process, found an apartment, took Spanish classes and made the best of it. We loved Oaxaca.....especially the food and enjoyed visiting the area. We liked the area soooo much we are going back!

You are 5 months pregnant.....your call. My wife and I travelled Mexico extensively during her two pregnacies....but not at 5 months along.

2

From a physical perspective I think the 2nd trimester of pregnancy would be the best time to travel. You aren't exhausted and puking your guts out daily with the first trimester morning sickness, and you are not hugely pregnant and exhausted all the time yet, which is what happens in the 3rd trimester. I felt great during my 2nd trimester of pregnancy and my energy levels were good. However I admittedly did not travel Mexico at the time (although physically I could have managed it, I'm sure).

First I think you should talk to your OB/GYN and get his/her perspective. I assume this is not a high-risk pregnancy and you have no medical conditions like diabetes, etc. A normal, healthy pregnancy isn't a debilitating health condition (at least that's not how I see it) and shouldn't keep you from doing reasonable things like traveling.

But in my personal opinion (as someone who has traveled to Mexico a dozen times, often bringing my young son along), and barring any concerns from your OB/GYN, I think you should go. I believe you'll have a great time. Mexico is a very safe, friendly, family-oriented country and I don't doubt that as an expectant mother you will be treated well. If I were you I'd definitely go.

3

Judging by all of las embrarazadas I see down here I don't think one more would cause much of a stir.

4

I traveled in Mexico while 5 months pregnant 27 years ago. We also had a 2-year-old at the time. I just told myself that women in Mexico have lots of babies and there was a system there to deal with it. This was in the days and in a place where even milk and milk products were hard to come by. We all did just fine. You have to assess your capacity for risk, I guess. If serious complications were to arise, depending on your location, things might or might not turn out okay. We have a Mexican friend here whose wife went into labor early and delivered a premature baby who did not survive, but might have done okay in a bigger town with better facilities. However, the same thing could have happened in a small town in the US. By the way, we were back down here the next year, when our son was 9 or 10 months old, crawling around in questionable places; and he's now 27, fluent in Spanish, a rock climbing forester.

5

Thanks so much everyone for your thoughts! I guess I'm just unnecessarily stressing - it's my first, but I don't have any complications or issues touch wood. And I've been looking forward to the trip for so long! Anyway thanks everyone :)

6

Just dont over tire yourself. Take it easy and enjoy Mexico.