Flying while pregnant can be a daunting task. We’ve collected data from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control to bring you this guide to ensure your flight is safe, comfortable, and relaxed.
When is the best time to fly?
The ideal time to fly is during your second trimester or later, as long as you’ve been cleared by your doctor to travel. Flying in the first trimester may be safe, but it’s not recommended as there’s a higher risk of miscarriage or premature birth if you’re pregnant with multiples and past your first trimester.
- Are there safety measures for air travel during pregnancy?
Yes! Here are some tips for staying healthy on a plane:
- Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that won’t aggravate swelling in your feet or ankles.
- Drink lots of water before takeoff so you don’t get dehydrated while stuck at high altitudes where water boils at lower temperatures than normal (which means less moisture in the air).
- Avoid foods that will give you an upset stomach like greasy pizza or spicy Indian dishes; bring along snacks like nuts if they’re allowed where you’re sitting (make sure they’re packaged so no one gets sick from eating them).
Safety Measures for Air Travel During Pregnancy
- Avoid dehydration. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your flight.
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Don’t drink alcoholic beverages while traveling because they can dehydrate you and make you feel nauseous. Instead, drink plenty of water or juice to stay hydrated while flying; it’s safer than any type of soft drink, which often has a lot of sugar in it. Caffeine doesn’t mix well with pregnancy hormones either—it may cause nausea or heartburn that could lead to vomiting (and thus dehydration). Try not to have more than one cup of coffee per day if possible during your pregnancy as well; otherwise switch over to decaf for now!
- Eat small meals throughout the day leading up until departure time on your flight: This will help prevent indigestion from being an issue later on in the trip when stomachs might be sensitive due to changes occurring within them due to hormones circulating through blood vessels near there! If this does happen though – don’t worry too much about it since there’s nothing wrong with having some antacids nearby just incase things get worse later down south 😉
- Take vitamins regularly during travel time so as not both yourself or baby too much stress/hardship after landing back home again soon enough already lololololololololo1
First Trimester- Flight Restrictions and Tips
- Avoid sitting in the front of the plane. The first few rows of an aircraft are located directly beneath the wings and engines, which means they’re more likely to be affected by turbulence. For example, if the plane suddenly drops several feet into a pocket of air turbulence, you could hit your head on something hard if you don’t have a seat belt on.
- Don’t sit in an emergency exit row. In case of an emergency evacuation, passengers seated in these rows are required to assist other passengers with their safety straps before exiting themselves; this can be difficult for pregnant women because it requires them to bend forward or climb over someone else who may not want to move out of their way—and you’d need help pulling yourself up using just one arm!
- Don’t sit in bulkhead seats (those with extra legroom). They’re usually reserved for special needs passengers such as those who might need assistance getting off at their destination airport should there be an evacuation order given while mid-flight (and if someone else needs these types of accommodations but has already booked their flight online).
- Avoid sitting in aisle seats near restrooms or galley areas where fumes from cleaning products can collect around exits during turbulence periods due to cabin depressurization–you don’t want those fumes getting into your system!
Second Trimester- Flight Restrictions and Tips
- Avoiding Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Avoiding Blood Clots
- Drink plenty of water. Be sure to drink lots of fluids and avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugar during travel. Try drinking electrolyte-enhanced water or an oral electrolyte solution before, during, and after your flight. These will help with dehydration and replace lost minerals from sweating in the air conditioning. The more hydrated you are when you fly, the less likely you are to have a DVT or blood clots which can be potentially fatal for both mother and baby if left untreated.
Third Trimester- Flight Restrictions and Tips
If you’re pregnant, you know the third trimester is the last and most dramatic month of pregnancy. It’s also an important time to think about flying. If you decide to fly during this time, make sure that your doctor gives you the go-ahead first. Your doctor will probably tell you to avoid long flights at any point in your pregnancy—for example, a flight from California to New York takes about six hours—but especially during the third trimester when your body is putting so much energy into growing the baby and preparing for childbirth.
If your due date is within three weeks of your flight date, ask if it’s safe for you to travel by plane before booking a ticket. Most airlines will let passengers board within 24 hours after giving birth but no later than 48 hours after delivery (and some require 72 hours). After giving birth, many women are given what’s called a “cervix check” by their doctor or midwife before being allowed on an airplane: he or she will feel around inside through your vagina with his/her fingers and check whether there are any remaining pieces of membrane blocking off entry into chest cavity where heart beats reside(?). If there aren’t any pieces left inside then it should be fine–but if so then they’ll need another day before flying since they could fall off while in air which would cause infection amongst other things).
Conclusion
We hope this guide has been helpful in informing you about the risks of air travel during pregnancy. While it’s true that many airlines have relaxed their restrictions on pregnant passengers, and some have even started offering special discounts for pregnant women, it’s still important for you to be aware of the potential risks involved with flying while pregnant.
If you’re interested in learning more about how your pregnancy is affecting your body, or if you’re worried about traveling while pregnant, we encourage you to talk with your doctor before making any decisions. Your doctor will help determine whether or not flying is safe for both mother and child. They may also be able to give advice on alternative forms of transportation such as buses and trains (though these options are often less convenient). We hope that this guide has given you an idea of what happens when an expectant mother travels by air—and why those who wish to avoid such situations should avoid them at all costs!
Congratulations on your pregnancy! If you’re planning on traveling by plane during your pregnancy, the guidelines and precautions provided in this article will help you stay safe. If you have any questions about air travel during pregnancy, contact your doctor and discuss them with an expert before taking off.
Also Read : Pillows for those 9 Months.
