Table of contents:
- When can pregnant women travel?
- Who can travel while pregnant?
- What preparations must be made before starting a trip?
- 1. Check with the doctor
- 2. Make yourself comfortable during the trip
Pregnancy doesn't seem to deter you from traveling to various places. This can provide peace and pleasure for pregnant women. Traveling while pregnant is safe if you don't have any complications during pregnancy and you have prepared carefully.
When can pregnant women travel?
A good time to travel is in the middle of gestation or around the 14th to 28th week of pregnancy. Early in pregnancy and late in pregnancy, or during your first and second trimesters, traveling may not be advisable.
Before 12 weeks of gestation, the mother may feel nauseous and tired more often, this will give her discomfort when traveling. In addition, at the early stage of pregnancy, the risk of a mother having a miscarriage is still high.
Traveling at the end of pregnancy can also make the mother uncomfortable when traveling. Traveling at the end of pregnancy can make mothers tired. After 28 weeks of pregnancy, it may be more difficult for you to move and sit for long periods of time.
Many pregnant women choose to travel at four to six months of gestation. This is the safest time to travel while pregnant. However, if your pregnancy is healthy and you have had no problems or complications during pregnancy, traveling any time during pregnancy may be safe for you as long as you are well prepared.
Who can travel while pregnant?
All pregnant women who are healthy and experiencing no complications are allowed to travel. Conversely, pregnant women who experience complications during pregnancy should not travel during pregnancy. It is feared that this will worsen the condition of pregnant women.
Some of the complications that can prevent pregnant women from traveling are:
- Maternal cervical (cervical) problems, such as cervical incompetence, where the cervix opens or thins too quickly before the time of birth
- Bleeding in the vagina
- Multiple pregnancy
- Gestational diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Preeclampsia
- Placenta problems
- Have had a miscarriage
- Have had an ectopic pregnancy
- Have had premature birth
- If you are 35 years or older and this is your first pregnancy
What preparations must be made before starting a trip?
Before starting to travel, you should prepare your trip in advance, starting from your health, what items you should bring, and so on. The following are things you should do before starting your trip.
1. Check with the doctor
One important thing you should do before traveling is to check with your gynecologist. Tell your doctor what you want to travel with and where. Your doctor will help decide whether your trip will be safe for you and your fetus or not. The doctor will also tell you what to do before starting the trip. You may need to get vaccinated before traveling to certain countries.
2. Make yourself comfortable during the trip
When traveling, you should bring items like the ones below to make your trip more comfortable.
- Bring a small pillow. This you can use to sleep during the trip. Alternatively, it can be placed on your back when sitting to prevent back pain.
- Bring snacks to eat during the trip
- Take any prenatal vitamins or other medicines you need with you on your trip
- Bring a copy of your prenatal records if you are traveling a great distance. Also, you should know the nearest health service at your destination.
In addition, wear clothes that are a little loose and comfortable, also wear shoes that make you comfortable during the trip. When on the road, either by car or plane, wear your seat belt to provide safety. Make yourself as comfortable as possible when sitting down.
If you are boarding an airplane, it's best to book an aisle seat, so that it is easier for you to get out of your seat, you can also stretch your legs during the flight. If you are traveling by car, make sure you get a break every 5-6 hours of travel. This allows you to move your torso and stretch your legs. Doing simple stretches every hour or so while traveling is necessary to prevent swelling, nausea, and leg cramps.
One more thing that is important and you have to prepare before traveling is to make sure you get travel insurance that covers all your needs in any event, such as care and childbirth, because no one knows what will happen to you during the trip. It's best to plan and prepare well if you have to travel long distances while you are pregnant. Enjoy your trip and don't forget to get enough rest.