Pregnancy is one of the best gifts a woman receives in her lifetime. Pregnancy is the time when your baby comes to existence and grows inside your body. Your body during pregnancy undergoes emotional, hormonal and physical changes, so it's crucial to take care of yourself. When it comes to travelling during pregnancy, there is a lot of things to keep in mind.
Travelling has always been fun but travelling during pregnancy involves its own set of challenges.
The safest time to travel when you are pregnant is during your second trimester, that is, 18 to 24 weeks. During the second trimester, the risks of miscarriages are low, and preterm labor is the lowest. You should avoid travelling during the third trimester of pregnancy, as you can require sudden medical attention.
No matter what transportation route you take or where your destination is, there is some general advice for all women travelling during their pregnancy.- It is convenient for you if you get your travel insured. Many a time during pregnancy, you may cancel your trip. In such a scenario, you are covered if you cancel your trip that has insurance.
- Don't forget to visit your doctor before going on a vacation or travelling. Get a checkup done just before you go so that there is nothing to worry and your doctor allows you to travel.
- Carry all your prenatal records with you while travelling. These include all your doctors’ prescriptions and any relevant ultrasound. These can be useful in case the need arises.
- Keep all your prenatal vitamins and any other medicines you have been prescribed, handy. Take a small bag to keep your supplements and medicine together and put it in your purse in case your luggage is kept elsewhere.
- Keep a water bottle with you always and drink water regularly to keep yourself hydrated.
- You need to save your doctors’ numbers in your phone and make sure that your travelling companion also has your doctor's number handy. It is convenient in case of emergency.
- If you are travelling to a new place, get a phone number of the local doctor there just to be sure.
- It is advisable to shorten your journey time as much as possible. Reduce your travel time around five to six hours.
- While travelling by car, use rest stops to take short walks and stretch to keep the blood circulating. Make sure you use the lap and shoulder belts to protect your baby and yourself while travelling in a car. Place the belt below your belly and the shoulder belt across the center of your chest. Avoid driving after 28 weeks.
- Trains are an excellent option to travel as they have more room to navigate and walk. The restrooms are small, and it is essential to hold on to seat backs or rails while the train is moving.
- Travelling by air during pregnancy is considered safe. You may feel uncomfortable when using a restroom as the airlines have small restrooms. You need to choose an aisle seat as it will allow you to get up more quickly to reach the restroom or to stretch your legs and backs. Calculate your pregnancy period before planning air travel, It is not safe to travel by air after 34 weeks of pregnancy.
Many domestic and international flights require a fit to travel certificate from your doctor and they have a specified cut off up to what weeks you can travel. So check your airline’s policies before planning your trip. You should contact for emergency medical care while travelling in case you have vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, and Watery discharge from vagina, repeated vomiting, diarrhea or severe calf pain.
These are a few tips to follow during travelling while you are pregnant. However, take a step ahead only after consulting with your doctor.
Have a safe travel!!
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