Can Pregnant Drive Far Away ?? Check Out The Following Driving Tips For Pregnant

In the holiday season or before the holidays, most people decide to go on vacation or go visit family in their hometown. You might want to do the same thing, but the pregnancy you are currently undergoing makes you hesitate to travel. Mother, both as a driver and passenger, a long or short distance trip, it's okay to travel by car while pregnant.

Driving during pregnancy is considered safe. As long as you have a healthy pregnancy, it's okay to drive during pregnancy. But, in the final months of pregnancy, an enlarged stomach can make it harder for you to enter and exit the car. Even your stomach can block the steering wheel, so some pregnant women choose to stop driving towards the end of pregnancy.

Is it safe to drive during the first trimester?

When talking about driving while pregnant, most people think about driving in the final months of pregnancy. Even though driving during the first trimester must also be concerned, is it safe?

Here are some reasons to avoid driving in the first trimester:

One thing that happens in the first trimester and is experienced by most mothers is nausea. This is natural and sometimes there are not many ways to deal with it. Nausea can make it difficult for you to sit behind the wheel. Many mothers avoid driving for the first few months because of the risk of morning sickness and potentially can cause accidents.

Another common symptom experienced by pregnant women during the first trimester is feeling very tired. This can happen very suddenly, and can be severe so it is difficult to make sure the eyes remain open, especially paying attention to the road you are passing. This certainly can be risky when driving.

Doctor's orders. If your doctor instructs you not to drive because of certain medical conditions or risks to prospective babies, follow your doctor's advice not to drive.

What needs to be considered when traveling by car during pregnancy

When pregnant, you don't need to avoid traveling by car. Here are some important things you need to pay attention to when traveling by car during pregnancy:

Drunk trip

When you are pregnant you are more prone to travel sickness. But if you often feel nauseous and vomiting while riding a car, even though you have never experienced a similar thing before, it could be that you experience is morning sickness, especially at the beginning of the pregnancy. Morning sickness and motion sickness have similar symptoms, so it will be difficult to distinguish between the two. Oh yes Mother, if you experience motion sickness before becoming pregnant, you will usually experience morning sickness during pregnancy.

Travel sickness is a common problem experienced by people traveling by car, airplane, or ship. Travel sickness occurs when the sensory balance system that covers the ears, eyes, and nerves of the sensor in the skin, muscles, and joints sends conflicting messages to the brain. If the ear feels motion, for example, but the eye is not so, the result is nausea.

To reduce motion sickness in a car, sit in the front seat, open the window to get fresh air, and focus on one object in the distance. Inside the plane, sitting near the wing of the plane. The aircraft wing is the most stable area. On a ship, stay on the boat deck and point forward.

Light snacks can slightly relieve a nauseous stomach. It would be better if you avoid large meals before traveling. Although the research is still uncertain, some women feel that wearing an armband with acupressure can relieve travel sickness as well as morning sickness.

If nausea and vomiting continue to interfere, try taking vitamin B6 supplements. However, do not drink more than 10 to 25 mg, three times a day, and be sure to count the amount in your prenatal vitamin or ask your doctor or midwife about which medication you are safe to consume.

You can also take medications such as diphenhydramine or dimenhydrinate 30 minutes before traveling. This medicine is easily obtained at pharmacies without a doctor's prescription. If you drive long distances, take medications such as scopolamine or meclizine, which have long-term effects and make you avoid motion sickness. Scopolamine is a patch that must be used 12 hours before traveling.

Seatbelt

You need to always wear a seat belt when traveling by car, whether pregnant or not. This applies when you sit behind or in front. Wearing a seat belt correctly will help protect you and potential babies from danger when an incident occurs or the vehicle stops suddenly.

It is highly recommended to use a seat belt even if you are pregnant. It would be very dangerous if you didn't wear it. Research repeatedly shows that the best way to protect a developing fetus is to protect yourself. One of the ways is by wear a seat belt every time you are in a vehicle.

To avoid injury to the mother and baby, the seat belt must be properly installed. Place the lower part of the belt under the abdomen, right at the waist. Don't wear a belt above or right on the abdomen. During a collision, a sudden impact on this position can cause the placenta to separate from the uterus or cause another injury.

If you wear a thick coat or sweater that makes the seat belt shift to the stomach, remove the thick clothes, Bun. Also always use a shoulder belt, which is placed right between the breasts. If the shoulder belt is in the neck position, adjust the seat or belt for better. Do not attach shoulder belts under your arms or behind your back.

When driving, adjust the position of the front seat so that it is far enough from the steering wheel and dashboard but you can still reach the pedal comfortably. If the steering wheel can be adjusted, point it away from the stomach. That way, the air bag will point to the chest, not the stomach.

When an accident occurs

Regardless of your gestational age, if you have an accident, immediately see a doctor. Even though Mother feels fine, still call the doctor or go to the hospital immediately.

Mother, a sudden stop motion can cause the mother and fetus to experience an injury called contra-coup injury which causes interference with the affected part of the body. In addition, the effects of car accidents can make you and your future baby more at risk of problems such as slow baby growth, complications of preterm labor, increased stress and blood pressure, preeclampsia, and problems with the placenta. But also keep in mind, having a high risk does not mean you or your baby will automatically experience this problem. The possibility of a doctor or medical expert deciding to induce labor if there is a risk to your health or the fetus.

