Palin flying while in labor?

[Hokie]

Ok, I am a man so am ignorant by definition about child birth and such things. I was filling in Mrs. Hokie (pretty smart lady, engineer herself, and mother of two engineers) about the news story of Mrs. Palin going into labor in Texas while attending a conference, giving a 30 minute speech and then being cleared by a doctor to fly 6 hours back to Alaska to give birth after her water had broken. Mrs Hokie says there is absolutely NO WAY a doctor would have cleared her to fly in this condition. Flying could have put the baby at great risk and that he would have hung himself out for a law suit had something happened. Remember, she knew the baby had Downs by this time. This story smells fishy all around. I wish some one with a medical background could comment on this.

Updated to provide this link with some details on the birth story.

Sarah, 44, had her water unexpectedly break (just a slow leak of amniotic fluid, she shared) while attending an energy conference in Texas, but checked in with her doctor, was able to stay, deliver a 30 minute speech, and then get on a plane to return to her home state in time for the delivery (which ended up needing to be induced) early this morning.

I am not a glutton for pain and punishment. I would have never wanted to travel had I been fully engaged in labor. After four kids I knew what labor felt like, and I wasn't in labor.

Sarah said that while she did not tell the pilot or flight attendants that she was 36 weeks along, she did not hide her condition either

http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2008/04/alaskan-governo.html

:shrug::shrug::shrug::shrug:

[spanone]

1. i thought women weren't supposed to even fly when they were late in their pregnancies?

[nbsmom]

5. I think I've seen another thread on this already

Something about the baby actually being her 17-yr-old daughter Bristol's child.

My sister and I have both had to produce letters from our doctors when we've flown during our third trimester (not in labor, not after the water has already broken, just the third trimester) so that we could board the plane.

The story simply doesn't hold up well...

[chatnoir]

2. I am no medical professional

But as a woman this whole thing sounds totally off. A doc would never clear you to fly 6+ hrs after your water has broken. Absolutely inconceivable to me.

[Island Blue]

3. Not to mention the fact that she was 44 years old at the time.

Not exactly a spring chicken in terms of baby birthing years.

[tabatha]

4. I bet it was her daughter's water that had broken.

[invictus]

9. I bet you are right. nt/

[CTyankee]

6. I had the "slow leak of amniotic fluid" deal with my 2nd pregnancy.

It did take longer for labor to kick in, so if it had been me I would have had those 6 plus hours plus a few more before giving birth.

This story is a little stupid, compared with all the stuff we can use against her. Let's not get embroiled in this kind of argument...

[Hokie]

7. Would you have chanced hopping on a plane for 6 hours?

I think when you combine this with the fact that she didn't reveal the fact that she was pregnant until weeks before she gave birth and the picture where her daughter looks pregnant ans she doesn't that something smells about the story.

[CTyankee]

12. No, I presented to the hospital about 3 hours after it started and was admitted and

watched. By evening no laborhad started so (stupidly) a nurse gave me a sleeping pill but I went into labor one hour after that.

I do find her story hard to believe but still, without any hard evidence, I think we Dems should stay away from the story and quietly let some investigative reporters snoop around. Maybe something will turn up, but our fingerprints should not be on it...

[MasonJar]

8. My daughter who is a doctor refused to fly after 4 months. Since the

crew did not know of her condition, there was probably no doctor on board; she could have had a desperate situation. No doc would put himself on the line with such an okay. What could he gain? He'd have a lot to lose.

[Hokie]

10. There is another long thread on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6816555&mesg_id=6816555

I hadn't seen this one when I posted. There is lots of interesting stuff in there. When I first read the rumor about Gov. Palin's daughter today I thought it was out of left field but the more I read about the story I think it has legs. If this breaks into the MSM then McCain may be looking for another running mate next week.

[mnhtnbb]

11. NO OB-GYN in his right mind would tell a woman who's had four kids already

to get on an airplane when her membranes have ruptured. Especially a 44 year old woman.

It's asking for trouble. Puts both Mom and the baby at risk. Something's fishy with this story.

[geek_sabre]

13. Water breaking doesn't mean she's in labor

Why would her labor need to be induced (according to the article) if she was already in labor?