Traveling while pregnant can be quite stressful but many women do it to get away from their everyday lives when preparing for a new baby. In recent years, going on a babymoon has become increasingly popular amongst parents-to-be.
You may be wary of flying while pregnant but as long as you’re healthy, traveling by plane while pregnant is safe and the second trimester is the best time to do so.
Once you’re past the first trimester and the morning sickness that comes with it, you should visit your doctor and share your travel plans with them.
According to Dr. Pete Vincent of Netcare Travel Clinics and Medicross Tokai, “pregnant women who intend to travel should consult a travel doctor well in advance of their planned trip to obtain advice on which vaccines are safe to use and what measures they should take to best protect their health and that of their unborn baby.”
Once your doctor clears you for travel, you should take into consideration these dos and don’ts:
Ask Your Doctor About These Things:
Decompression socks are great for blood flow and it’s a good idea to ask your doctor if you should wear them or not.
Of course, when traveling long distances, you may get nauseous. Talk to your doctor about how you can prevent nausea and any remedies they may know of.
Traveling by plane means there will be an increase in altitude, causing your intestinal gas to expand. You should avoid eating any gassy foods and ask your doctor about diarrhea remedies.
If you’re going to be gone for a long period of time, it may be necessary to get prenatal care. If so, you should ask your doctor for suggestions.
Also, in case of an emergency, you should know where the hospitals are in your destination as well as the names of doctors.
Check The Policies Of Your Airline
Airlines generally will discourage travel if you’re more than 36 weeks pregnant. You should definitely contact the airline you’ll be flying with to inquire about their policy for pregnant travelers. They may require you to get a note from your doctor to verify your due date.
Lucinda Tyler, Club Travel product manager tells Parent 24: “Remember too that the cut-off date usually includes the return date of travel. So you need to calculate how many
Check Your Healthcare Plan
In case of an emergency, you should check to see if you will be covered in the destination you’re traveling to.
Once You’re On The Flight
Ok, so you’re finally on your flight and en route to your destination.
Here are some things to consider:
Make sure your seatbelt is fastened and buckled under your bellow, laying on your hipbones.
Do not eat gassy foods like cabbage, broccoli, and beans. Also, avoid carbonated drinks as they can cause discomfort during your flight.
Make sure to get up and walk the aisles of the aircraft every half hour. This way, you will keep blood flowing in your body.
Stay hydrated! Being dehydrated can cause blood flow to your uterus to decrease. Drinking water should be your beverage of choice when flying.
Book an aisle seat because you will be getting up frequently and this will make it easier.
Do not fly internationally if:
You are in your third trimester.
You’re older than 35 and this is your first pregnancy.
You are at risk of miscarriage or experiencing vaginal bleeding.
You are expecting multiples (twins, triplets, etc).
The destination has serious disease outbreaks.
The destination requires you to get live virus vaccines.