Traveling while pregnant can be a lot to take on. The more pregnant you are, the more at risk you are of something going wrong or giving birth earlier than expected. Although the ideal goal for pregnant people would be to stay home, sometimes travel has to happen.
These are the top tips for anyone wanting to get out while pregnant.
Travel Sooner Than Later
Try to travel as early in your pregnancy as possible. Although it may feel obvious, putting off travel and then having to go while you’re in the last couple of months of your pregnancy isn’t ideal. Most airlines allow people to fly domestically up to 36 weeks of pregnancy. So if you’re nearing that point, consider moving your traveling plans up instead of waiting until you’re in this difficult time period.
Have Thorough Lodging Plans
Ensure that you have every nights’ lodging decided. This may seem like an annoying level of planning if you’re traveling for a couple of weeks, but pregnancy can take a lot out of a person. The stress of constantly driving, or sleeping in cars, isn’t good for someone in the final steps of pregnancy. Even if you’re just gone for the weekend looking at Atlanta houses for sale, ensure that you have a hotel set up for every night you might be there.
Know The Local Emergency Numbers
If you’re traveling out of the country, you must get to know the local emergency numbers. In Mexico and Canada, the emergency number stays as 911, but if you find yourself on any other continent, it’s a good idea to know what number to call if something happens. Hopefully, you won’t have to call this number, but knowing the number to dial can be life-changing.
Tell Your Doctor Before You Travel
Unfortunately, we can be bad at making decisions based on facts instead of feelings. We might have wanted to travel to the Florida Keys for years and bought these tickets before we realized we were pregnant, or we could miss our family so much that a last-minute trip sounds like a good idea: so it’s smart to loop in a third party to help you decide. Before you go anywhere, talk to your doctor about where you’re going, how long you’ll be there, and how you’ll be spending your time.
If your doctor says, it’s too stressful for the child: stay home. On the other hand, if they give you the green light, but send many directions on what to do, follow their guidance.
Eat Lots of Snacks and Hydrate
Don’t let the stress of traveling rob your child of nutrition or keep you from staying healthy. While you’re gone, eat plenty of healthy snacks, from apple slices to protein like nuts, and try to stay as hydrated as you need to be. Although this can feel obvious, many people get so swept up in traveling that they forget to handle the most common self-care needs. Take care of yourself and your baby, and the trip will go smoother!
