Air travel is a big part of the lives of many people who travel regularly for work or personal reasons, while flying is limited to the times they go on vacation for others. No matter whether you are a frequent flyer or an occasional traveler, flying with pregnancy signs and symptoms comes with some challenges. How can you make the most of your trip when you are dealing with morning sickness, the need to pee frequently, heartburn, or back pain?
When to travel?
Air travel is normally thought of as safe for expectant mothers until the start of the third trimester of pregnancy. Airlines can refuse to let you board unless they know your due date, so taking a letter from your OB or midwife letting the check-in staff know when you are due and that you are healthy can save a lot of hassle. Giving birth in mid-air is not the only concern, of course. Most women’s pregnancy symptoms are worst during the first trimester, making flying unpleasant. The second trimester is generally thought of as the best time to fly, because early-pregnancy fatigue and morning sickness will often have passed, and many women feel good during this time in their pregnancy.
Making life easier for you and your fellow passengers
Vomiting all over their fellow passengers on a plane journey is not something many women thought about when they were contemplating how to get pregnant. I certainly didn’t! Yet, I am embarrassed to say that it happened when I was expecting my daughter. I was five months pregnant and did not think I suffered from pregnancy nausea any more. The woman who sat next to me paid the price for that during take-off. Let’s just say that this is not an experience I ever want to repeat, and I am sure that she does not, either!
The lesson? Make sure that you bring plastic bags to vomit into should the need arise. The bags commonly provided by airlines do not do their job very well. Someone please tell me just why these courtesy bags are made out of paper! Getting an aisle seat, if possible near the rest rooms, helps you make sure that you can get to the toilet in time without disturbing fellow passengers. Taking a change of clothes in your hand luggage is something else I would recommend to all pregnant travelers, or anyone else setting off on a plane journey.
Staying hydrated
Drinking plenty of water might add to the number of bathroom trips, but proper hydration goes a long way in preventing nausea, heartburn, headaches, and other problems. Dehydration also makes pregnant women even more fatigued than they will already be. Water is the best way of keeping fluid levels up, but herbal teas and natural fruit juices are also good. Avoid carbonated, sugary drinks.
Preventing deep vein thrombosis
Pregnant women are at increased risk of deep vein thrombosis. Walking around as much as you can (especially on long flights) or doing simple leg-stretching exercises promotes blood circulation. Some women like to wear supportive stockings.
