Some pregnant women travel without any issues at all, for some every time they are in a car it’s a problem.

I had terrible sickness during my pregnancies, something which worsened with each pregnancy. Often, being sick was triggered by smells, as my sense of smell went into overdrive when I was pregnant.

By the time I was pregnant with my forth baby I was having to stop on the side of the road to be sick on the school run in the mornings, and on longer journeys, a driving by a smelly factory ended with me vomiting into a carrier bag. Not the best experience.

Aside from the sickness, I was generally better when I was driving. I found being a passenger much more uncomfortable as my pregnancies reached the third trimester. We can’t all rent a limo for safe travel to Lubbock now can we?

Despite these issues, I was never put off going anywhere, I just had to give it a bit more thought. If you’ve already spent time and money playing cute themed slots and watching cat videos on the internet (I’m still not sure why that is actually a thing!) it’s time for a change of scene. Here are a few tips:

Speak with your midwife

Different women have different ways of coping up with their pregnancy. So the best way to know if you are okay to travel or not, is asking your midwife. Speak to them and let them know your plans. They will have their own tips and advice which may help you.

Stretch as often as possible

Give yourself enough time to stretch and relax. If you are expecting a 6 or more hour drive, make sure that you have scheduled pit stops. You may want to look at the map and decide which places you can stop by to stretch and have a little walk around.

Pack a healthy snack

To avoid buying fast food, pack your own snack. Make sure that the snack you will prepare is enough to keep you hydrated and full during the entire travel time. Pregnant can bring on sudden hunger, so having snacks to hand is always useful. I used to carry flapjacks everywhere when I was pregnant. This can also sometimes help to reduce sickness.

Bring a comfortable pillow and headrest

A pillow and a headrest will allow you to sleep comfortably even when on the road. Make sure that the pillow or headrest is comfortable enough for you to sleep or rest.

Sometimes it can help to wedge one behind you, or between your kness for extra comfort.

Travel on your second semester

As previously discussed, pregnancy is different from one woman to another but generally, 14 to 28 weeks are the safest time to travel. If you are planning for a long drive, it is highly recommended that you consider these dates.