Everything You Should Know About Travelling During Pregnancy

Pregnancy sure looks good on you. Look at you doing pregnancy so beautifully, like a rock star. New mum alert! Congratulations! You are glowing through it but now it’s time for you to travel maybe for vacation or you want to have your baby in another country and you’re wondering what you should know, what you should do, what should you be prepared for. Not to worry, fairy. godmother is here and I’m ready to give you all of the deets you need. As always let’s get into it.

Pregnancy is not exactly the easiest journey. Growing a new life in your body does take a toll on you and a lot of women on social media were actually coming out to share their experiences with pregnancy and how the symptoms that come with the journey can be draining sometimes, life-threatening, and sometimes mind-boggling.

Travelling Safely During Pregnancy

There is no need for you to worry too much. It is safe for you to travel while you’re pregnant except if you are dealing with other health conditions like a history of blood clots, history of toxemia, high blood pressure, diabetes with any pregnancy, severe anaemia, heart valve disease or congestive heart failure, history of miscarriage, threatened miscarriage or vaginal bleeding during the current pregnancy, and incompetent cervix. If you are not dealing with any of these conditions, then travelling for you is safe.

To-Do List Before You Travel.

1. First things first, confirm with your midwife or OBGYN to be sure that you are cleared for travel.
2. Confirm with the airline that you intend to travel with that you will be allowed to fly because some airlines won’t let you fly towards the end of your pregnancy. The chances of you going into labour is higher after 37 weeks and if you’re carrying twins, it’s around 32 weeks. Also after 28 weeks of pregnancy, the airline may actually ask for a letter from your doctor or OBGYN or midwife confirming your due date and also to be sure that you are not at risk of complications.
3. Get all the travel necessities and this includes a travel kit that should have things like haemorrhoid cream, antacids, anti-emetic, drugs prenatal vitamins prescription medication support hose and medication for virginities or yeast infections.
4. Buy comfortable travel clothing. You don’t want to be uncomfortable during your flight and to help with this buy and wear comfortable clothing for the flight. This includes loose dresses, loose pants and also very comfortable shoes.
5. Be prepared. It is important for you to plan for the unexpected as much as you can. And this includes getting an insurance healthcare policy that covers pregnancy and neonatal complications while overseas. This also prevents you from getting stranded and will ensure that you definitely have medical intervention readily available for you if you do happen to need one.
6. Get your vaccines. Yes, there are some vaccines that you will not be allowed to get because you are pregnant but there are also vaccines that you do need to get.

Things To Know Before You Travel

• As a pregnant woman, you’re likely to get blood clots if you’re on a long flight. Your feet may become swollen. To combat and prevent that, you need to ensure that you walk around every hour or so. If you sit for too long on a long flight, it increases your chances of getting blood clots or deep vein thrombosis. For your risk of blood clots to reduce your OBGYN or midwife may actually suggest and recommend you use compression stockings and also teach you about leg exercises that you can do in your seat.
• Make sure you use your seat belt because the plane might actually go through turbulence while flying. You should fasten your seat belt at the pelvis level below your hips
• Ensure that you drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated. The cabins in the aircraft have no humidity so you want to ensure that you stay as hydrated as possible. Drink a lot of water. 
• It is advisable that while flying you should ask for aisle seats. This allows you to take a walk at intervals, allows you to stretch your legs, and extend your ankles often, The aisle seat also helps with morning sickness as it will be easier for you to get to the toilet or restroom from the aisle seat
• Be sure to check that the food is safe for both you and the pregnancy. You also want to try to avoid carbonated drinks, to be on the safer side just drink water.
• Remember to stretch, your feet and also walk around during the flight.

Finally, according to The Central For Disease Control And Prevention Travel Guide For Pregnant Travellers, they advise that you do not travel to areas with risk of the Zika virus as the virus can cause birth defects, they also advise that if you must go, ensure to have insect repellent with you.