Travelling during pregnancy

TRAVELLING during pregnancy is tricky. It can be tiring, tedious, troublesome and leave you weak and exhausted.

If you get exhausted too soon and find yourself breathless, this could also mean that there is less oxygen supply to the fetus and less nourishment reaching the baby.

This is a reason why women are advised to take it easy during pregnancy. Travel stress could be like an add-on to the numerous other problems one faces during pregnancy.

If you plan to travel long distance during this time, always discuss it with your doctor before you make any plans.

Even if your daily commute comprises two to three hours of travel, ask your doctor if you can continue with the same.

Sometimes your doctor might ask you to be on bed rest during the entire nine months or for a particular period if there is any concern regarding maternal and fetal health. But if you decide to travel after your doctor gives you the go ahead, remember to keep yourself hydrated throughout the journey.

One, dehydration during pregnancy isn’t a good thing; second, it could lead to edema at the end of your journey. This happened to me when I took a bus from Mumbai to Nashik on the fourth month during my first pregnancy.

Since I wasn’t suffering from edema till then, I got worried and checked with my doctor. Edema is common during pregnancy where water retention causes swelling in your feet and hands. But it is a harmless condition.

Your feet and legs swell due to excess fluid in the body. Long hours of sitting or standing can lead to this harmless condition. So my edema was majorly due to sitting long hours during the journey.

A little bit of movement (short breaks and walks) could have helped to prevent the same and if I cared enough to keep myself hydrated throughout the journey.

One way to flush out fluid from the body is to drink enough water.

Yes, only fluids can flush out fluid build-up from the body.

Once my doctor said that I was more cautious while travelling and carried a small bottle of water with me during my commute.

The only problem during long distance travel is that you might have to look for a clean washroom often, which is rare.

The other precautions that you need to take during travelling long distance are to never travel on an empty stomach, as you can feel giddy and fall which could be fatal.

Munch on nuts or a protein bar during your travel and avoid travelling alone if possible. Wear comfortable shoes that won’t hurt you while walking and carry emergency numbers in your bag.

Never, travel long distance without discussing your travel plans with your doctor or keeping your family in the loop.

Keep yourself hydrated during long distance travel. — Online