Although the uterus protects the fetus and placenta during sudden collisions, although it is not severe there is still the potential for placental detachment from the fetus. Placental abruption can cause serious problems such as bleeding, miscarriage, or premature birth. When there is an abruption, you may not feel any symptoms.

At the hospital you will undergo an overall examination. If the condition is stable, you will undergo an ultrasound to check the condition of the fetus and placenta. You and your baby can be monitored for several hours or more, depending on the age of the fetus and the symptoms you experience, such as bleeding or contractions. If you are Rh negative, you will get an injection of Rh immunoglobin if there is a possibility that your blood mixes with the blood of the fetus.

After getting permission to go home, you need to be on guard in case of vaginal bleeding, oozing fluid, contractions, or pain in the abdominal area, as well as a decrease in the number of baby movements. If you experience these symptoms, immediately contact your midwife or doctor. For your safety and the fetus, always use a seat belt when driving. Maternal mortality is a major cause of fetal death in accidents.

The need to go to the bathroom

The bigger the size of the fetus in the stomach, you will urinate 3 to 4 times more often than usual. When traveling, it's not easy to find a bathroom. Away from home makes this facility unpredictable, unclean, or rarely found. But this natural calling will definitely be very difficult to resist even though you have tried, so when you find the toilet, immediately take advantage of its existence.

Before leaving, prepare roll tissue, wet tissue, and anti-bacterial hand sanitizer. Wear the panty liner too to absorb leaks. You also need to keep a backup panty liner in the bag. If you bring a private vehicle you can prepare a potty that looks like a potty for a child or a tin of biscuits and a lid.

To travel by train or bus, choose a seat near the hallway to get to the toilet without disturbing the passengers beside you. If there is no toilet on the bus, tell the driver that you are pregnant and ask how often the bus stops so that passengers can go to the bathroom. In order not to bother when going to the bathroom, wear clothes that are easily removed. Choose clothes that are separate tops and subordinates, rather than one-piece clothes or overalls.

Is it safe to travel in a car equipped with water bags during pregnancy?

Airbags will protect you and prospective babies in the event of an incident. Air bags are designed to work with seat belts and you will be safe while wearing a seat belt properly.

The air bag will also provide additional protection, so make sure you activate it. But air bags do not replace the need to wear seat belts. In fact, air bags can be dangerous if they are open and you don't wear a seat belt.

The seat belt will open you hold your chest up and keep you away from the steering wheel. While air bags help spread the power of collisions, they act as a cushion for you and your stomach.

When you drive and the steering wheel can be adjusted, position it away from the stomach. If this makes it harder for you to see, use a cushion to raise the sitting position slightly higher.

How about a long trip by car for pregnant women?

There is no reason not to travel by car while pregnant, but you need to go to the bathroom frequently on long trips. As mentioned, as much as possible do stretching and rest a lot. When sitting in a car makes you backache, try using a pillow or roll of jacket on your back.

Make sure you always carry your cellphone and when it is approaching the estimated date of birth, take it as well as pregnancy documents while traveling.

Travel rules for pregnant women

You may plan to travel while pregnant, but there are a number of things that need to be considered before you do it.

Traveling by car to vacation during pregnancy can be the thing you need before you are busy with newborns, changing diapers, and lacking sleep. But this holiday will be a little different than before. To ensure a safe trip, here are the rules you need to know:

Consult a doctor

Whatever type of transportation to use, the first thing a pregnant woman needs to do is consult a doctor. Certain medical conditions can interfere with land or air travel, this condition can be placenta previa, premature labor, or blood clotting disorders.

Travel in the second trimester

The best time to travel by car is mid-pregnancy, between weeks 14 to 28. Usually in the middle of pregnancy pregnant women feel healthy, also have a lower risk of complications.

Drink plenty of water

There is a close relationship between dehydration and uterine contractions, which makes water intake important for pregnant women. Always provide a bottle of drinking water in the car and drink more if you sweat.

Take medication or supplements

You need to make sure you have packed the medicines and vitamins for pregnant women that you need while on vacation. It is also important to carry additional doses to guard if you have to travel longer than planned.

Get out of the car and stretch

Pregnant women should stop driving at least every two hours so that blood flow returns to the lower body to help avoid complications.

Light stretches, both inside and outside the car, will make blood flow. Sitting for a long time feels uncomfortable when you are pregnant. This can make the feet and ankles swollen, cramped and heartburn. But by moving a little, you can overcome this discomfort. When sitting, turn your ankles and move your toes.

In the final stages of pregnancy, you feel uncomfortable if you don't move regularly. Try to stop driving at least every 90 minutes to rest and go to the toilet. Provide drinking water and healthy snacks to maintain energy levels and stay hydrated. Don't forget to wear comfortable clothes and shoes, Bun.

No less important, you need to anticipate if unexpected health problems occur, which can occur during pregnancy. If this happens while you are traveling, you need to contact the nearest doctor and hospital for treatment.

What should be done if the vehicle breaks down in the middle of a trip?

Some simple anticipation steps indicate you are ready when the vehicle breaks down and other emergencies. Always make sure you carry a cellphone. If you are going to travel far to a remote area, provide additional supplies in the form of clothing, flashlights, money, snacks and drinks in the car.

If your vehicle breaks down in the middle of a trip, follow these steps:

Pull over to the shoulder of the road

Use an alarm

Contact help, try to find out where you are on the map. You can use the application on a smartphone.

If you feel insecure or you are carrying a toddler, it will be better if you sit on the passenger side and lock the car door.