Holiday Travel Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy

If you’re planning to take to the skies or hit the road over the holidays, you’re not alone. For many people, the year-end holiday season — a time of family traditions, festive celebrations, togetherness with loved ones, and relaxation — comes together through travel. 

If you’re also pregnant during the holidays, your travel plans should include an extra layer of consideration, preparation, and precaution. 

In this month’s blog, our obstetrics team at Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology in Amarillo, Texas, provides guidance on safe travel practices when you’re expecting — whether you’re heading across the country to visit family or getting in one last beach vacation before your due date. 

Risks of traveling while pregnant

Many pregnant women find it easiest to travel during the second trimester (weeks 14-27). The first trimester (up to week 13), with its nausea, fatigue, and higher risk of miscarriage, is over, and the third trimester (weeks 28-40), when pregnancy gets less comfortable, has yet to arrive. 

If you’re experiencing a normal, healthy pregnancy, your obstetrician may clear you for travel at any stage — even closer to your due date, depending on your plans. Even so, all women should be aware of the risks associated with travel during pregnancy, including:

• Contagious illness (viral or bacterial)
• Illness from water, food, or insect bites
• Blood clots from many hours of sitting 

Other serious potential travel risks include experiencing pregnancy complications, preterm labor, or early birth while you’re away from home and your usual obstetrics care provider. 

Safe travel during pregnancy

Safe travel while pregnant is possible, especially before the third trimester, provided you plan carefully and take a few precautions. 

Before you depart

About a month before your planned departure, you should:

1. Consult your obstetrician 

Ask your doctor if your planned trip is safe for you. Certain complications, like preeclampsia, can make travel off-limits. They can also offer guidance on symptoms to watch for while traveling, as well as destination-specific advice, such as vaccination recommendations. 

2. Gather your records

Pack a copy of your prenatal medical records, insurance information, and doctor’s contact info. You may also need a provider letter stating your due date; proof of gestational age is required by some airlines and cruise operators. 

3. Plan for your destination

Locate the closest obstetric care provider and hospital at your destination ahead of travel. For international travel, research the potential health risks of your destination, such as food and water safety or mosquito-borne illnesses (i.e., Zika, malaria). 

If you can’t avoid traveling to a risky place while pregnant, you can take helpful precautions (i.e., drink bottled water, use pregnancy-safe insect repellent). 

During your travels 

To stay safe when you’re on the road or in the air, you should:

1. Carry a prenatal health kit

Pack a pregnancy-safe health kit with prenatal vitamins, antacids, and anti-nausea medications. Dramamine® and Imodium® are safe to take while pregnant. Protective face masks, hand sanitizer, and antibacterial wipes can also be helpful. 

2. Stay hydrated and eat well

Carry a water bottle and drink plenty of water, especially on long flights. Bring plenty of healthy snacks along, too, so you can sustain the metabolic demands of pregnancy without having to eat less healthy options offered by the airline or at roadside gas stations. 

Avoid salty foods that promote fluid retention and swelling, sugary treats that spike your blood glucose levels, and gas-producing carbonated drinks.

3. Dress for optimal comfort

Dress in layers, opting for loose-fitting, comfortable clothes that allow for easy movement and temperature regulation and won’t restrict your circulation.

4. Position your seatbelt correctly

If you’re flying, select an aisle seat that makes it easier to get up and stretch your legs or take a bathroom break. Position your seatbelt under (not across) your belly. 

When traveling by car, position the lap belt under your belly and across your hips, and the shoulder strap over the center of your chest — not over your neck or under your arm.

5. Protect against blood clots

Trips that last four hours or longer increase your risk of developing blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT), especially during pregnancy. 

To reduce this risk, get up and walk around (either at a rest stop or up and down the airplane aisle) at least once an hour. When you can’t get up, keep your circulation moving with in-seat exercises like ankle circles, heel raises, foot pumps, and knee lifts. 

At your destination

Once you’ve arrived at your destination, listen to your body. Rest when you need to, don’t overdo it, and adjust your plans based on how you’re feeling. Maintain good hygiene (i.e., handwashing) and avoid activities that aren’t safe during pregnancy (i.e., downhill skiing, sitting in a hot tub).

Do you have questions about your upcoming holiday travel plans? Call 806-359-5468 to schedule an appointment at Panhandle Obstetrics and Gynecology today.