Monday, July 23, 2007

You Can Travel While Pregnant!

Remember the old days when pregnant women were advised to stay close to home and avoid traveling?  Nowadays, you will see pregnant women on the go during all stages of their pregnancy.  In fact, travel can be a great way to get some rest and relaxation before the baby comes!  I speak from experience because during my last pregnancy, I traveled to Hawaii with my husband, my 21 month old and I was 6 months pregnant.  It was thoroughly enjoyable, but it did require some special travel preparations!

Before the trip – It is important to get the o.k. from your doctor or midwife as to your travel plans.  If you have pregnancy complications or you are getting close to your due date, they may advise you to stay home.  However, the majority of women are given the o.k. to travel during their first and second trimesters.

Get a copy of your pregnancy medical records and bring them with you just in case.  It is also a good idea to research the medical facilities in your vacation destination so that you know where to go if there is an emergency.

Another important factor is to ensure that your travel health insurance is sufficient if you are traveling out of the country.  Beware that many travel health insurance policies will not be valid if you are more than seven months pregnant.

How to dress – Since you can never predict the weather, nor the temperatures you’ll experience on an airplane, make sure you dress in layers of comfortable, baggy clothing.  Being prepared by wearing layers will ensure that you stay comfortable, no matter what the temperature or if your hormones decide to make you feel like a furnace!

Remember snacks – Make sure you bring healthy snacks to enjoy any time you need it.  That way, you won’t have to stop at an unhealthy fast food restaurant and fill up on food loaded with grease.  Bring plenty of water too!

Other tips – I found I was much more comfortable when I brought a small pillow to help relieve backpressure or to give me a soft place to lay my head when I wanted a nap.

If you are traveling by car or plane, it is important to get up, stretch, and move around as much as possible.  Pregnancy makes you susceptible to leg cramps and ankle and calf swelling.  If you cannot get out of your seat, you can still move your legs by doing ankle rotations and calf stretches.

Above all, it is important to have a positive attitude.  Traveling can be an exciting adventure when you are pregnant.  So, plan ahead, bring your best attitude and have a great time!

Posted by Daniella on 07/23 at 01:07 PM
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