Pregnancy and Travel: Tips for Flying the Friendly Skies While Pregnant

Becoming pregnant is one of the greatest gifts a woman could ever experience. Yes, you may have to give up a few things like sushi, your addiction to caramel macchiatos, and your occasional dirty martini, but once you hold that bundle of joy, you realize those small sacrifices are nothing in comparison to the life you just brought into the world.

Speaking of sacrifices, there are also sacrifices pregnant women make that they don’t necessarily have to. One of those unnecessary sacrifices that women tend to make is giving up traveling. Air traveling while pregnant is one of the biggest misconceptions in the pregnancy world.

The American Pregnancy Association states that as long as you are not having any complications or concerns with your pregnancy, it’s perfectly safe for women to travel during their pregnancy. Now, in knowing the pain and discomforts that come with pregnancy, it’s understandable for pregnant women to be wary about traveling. One of the worst things that could happen is to be thousands of feet in the air and experience morning sickness!

What You Need to Know

The symptoms and discomforts that come with pregnancy can be very mild up to unbearable at times but they aren’t necessarily factors that can prevent you from traveling (unless you’re having complications in your pregnancy). Here are some tips to follow to travel safely and comfortably while pregnant.

Air Travel: Pick an Aisle Seat

When it comes to air traveling, an aisle seat would be ideal for a pregnant woman. The aisle seat allows you quicker and easier access to the restroom and it also gives you more room to stretch your legs out.

Air Travel: Consider Wearing the Oh-So-Gorgeous Compression Socks

Majority of the time, compression socks have been worn by older adults to help with blood flow, and on planes, blood clots are a high risk for not only pregnant women but for people in general, especially those with circulation problems. They’re not the most fashionable type of socks but they are helpful!

Some doctors even recommend pregnant women to get up ever so often to do a small walk of the aisle to aid in circulation to the legs and feet. This is another added perk of why that aisle seat will come in handy.

***Big Group Road Trip Consideration: Comfort is Key***

If there is a special occasion coming up that requires you to travel for an extended period of time on the road with a large group of people, you need to have the same type of safety and comfort level in mind as you would on a plane.

So let’s say you’re going to your family reunion and everybody really wants to see you now that you’re pregnant. Well, you couldn’t be happier to come but you just need to check on the travel arrangements. You need to let whoever’s in charge of the planning know that in order for you to go, you need to be comfortable.

You can even suggest that renting a couple of minibuses would be the best case scenario for not only you but for everyone in attendance as well because those types of buses provide passengers with ample space plus, everyone would be able to enjoy each others company on the ride without one person having to worry about navigating through the city.

Air Travel: Have Your “Morning Sickness” Kit On Hand

They call it “morning sickness” but the truth is that this alleged “morning sickness” can strike at any moment during the course of a day, so when you’re booking your flight be conscious that some flights can trigger nausea with the slightest bump in turbulence.

To remedy the nausea that can be associated with flying, you can always ask the steward or stewardess for a clear, caffeine-free soda; the bubbly carbonation is what helps to settle your stomach. You can also keep peppermint oil in your purse or pocket.

According to everydayhealth.com, simply smelling peppermint oil can ease nausea. It has that calming and “tingling” effect that actually relaxes your stomach muscles so that the bile in your body can easily break down fats easier. If all else fails, most airlines have those paper (sometimes plastic) bags at each seat in case someone does get sick.