Pregnancy & Baby Index: Pregnancy - Everyday life: Travel: Air travel tips for pregnancy
Air travel tips for pregnancy
Lisa Stone
Flying can sometimes be stressful for anyone and traveling when you're pregnant can be an experience in itself. Lisa Stone, an ACE-certified Pre-and Post-Natal Fitness Instructor, offers some tips to make flying a more comfortable experience for the mom-to-be.
Your question
I will be taking a series of plane trips midway through my pregnancy. Do you have any tips for me? - Jaime in Hawaii
The expert answers
Many women travel during pregnancy, and there's no reason not to travel during your first two trimesters unless your caregiver has advised you otherwise. While air travel during your last trimester isn't inherently unsafe, many airlines prohibit it.
The first rule of pregnant travel: Be sure to take along your own GIANT bottle of water -- and drink it! Yes, that means you'll have to visit the facilities more often during the flight, but that's a great excuse to walk up and down the aisle a couple of times to get your blood moving. Even if you don't feel the urge to visit the restroom, make a point of walking around a little bit every hour to keep your circulation going.
If you're restricted to your seat for some reason, try to elevate your feet slightly by resting them on your carry-on bag. Every 20 to 30 minutes, do some ankle circles, gentle head circles, shoulder circles and arm reaches to keep yourself from becoming too stiff. A few deep breaths with your eyes closed will do wonders for your stress level, too.
Have a safe trip!