It’s difficult to give tips on anything related to pregnancy. Because every woman is different and has different experiences.
So today I’m going to share with you what traveling while pregnant is like for me and some tips to make it easier. This post does not apply to all pregnant women. While I’m a big proponent of traveling while pregnant and want to prove that you don’t have to postpone your life, I’m also very aware that some women will argue just the opposite.
I have a pregnancy app that provides daily tips and updates. One day, all we were talking about was travel, and someone wrote, “You probably don’t want to travel while you’re pregnant, or at least limit your travel.’
Oh, I immediately panicked. I still want to travel! Does that mean I’m a bad mother even before the baby is born? Is traveling while pregnant really difficult!?
My doctor told me to limit my long-haul flights to two a month, but told me to talk to my midwife.
I asked the midwife and she looked at me with a confused look on her face.
“You can travel as much as you feel comfortable with,” she told me, in typical midwifery style, simple, practical, and stopping to think.
The truth is, if you feel happy, healthy, and comfortable traveling while pregnant, there’s no reason not to.
As I mentioned in my last post about pregnancy FAQs, I’ve been traveling quite a bit over the past few months.
I’ve been to:
- cyprus
- ljubljana
- glasgow
- venice
- dubrovnik
- Mykonos
- istanbul
- Egypt
- Paris (twice)
- reel
- Berlin
- Turin
- dublin
Thankfully, I have had a happy and healthy pregnancy so far. The main factor that affected the way I moved was fatigue.
I can’t even begin to explain how exhausting pregnancy is, especially in the first trimester.
The only thing I can compare it to is that feeling after finishing a 4-day festival. I’m fully aware that this is probably not the most appropriate comparison, but honestly that’s how I felt.
Traveling while pregnant is like what it feels like to party for four days in a row. You get about 5 hours of sleep each night, at least 12 hours on your feet, and 6 of those hours are spent dancing. You’ve been drinking like a fish and eating junk food. I’m so tired that I fall asleep standing up and can’t think of anything else other than taking a long shower and going to bed. When the clock struck 10pm every night, this was how I felt!
I haven’t always felt that way, but it usually hits me like a cannonball an hour or two before bed.
There was no point in trying to resist it (trust me, I tried!), so I accepted it, went back to my room after dinner, and fell asleep almost immediately.
While it’s fun to sightsee and walk all day, I felt the need to stop and have a drink more often than usual. I did my best to stay hydrated and drank lots of water in the hot weather.
Of course, this means more bathroom stops, which can be difficult if you’re touring the city. One thing I didn’t realize was that from the beginning of pregnancy you need to pee more often. This was actually my first pregnancy symptom, but I didn’t know that at the time, so I had no idea that these two things were related. Even if your baby is the size of a grain of rice, your uterus is still growing and pushing against your bladder. As far as I’m concerned, the human body is deeply flawed!
1. Let people know you’re preggers!
It didn’t start showing until I was about 20 weeks pregnant, but even now (23 weeks) I can easily hide it. This isn’t a good or bad thing, but it does mean that most strangers won’t know I’m pregnant. No one expects us to roll out the red carpet, but when people notice, they tend to be more cautious and patient.
At airport check-in, you’re more likely to get an aisle seat (you’ll have to go to the bathroom every five minutes), and people will be more than happy to help you with your luggage.
Pregnant women are often directed to a priority lane so they don’t have to wait in line for hours. Most people don’t need this, but make the most of it if you feel tired or dizzy.
2. Pack light
Pack light enough that you can manage your own luggage in case you don’t have anyone to help you carry it.
3. Take as much water as you can possibly carry
Dehydration can be a serious problem for pregnant women. I just need to drink more water because I feel really sick when I’m pregnant.
↑Paris solo trip
4. Double check what you’re allowed to do
Some activities that you normally do while traveling are prohibited during pregnancy. Scuba diving is one of those activities for him, which is obviously a very high adrenaline activity. Activities like hot air ballooning and random activities you might not have thought of are also unavailable, so be sure to double-check before booking.
5. Dress for comfort, not style…
…But fashion can also be comfortable!
What makes me most uncomfortable at the moment is the fact that my organs are being squeezed to make room for the baby. So while you can sit in a small seat on a plane, sitting on a couch can be a little uncomfortable.
Especially if you’re traveling while pregnant, do everything you can to make yourself as comfortable as possible. For me, this means losing my clothes and the snug pillows and scarves that help me sleep.
6. Check the airline restrictions
Rules regarding traveling during pregnancy vary by airline. Most airlines allow you to fly until 36 weeks, but if you are over 28 weeks you will need a letter from your doctor to confirm that you are in good health and will not have contractions during delivery. (32nd week for twins or multiples). Flight.
I don’t know how they knew you were at 28 weeks, but I think it’s best to start having letters when the pregnancy becomes noticeable.
^In Egypt, at 15 weeks of pregnancy, there is almost no discharge. I miss high-waisted jeans!
7. Wear in-flight socks
Actually, I’ve only worn these once, but I’m supposed to wear airplane socks on airplanes to prevent DVT, which pregnant women are prone to.
8. Stretch
I know I should wear socks, but I prefer to get up and walk around and stretch my legs. In fact, when I see that the line for the restroom is the longest, I get up and join the line. Because I know it’s a good time to stand for 10 minutes.
9. Vaccinations and medication
I’m not a health expert so I won’t comment on this. All I’m saying is that you should check with your doctor or midwife to see if you need certain medications at your destination.
Be cautious about where you travel. I once refused to travel to an area with a high risk of malaria. I think I could have found a suitable anti-malarial drug, but I didn’t want to take the risk.
I traveled to Egypt, where the risk of food poisoning is high. I talked to my midwife and she told me that the main problem with food poisoning is dehydration, so I packed lots of salt to keep me hydrated. As long as you stay hydrated during your illness, your baby will not be affected. However, if you have been suffering from food poisoning for more than 24 hours, you should seek medical attention. Avoid ingesting Imodium as it will only keep the bugs in your body even though your body is doing everything it can to get them out.
DEET should also be avoided as it contains unpleasant chemicals. This summer I used a non-DEET alternative, which is also very effective when reapplied every hour or so.
10. Listen to your body
When you travel while pregnant, you’ll run into a few hiccups that will automatically change your habits and take better care of yourself, but take your time and listen to your body.
Before I got pregnant, I always felt guilty about skipping meals, but I don’t feel that way while I’m pregnant. I didn’t like being late for planes or trains, which sometimes caused me to get extremely stressed and panic, but now I always have enough time for myself, so even half sitting in traffic doesn’t give me a heart attack. There is no such feeling. One hour before my flight leaves!
If you have any experience or advice for traveling while pregnant, I’d love to hear about it!
