Travel and Pregnancy-A Holiday Guide
1. Drink and eat to comfort. Drinking plenty of water is especially important. As a labor and delivery nurse, I often see women having problems with pre-term contractions simply because they don't drink enough fluids. At least 8-10 glasses of water a day will help keep you well hydrated.
2. Dress comfortably and move frequently. Be sure to empty your bladder every few hours to keep you comfortable and avoid a urinary tract infection.
3. Take along a pillow and some snacks to nibble on.
4. Carry a copy of your prenatal record from your prenatal care provider with you. Be sure to check with your provider before taking any vaccinations or taking any medications.
5. If you are travelling by air, avoid non-pressurized high altitude flights and avoid the smoking sections of the aircraft. Travel in the last few weeks of pregnancy is prohibited by airlines. Check with your airline carrier and prenatal care provider for more information about when it is safe to travel by air.
6. If you are travelling by car, be sure to wear your seat belt with the bottom strap across your hips, not over your abdomen. Stop and stretch and go to the bathroom every few hours.
Travel in pregnancy is completely safe and sometimes unavoidable. By using these helpful tips, you should be able to enjoy the ride!
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers a free brochure on travel during pregnancy. To obtain your free copy, send a SASE to:
"Travel During Pregnancy" ACOG Resource Center 409 12th St. SW Washington, DC 20023-2188
Maurenne Griese is a registered nurse, doula and mother of four breastfed children, a prolific writer and a web design dabbler. She's been busy caring for baby Austin, who's now 3 months old as of this writing, and designing her new website, http://konzababy.tripod.com
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