07 Dec
Once again, the holidays are upon us, but maybe this year you’re traveling with a little extra. The holidays are often associated with busy schedules and foreign settings, and if you’re pregnant, the stress and inconvenience of travel can be difficult to handle. Traveling when pregnant requires careful planning, including adjustments to your trusty packing list, especially if you’re taking a long holiday trip from Christmas to New Year’s. Check out these advice for expecting mothers on packing, and take advantage of child-free travel while you can.
- Wheeled luggage: While that big, heavy carry-on may have served you well before becoming pregnant, you don’t want to put further strain on your already taxed baby body. Forget about the adorable messenger bags, or anything else that you need to take about. Pick a bag with wheels that you can drag behind you effortlessly. You can travel more lightheartedly if you use a modern, four-wheeled bag.
- Comfortable shoes: Running from terminal to terminal and traipsing through the airport is not anyone’s idea of fun. Running and walking become much more unpleasant when you are pregnant. Those gorgeous knee-high boots look incredibly festive, but I doubt they’re very comfy. Choose your go-to pair of sneakers, or if you must wear your stylishly uncomfortable shoes, at least pack a pair that is more comfortable for your feet in your carry-on bag.
- Water bottle: On an ordinary day, the dry, stale airline air can zap the moisture right out of you, and now that you’re expecting, it’s even more difficult to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water to keep yourself feeling young and to keep your skin looking fresh. No, a diet beverage from the airport lounge or a rest area on the freeway won’t do; bring a water bottle instead.
- Snacks: A bumpy trip or a protracted vehicle ride and morning sickness DO NOT mix. With a variety of snacks available, avoid that rough stomach. Pretzels, plain crackers, and other bland foods are healthier for your growing tummy than greasy fast food or whatever the meal on the plane is.
- Prenatal vitamins: Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean you can stop taking the steps you’re taking to care for your unborn child. If you’re traveling by air, place your prenatal vitamins in your carry-on luggage or your purse. Having those prenatal vitamins on hand will lessen your tension if your checked bag doesn’t arrive at your destination at the same time as you do. In spite of lacking a change of clothes, you will still have those vital vitamins.
- Medicines: Traveling can literally give you a headache, so be sure you have prescription medications on hand in case you get an ache or pain. Bring your own instead of relying on what the airport store has available because this is not the time for it.
- Comfortable socks: Choose the best socks for your vacation requirements and pack them seriously. Warm socks will keep your toes warm on a cold-weather vacation, and compression stockings are a must for lengthy flights.
- Medical information: Pregnant women must include their insurance card, birth plan (if they have one), and any special doctor’s orders. You need to have that information on hand in case things don’t go exactly as you expected. If you go into labor or require other medical care, there may not be enough time to have your doctor send orders or ask a friend to text a condensed version of your birth plan.
- Travel cushions and pillows: A travel pillow will come in handy and helps maintain your head up in an ergonomic position throughout long flights, whether you need extra back support or a place to rest your head during an excessively long stopover. Your seatmates would beg to differ if you suggested a full-sized version.