ALT-1 Driving Safety Tips for Pregnant Women
You go to work, you exercise, you care for your family, so of course you’re going to be driving. No one is suggesting that you shouldn’t but it’s important that you take certain precautions for your safety and that of the baby.
1. Be protected. That means always wearing a seatbelt. In the first trimester, you’ll be able to buckle up as always. As your size increases, you’ll want to wear your seat belt lower below the baby. You can also get seat belt extenders and pads that slip onto the chest belt to prevent friction against sensitive skin. Most important, never disconnect the airbag! It’s totally false to believe that more harm can come from a deployed air bag than from being in a crash without one. What you can do is move your seat back a little so that the force from an airbag would not be as great. Most modern cars have steering wheels that tilt giving you a larger area between you and the wheel. Your baby is protected inside of you in a cushion of water, but it’s up to you to keep it safe by using your seatbelt and airbag.
2. Make sure your car is in excellent running order. While having a flat tire in the desert or running out of gas might have been an adventure in your teen years, it’s no laughing matter now. You need a dependable vehicle that will get you where you need to be without any breakdowns. Along with making sure your gas tank is full, always carry a cell phone so that you can call for help in case of a roadside emergency. You do not want to be trekking down the highway to the nearest gas station.
3. Carry emergency supplies. In addition to the cell phone, have bottled water and snacks in case you’re tied up in traffic. Blood sugar can vacillate in pregnant women and if you find yourself feeling faint on the road, you need to eat something right away. You’ll also need to tell your doctor what happened. On the other end of the eating and drinking cycle, you may even want to carry some sort of disposable cup that you could urinate in if you’re were stuck in gridlock. Nobody likes to think of that possibility, but with today’s crowded freeways and highways, it could happen anywhere.
4. Be sensible about where you go. Driving all night on a desolate road to visit relatives doesn’t make good sense. If you’re driving alone, limit your driving to well-traveled roads in good weather. Better yet, take a friend with you.
5. Don’t push your luck. First time moms have no idea if their babies will be early or late. Some don’t even recognize the earliest signs of labor. Unless, you’ve been to the doctor in the last 24 hours, you don’t know if you’ve started to dilate. The bottom line is that you need to be careful. In the last weeks of pregnancy, don’t go far from home.. One other little bit of advice is to put a towel under you in case your water breaks – it’s a hard stain to get out of fabric.
6. Be connected. In addition to having a number where you can reach your husband, you should carry your doctor’s phone number with you. If you’re already a mom, be sure to carry the number of a friend or relative who go get your kids at school and stay with them.
7. Take frequent breaks. It’s not good for anyone to drive for extended periods of times without stretching their legs. It’s especially dangerous in pregnancy, a time when you are more prone to blood clots.
With just a little bit of caution and planning, you can continue to drive as long as you feel like it. Just try not to become distracted by admiring your newly-installed baby car seat in the back seat. Very soon, it will be occupied.
