Travel during pregnancy is safe for your entire 9 months if you are having a normal pregnancy and are not high risk (high blood pressure, for example).
The ideal time to travel is the second and third trimester, up until 36 weeks. You are over the morning sickness of the first trimester and over the risk of miscarriage.
In fact, travel during the first trimester is also ok if you are not plagued by morning sickness and willing to take a risk of having a miscarriage during your travel. Having a miscarriage is not a life threatening situation, but you should go to the doctor during or after if occurs.
Your belly has a large amount of amniotic fluid that the baby is literally swimming in. This is designed to provide a cushion around your child, to protect him/her. So, the best way to protect your baby in a car is to protect yourself. Always buckle up with seat belts.
Keep the air bags turned on. The safety benefits of the air bag outweigh any potential risk to you and your baby.
Knowing that seat belts should definitely still be worn, they have to be positioned correctly to avoid injury to your child even in a small fender bender. Make sure the belt is place below your tummy, as low as you can get it. You don't want it directly over the largest part of your abdomen. Place the shoulder belt between your breasts. The belt should not be right on top of your neck. Keep it at a comfortable tightness, not too tight and not too loose.
Use pillows to keep yourself comfortable. If you are taking a long road trip, stop periodically (every few hours) to get out and stretch and take bathroom breakKeep the air bags turned on. The safety benefits of the air bag outweigh any potential risk to you and your babys..
If you sit in the car for too long, your legs can lose circulation. Sitting may make your ankles or feet swell and can cause leg cramps. If you are the passenger, take your shoes off and recline your seat as much as possible. Rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes. This will help your circulation.
If you are near your due date, carry your doctor's prenatal records.
Bring an extra sweater or jacket, as your temperature may fluctuate more than the other travelers in the car.
Buses and Trains
Buses and train transportation can be more challenging as they have narrow aisles and small bathrooms. On a bus, the safest thing is to remain seated while the bus is moving. When you need to use the restroom, make sure to hold on to the railings or seats to keep your balance.
Trains have a bit more room to navigate and walk than do buses. Still, the bathrooms are still small. Again, while the train is moving, hold on to seat backs or rails to maintain your balance and prevent falling.
Travel by Air
Airlines do enforce the rule that you cannot fly after your 36th week of pregnancy, due to the fact that you might give birth earlier than expected.
The bathrooms are extremely small, so it will be a challenge to use them. Hold on to anything that provides support, as you could experience turbulence while in the restroom.
Because of potential turbulence that could shake the plane, make sure you are holding on to the seat backs while walking the aisle.
You may want to choose an aisle seat, which allows you to get up easier to stretch or get to the restroom.
Keep you air travels on major airlines with pressurized cabins and avoid smaller private planes. If you must ride in smaller planes, avoid altitudes above 7,000 feet.
Can I Go on a Cruise?
Traveling by sea is generally safe for pregnant women, although the motion of the boat may accentuate their morning sickness or they may just get seasick.
Here are some guidelines for traveling by sea:
Check with the cruise line to ensure that there is a health care provider on board in case there are any complications.
Use "Seabands" to prevent sea sickness. They use acupressure and can be bought at Walgreens.
Review the route and port-of-calls to identify if there is access to any medical facilities if needed.
Traveling Overseas When Pregnant
When traveling overseas, discuss the immunizations you may need with your doctored and if they are safe when pregnant. With international travel, you may be exposed to a disease that is rare in the US, but common in another country. With that in mind, contact the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at (800) 311-3435 or go to their website at www.cdc.gov to get immunization facts.
Diarrhea is common when you drink the water or anything that contains water, as you are not used to the germs and organisms in the foods and water of other countries. Tips to avoiding the "Montezuma Runs":
Drink plenty of bottled water to avoid dehydration.
Do not order soup, as it is made with local water.
Avoid fresh fruits and vegetables unless they have been cooked or can be peeled (oranges, bananas).
Make sure all meat and fish has been cooked completely.
Use canned juices and soft drinks as alternatives to water drinking.
Make sure the milk is pasteurized.
Carry a copy of your prenatal doctor's records.
Enjoy yourself and have a great trip!
You can obtain a free copy of a brochure from the American College of OB/GYNs by mailing an SASE to:
"Travel During Pregnancy" ACOG Resource Center 409 12th St. SW Washington, DC 20023-2188
