Pregnancy Travel Guide

Thinking about taking a vacation while you’re pregnant? Great! Welcome to our Trimester- by- Trimester Pregnancy Travel Guide where we point out some important things to consider before booking your trip.

Time alone with your partner before bub arrives can be really good for the two of you to have some out and connect before the madness of being new parents sets in.

Whilst your pregnancy shouldn’t put a stop to travel plans, it’s important to consider the implications of travelling throughout each different stage of your pregnancy.

Below we’ve listed a few important factors to think about specific for each trimester.

Trimester One (weeks 1-12 of your pregnancy)

This is the period of highest risk for miscarriage and developmental issues in the baby. Make sure you avoid locations with extreme temperatures and over-vigorous activities.

As this is the time most women will experience morning sickness or pregnancy nausea, its possible that travel sickness can actually make these symptoms much worse. The addition of motion sickness, not being able to lay down when you’re feeling nauseous, or not being able to reach a bathroom when you need to, could be problematic.

Flying at this stage of your pregnancy is safe, provided you have no existing pregnancy complications.

Trimester Two (weeks 13-25 of your pregnancy)

This often the best time to go on a vacation. You’re likely to be feeling at your best, nausea is likely to have abated and your bump is not uncomfortable.

The chances of miscarriage and developmental issues are greatly reduced by the second trimester.

Most airlines allow pregnant women to fly in their second trimester, however always double check the company policy and ensure you have a doctor’s certificate on hand as most will request to see this prior to boarding.

Many cruise line companies do not allow you cruise from about 24 weeks. So, make sure you check not only how far along you will be when you board the ship but also by the time you depart. You don’t want to be turned away at check-in.

It’s important to check the dates that your insurance provider covers travel while pregnant, as they do vary from company to company.

Trimester Three (weeks 26-40 of your pregnancy)

Your bump at this stage is likely to be quite large and uncomfortable. This can make sitting in the one place for long periods of time extremely difficult. Not to mention the importance of being able to keep your circulation moving. Being able to get up and move around to avoid your feet and ankles swelling up stretch your body and avoid cramping is really important.

During the Third Trimester the constant pressure on your bladder will cause you to need the bathroom quite regularly, which depending on your mode of travel could present issues.

Most airlines will not allow you to fly after 36 weeks with a singleton pregnancy and 32 weeks if your carrying twins. Its important to not only check your departure date but how far along you’ll be when you return.

Most insurance providers will not give you cover if you are within 8 weeks of your due date so be sure to check out their policy before booking anything in.

Planning

Taking a little bit of extra time to carefully plan your travel while pregnant will go a long way to ensuring your trip runs smoothly and that you’re protecting the interest of yourself and your baby.

Taking Precautions

Avoid visiting countries that have a high-risk factor for disease. Protective vaccinations that you would usually have prior to visiting some of these countries aren’t advisable during pregnancy or when trying to conceive, which can leave you and bub exposed to life threatening disease and infection.

Travel Bugs

Pregnancy lowers your immune system in general, increasing the risk of an infection. When you’re travelling, contaminated water or food that cause “tummy bugs” are more likely to strike you down.

If you’re unsure about the quality of the local tap water, make sure you drink only bottled water and also use it for brushing your teeth.

Avoid ice in your drinks as this is often made from local tap water.

Be scrupulous about your hygiene, and carry antibacterial wipes or gel to keep your hands clean or wipe any surfaces where food may be present.

Stay Hydrated.

We all know how important it is to stay hydrated during pregnancy, however travel, especially on planes can dehydrate us more than usual.

MaterniTea’s full range of Herbal Pregnancy Tea blends are conveniently available in Pyramid Tea bags which means you can take them with you on the trip ensuring you’re getting all the nutrients, benefits and pregnancy support plus no fuss or mucking about with loose leaf which can be a nightmare on planes.

When we travel, we take a tea flask on board, so we have a hot cup of tea to sip on for hours and we don’t have to use those tiny tea cups. Simply ask the staff to fill your bottle with hot water and voila your Maternitea Tea is there to support your through your vacation.

To find out more about our MaterniTea Pregnancy Tea Blends visit our website www.maternitea.com