It’s that time of year when traveling is as second nature as holiday music in department stores. According to AAA, as many as 113 Million Americans will travel through and after the holiday season, which translates to over 1/3 of people in the country! That makes for busy schedules and even busier roads, meaning tricky and potentially dangerous travel. When you’re pregnant, travel can be even more difficult — but not impossible. Here are some pregnancy tips to get you to and from where you need to be safely this season!
Pregnancy Tips: Comfort While Traveling
Comfort isn’t the most essential part of traveling safely, but it drastically improves your experience! You can do several things to ensure your travel time isn’t miserable.
- Dress in layers. Anyone who has been pregnant knows how easily your body’s temperature changes over the day. It’s easy to peel off your shirt or pants when you have a hot flash at home. But when you’re at the airport? That’s a different thing altogether. To lessen the impact of hot flashes (or cold flashes) when traveling, wear & pack lots of layers.
- Pack Snacks. Cravings come at random times, and it’s hard to deal with them when you’re out of the comfort of your home. When traveling, pack your TSA-friendly faves in your carry-on or car lunchbox for easy access.
- Drink H20. It seems counterintuitive. After all, why would you want to drink more when it means more frequent stops or trips to the tiny airplane bathroom? But staying hydrated while pregnant offers the same amenities as when you aren’t — including improved mood, fewer headaches, and inflammatory responses, and moisturized skin.
- Take frequent stops if traveling by car. Bathroom breaks are essential, but it’s also crucial to get out and stretch your legs while pregnant. Pregnancy increases your risk for deep vein thrombosis, which can be prevented by frequent movement of your legs, feet, and toes. And don’t be afraid to remind your travel partner that urination frequency increases while pregnant, so they don’t get a pass to tease you about frequent stops.
- Position your seat belt correctly. To wear your seatbelt correctly (and more comfortably), lift your belly and place the lap belt part under your belly and on top of your thighs. Continue to wear the chest strap across your front as you normally would.
- Shorten your time standing in lines. Traveling by plane? Take advantage of online check-ins and TSA pre-check if you can!
Don’t Cut It Too Close To Your Due Date
Most people know from general pregnancy tips that traveling by plane after 36 weeks domestically is a no-no, and internationally after 32 weeks is a no-no for most. If you’re having triplets or more, it’s actually recommended that you not travel by air after 20 weeks. This is, of course, all something you should check in with your doctor about before traveling.
But most people also prefer to limit travel to first and second trimesters. Sticking to mid-pregnancy (14-28 weeks) is best for comfort & safety reasons.
Talk To Your Doctor Before You Leave
Travel may not seem dangerous, especially for those who travel a lot when not pregnant. However, certain health conditions, stages of pregnancy, and conditions + pregnancy combined can make travel a health risk for some. It’s highly advisable to schedule a check-up with your regular doctor before traveling to make sure you are healthy enough to travel.
Also, ensure you have the contact information for the nearest hospital where you are traveling during the holidays. You never know when something could come up, so being prepared is key to your safety and peace of mind!
Follow My Blog For More Pregnancy Tips
I may do photography, but it’s not the only thing I do! As a mom, I love being able to pass on little wisdom tips to those who want them. Follow my blog for mom tips, cute babies, and more. If you’re interested in booking a maternity session, reach out HERE.
