Added/Modified on December 21, 2016
Traveling during pregnancy can require extra effort. You can feel uncomfortable, unsafe and over-exhausted if you travel in the condition of pregnancy. Listed below are some tips for making your trip more pleasurable, less tiring and safe. These tips should be followed when you travel during the period of pregnancy
1. Remove stress
Many women fear traveling when they are pregnant. This is because of the anxiety you can feel when you travel while being pregnant. You can take some practical measures which will reduce your anxiety, stress and will prepare you for your travel in a suitable way.
You can call the airport, bus stand or railway station before you leave your home. This will help you know the actual status of your travel medium. The knowledge of the exact arrival and departure time will help you to plan your trip. It will also provide you some extra time in conditions of a traffic jam or some other problem that might arise when you are on your way to the railway station, bus station or the airport.
While traveling, try to have the least of amount of luggage with you. This will help in quick movement and will also be less tiring. Engage a porter to carry your luggage at the railway station and opt for the tele-check option at the airport if you are not checking in your luggage and carrying a hand bag as luggage. By tele-checking you will be able to save time which might be lost when you resolve the queries at the airport.
Do not get anxious if the flights, trains or buses get delayed or if the travel involves facing long queues. Take them as a part of journey and relax by reading a book or by listening to the music on your cellphone or iPod.
2. Enhance your energy level
You should avoid undertaking adventurous activities which you indulged in before you were pregnant. These include visits to museums, full day shopping sessions, visiting cinema halls and theaters, dining out at different and far spread locations, hiking etc. When pregnant you should be more cautious and slow down a bit. You can substitute these activities by some doing some quiet activities after you have reached your destination. These activities include napping, taking bath, reading a book at your hotel room, listening to music on a beach or even enjoying the quiet atmosphere with the help of the room service of the hotel. These activities will keep you refreshed and you will have more energy for performing the different activities during your trip.
You should also try to avoid a hectic schedule and make the visit at a pace which is comfortable for you. If you have opted for a package tour which is very hectic and you find it difficult to cope, then you should not hesitate and come back to your hotel room where you can relax.
3. Keep to a healthy diet
Pregnancy can make you feel more hungry. Therefore, you should carry healthy snacks that are easily portable as well. These may include dry fruits, nuts, sandwiches, yogurt, protein biscuits etc. You should also carry along clean water and drink it regularly to avoid dehydration. Consume tea, coffee and carbonated drinks in a limited amount as they can contribute to dehydration. Avoid drinks which can contain unfiltered water and drink fluids regularly to avoid swollen ankles and feet as well.
Your eating routine might get disturbed while traveling. You should resume a healthy diet pattern fully when you reach your desired destination. You can consult your doctor about the diet which you should maintain during travelling. Try to find about the mineral and vitamin supplements. A regular balanced diet with extra proteins, fresh vegetables and fruits will be good for you and the baby. You can avoid constipation by adding fiber rich foods to your diet.
Your bag should be stocked with high energy snacks. Big meals can give you heartburn and can be cumbersome when you are traveling. Therefore, you can have 5 or 6 six small meals a day. For removing queasiness, you can suck on mint or chew fennel seeds.
You should not take any medicine without consulting a doctor. If you suffer from motion sickness or any other disorder, then you must take the doctor’s advice before buying any over-the-counter medicines.
4. Take breaks at regular intervals
You should use only the clean toilets and should try to avoid those toilets which are filthy. You can also anticipate nature’s call and visit the restroom before you set out for the day. If your are on the road then you can use the toilet of the motels and the petrol bunks. The water intake should not be reduced out of the fear of unavailability of toilets as being hydrated is very essential. The aisle seat on a flight, train and bus will ensure that you can use the toilet without disturbing your fellow passengers.
While traveling, cramping can occur in the legs and swelling can occur in the ankles and feet when you stay in a sitting position for a long time period. You can place your feet on the vacant seats close to you if you are traveling in a bus, train or plane.
