Pregnancy entails a lot of major life changes. As soon as you find out you are pregnant, you are forced to reconsider pretty much every aspect of your life that you once considered normal. And while many of these things are obviously manageable, one thing many people don’t take into consideration is the possibility of traveling.
But the reality is that pregnant women are traveling all the time these days. This is not to suggest that you should take the idea lightly as it is a serious matter that requires time and effort to plan. But it is certainly not impossible. And if you are trying to make large-scale plans about when to start your family, you should look into getting an ovulation test. This will help you track your cycle much more effectively and know when the time is ripe for pregnancy.
What you should and should not do
Let’s take a closer look at the dos and don’ts of traveling while pregnant. Before we get into the specifics, there are a few absolutes that you should keep in mind. First of all, you shouldn’t go anywhere where there are outbreaks of tropical diseases, or where there is a risk of malaria or zika as these things could seriously harm your pregnancy. The CDC provides complete, up-to-date information on every region in the world, so be sure to look through it thoroughly before you go.
You should also steer clear of places that are having serious political problems, even if they don’t appear to affect tourist areas as political issues can easily snowball into all sorts of other problems. You don’t want to be stuck with a medical issue when hospitals have been taken over by guerilla fighters.
How to prepare
Once you have found appropriate places to go, it will be time to start planning. The first thing that you should do is get a checkup. Regardless of what stage of the pregnancy you are in, you should be absolutely sure that you are fit to travel first. Wherever you go, carry all the relevant medical documents with you in case you need to find a clinic. And don’t forget travel insurance.
Be sure to locate clinics near your hotels in whatever countries you are going to. And check the reputations of these clinics in advance. You should also be sure that you are supplied with whatever medications you need, as well as prenatal vitamins. Finally, only travel during the first two trimesters of a pregnancy. Every doctor will tell you that the risks of traveling during the third trimester are simply too high. And plane travel should categorically be avoided during this period.
Things to look out for when you travel
When it comes to risk assessment, a lot of it will come down to your own personal judgement. But keep the following points in mind:
- You should always err on the side of caution when it comes to food and water. While it can be fun to experiment with new foods in different countries, pregnancy is not a time to do this. Only eat food that you know to be trustworthy, and it is better not to touch local tap water at all, even if some people say it is safe. Diarrhea can have seriously negative consequences for your pregnancy.
- As you travel, remember that you need to keep a much slower pace than you would have traveling around before you got pregnant. It is easy to get caught up in the rhythm of running around and then suddenly find yourself exhausted. And remember that excessive heat, altitude changes, and jetlag can all have a major effect on your energy level. Even just being in a new environment can have this effect, in fact.
- Try to avoid sitting for hours at a time. The risk of blood clots can be high when you travel, so you want to be able to move around at least every hour. This doesn’t have to be vigorous movement, but you should be able to stretch and walk around on an hourly basis if possible. You should also wear compression socks when seated for extended periods.
- If you are hoping to take a cruise, this might seem like a more relaxed way to travel because you won’t be moving around as much. But remember that the medical facilities available on cruises can be very limited, and you might not be able to get the care you need while you are at sea. You might also get nauseous from the motion of the ship! So it is probably best to avoid cruises until after the baby comes.
The rest is up to you
These are the basic points that you should keep in mind when traveling while pregnant. But you will need to judge each individual situation for itself. Always be cautious, and if you aren’t sure whether to eat something or go to a place that might be risky, you should usually refrain from it. The world will still be there once the baby comes (and he or she might be able to experience these things with you!). So be reasonable, do your research, and have a great trip!
By Olivia Gril
