Petra and beach for pregnant woman
Replies: 4 - Last Post: Dec 7, 2012 1:32 PM Last Post By: nelly_bell
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Petra and beach for pregnant woman
My husband and I are planning a pre-baby holiday somewhere hot in Feb/Mar next year – I will be about 4 months pregnant. We are keen travellers and generally have quite adventurous holidays – we've done a lot of Asia, Mexico, Tanzania, New Zealand and Australia previously.We have wanted to visit Petra for years but would also like a bit of beach relaxation. Is the weather warm at that time of year? We would have about a week (or a little more if need be) to do both. Is there a good beach destination near Petra or would we have to travel to somewhere like Egypt or similar?
And finally, could you forsee any problems with doing this region whilst being pregnant?
Thanks
1
The weather should be pleasant during the day but a bit cool at night.The most obvious beach location close to Petra is Aqaba. Given your time constraints it would not be worth it to travel to Egypt.
There are no issues with pregnancy as it relates to the region; as it relates to you we don't know. The only observation is that seeing Petra is very physically demanding. It is geographically large and very verticle, meaning lots of climbing and descending of stone stairs. If you are tired or not in good physical shape that could present a problem. You may need to go slow and spend three or four days seeing the sight.
Good luck.
4
Jordan is beautiful to see in the winter months, but it can be cold and rainy (even snowy), so pack appropriately. I see that several people have suggested that you use the beach at Aqaba -- another option is the Dead Sea. There are several really nice resorts there and while you may not want to get in the Dead Sea while pregnant (ask your obstetrician), most of the better resorts have lovely pools.I've been in Jordan for extended periods twice while pregnant. My main concern was always the water. Much of Jordan's tap water is (or at least was) infected with amoebic dysentery. Many of their vegetable and fruit crops, watered with grey water, is similarly contaminated. As you probably know, this could be very serious while pregnant since the necessary treatment could affect your baby. I avoided becoming ill by obsessively watching everything that I ate or drank -- only bottled water, no fresh fruit or veg (unless it came out of a skin, like oranges and bananas). I was in Jordan for 7 weeks during my first trimester with my first child and for 6 weeks during my second trimester with my second. They were both born healthy. And the Jordanians were VERY happy to discuss pregnancy, marriage, babies and children with me, whether I wanted to or not!
Also, there are great obstetricians in Jordan. I saw my son for the first time in an ultra-sound there. The US Embassy keeps a list of doctors who speak English and their specialities on their website. Might be nice to have a name in your back pocket, just in case.