You can stroll the aisle and perform some simple stretching exercises to ensure that the blood circulation of the body is in good condition. While standing or sitting during travel, you can stretch your leg by stretching your heel first and then by flexing the calf muscles gently. You can also rotate your ankles and wiggle your toes when you are sitting. If you are driving, then you should take a break every 90 minutes and walk and stretch your body.
Flying during pregnancy can increase the risks of thrombosis and varicose veins as pregnancy can exert some strain on the circulatory system of the body. The wearing of sport stockings will enable you to get relief from swollen veins. You can get maximum benefit by wearing the sport stocking throughout the day and night. By keeping the legs in a raised position while traveling, you can further improve your circulation.
When your trip involves a lot of walking, then you should use comfortable and supportive footwear like flat slippers and sneakers. Shoes can give bites and you should keep band aid with you for the situation. Slip on shoes are less supportive but they can be more comfortable and can be used in conditions when the belly size increases and it becomes difficult to bend.
5. Medical kit and vaccinations
While traveling, you can carry your medical papers and important reports and can also keep the OTC medications that your doctor has prescribed for common ailments like constipation, cold etc. You can also carry vitamin and mineral supplements that are prescribed to you. Knowing a gynecologist or an obstetrician can be beneficial when you are traveling out of your city or country and you can ask your doctor to provide the references.
You should take the advise of your doctor before going on your trip. Your trip might involve visiting a country where some vaccinations are necessary. While pregnant, the use of medications should be done on the advise of doctor and he/she will tell you which vaccinations you can have during this time. When you are abroad, then you should avoid the areas which can give you any kind of seasonal disease.
6. Clothing options
You should try to wear comfortable clothes when you travel during pregnancy. You can avoid the extra layers and wear only those that are required. This will help you avoid overheating. You can opt for a big tee shirts and sweatshirts. You can also remove your shoes if you are traveling by car. This will help in making the travel more comfortable.
Look for some clothing options that are more suitable during pregnancy. Wearing dark colored clothes will make you look slimmer. If you wear a single color from top to bottom, you will look taller and younger. You can buy comfortable clothes and your favorite clothing before you embark on the journey, pack them and use them during the tour.
7. Try to avoid the thrush
When a women is pregnant then she can have more than normal vaginal discharge. A normal and healthy discharge is thin in composition and milky in color. In condition of thrush, this discharge can give the appearance of cottage cheese and can be more thick and white. In the condition of thrush, a woman can have discomfort and pain when she urinates or has sex. Itching, redness and soreness can also occur in the vagina or around it. A woman is more susceptible to thrush while she is pregnant, and if she is traveling to hot and humid climates then the situation can worsen. You should wear cotton clothes which will help you in conditions of thrush. Do not wear clothes that can be uncomfortable during pregnancy like nylon tights and tight jeans. The travel bag should contain anti-fungal creams for vaginal thrush. Doctor’s advise can also help.
8. Some other useful tips
In the condition of pregnancy, you should avoid all adventure sports including snowboarding, skiing, white water rafting etc. You should also try to avoid undertaking any indoor or outdoor activity that has a risk of falling. Pressure sports like scuba diving can form air bubbles in the blood at the time you surface. These air bubbles can be very dangerous for both you and your child and therefore you should avoid participating in such pressure sports. You should also avoid the rides and slides that are present at the water and amusement parks as forceful landings, sudden accelerations and halts can be harmful for your child.
Birth defects can occur because of the activities like sauna and Jacuzzi as they can raise the temperature of the body. The raised body temperature can have a bad effect on the baby if it occurs during the early days of pregnancy. Therefore, such activities should be avoided at the time of pregnancy. Remote places should not be visited which call for spending long hours on bumpy and treacherous roads as it can have a bad effect.
You can go for the activities like swimming, brisk walking and yoga to maintain your fitness levels. If you have jogged before you were pregnant, then you can do jogging at moderate and gentle levels as well.
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