Traveling by car during pregnancy is not a risky business, if you are taking the required precautions for it. Your baby is quite safe while he or she is tucked inside your belly – but when it comes to the necessary protection during vehicular travel, it is your duty as a mother to provide both yourself and the life growing inside of you the required amount of insulation you need to be safe.
Imagine if you get into an accident, no matter how small it might be – and somehow your baby gets hurt – you will never be able to forgive yourself and the guilt will eat away at you, piece by piece. In order to bypass the hazards that we can – while we still can, here are a few tips you could follow as a pregnant mother while being on the road in a vehicle, because you are your baby’s first protector.
Always be the passenger
As your baby starts growing in the womb, your uterus swells by each passing day – any kid with the basic idea of pregnancy can tell you that. If you really are aware of the fact that your uterus will finally grow into a certain size that could be easily hurt even in case of the most minor accident – if you are in the driver’s seat- then you will think twice before taking the steering wheel.
As your belly grows, it will become closer and closer to the steering wheel, while in driving position. And in that case, it could easily be squished if you are involved even in the smallest of mishaps on the road. Does that seem worth it? Ultimately, its your call. Be the passenger, be safe.
Make sure you buckle up correctly
When you are pregnant, it is important that you buckle up while riding. If your car faces even the tiniest of the jerks, you will be safely held in position. And if you are safe, the baby is also safe.
The shoulder portion of the seatbelt should be positioned above your collarbone, that is, between the arm and the neck, and the lap portion should be laid as low as possible – preferably over the thigh but never upon or over the baby bump. The shoulder strap should be running across your chest, but never on your arm or your back. And remember to lock the seat belt in a tight manner.
Do not lean forward
When inside the car, and it is moving, avoid leaning forward. It is possible that you might feel uncomfortable, being pregnant and chained by the seat belt, and honestly you are not the only one who has ever had an intense barf reflex at that point.
If you want, you can loosen up the seatbelt a little and sit back for a bit of air and comfort. In cases of accidents and crashes, leaning forward may result in grave injuries for both the mother and the baby. Also, if you make an effort to lean backwards throughout the ride, in cases of a disaster the airbags will be able to deploy in the correct manner.
Make a conscious effort to be away from the steering wheel
Even if for unforseen circumstances you do have to drive, make sure you are maintaining a safe distance between the steering wheel and the belly. Make that there is the distance of at least 10 inches between you and the steering wheel, roughly the size of a notebook paper.
Also, when you are seated in a comfortable manner, make sure you tilt the steering wheel away from the direction of your belly and to your breastbone. And the seat is also pushed backwards, so that no possible collision could happen if even if you hit a nasty road bump.
Be sure to wear a shoulder-lap belt, instead of just the lap one
When you are in the driving seat, make sure you are wearing a shoulder lap belt across your body for optimum protection, instead of just a lap belt. It shouldn’t really matter if you are indeed the driver or the passenger, all that matters is you do everything you can to protect yourself in a situation that could possibly endanger both your lives.
The safest seat while traveling in a car is perhaps the middle seat in the back, or the central-rear in a van. In case that seat contains a shoulder-lap belt, you should always try to get on that.
Immediately call the doctor without fail in case of an emergency
If you face a situation that you feel could be the slightest bit detrimental to the health of you and your baby, you need to call the doctor – even if it was a rough fender bender or a speed bump.
You will know when its bad, and even if its not – you need your doctor to check it out for you. In any case, keep your doctor on speed dial, you never know when you could need his or her services. And in case of a real accidental emergency – that could actually come up as a boon.
Drive safely
This one is a no-brainer. When you are a mother it is quite expected that your inner protective instinct will take over! And you will do anything and everything in your power to ensure that the little life growing inside of you doesn’t come under any harm. And a part of that responsibility includes making sure that you are following every rule in the driving book with acute seriousness. Also, follow the traffic rules diligently and if possible, avoid driving longer distances.
Pregnancy just doesn’t mean that your body is changing, your mindset is also going to undergo a lot of unprecedented changes. All that happens because you would realize that you are doing everything for two now, and all your actions ultimately reflect upon that life growing inside your belly. And that action includes taking effective safety measures during riding a car to make sure that your baby’s well being and protection are jeopardized at no cost.