You selected a pregnancy test that showed promise. You had a visit with your doctor. And since “What to Expect When You Are Expecting” seems like required reading, you picked up a copy of it. Do not worry if you have not bought it yet; someone will take care of it for you. I think during my first pregnancy, I got three copies of it.
In any case, you’ve entered Mama style.
You wish to protect this small bean that is cooking in your toaster. You are reading all of the dos and don’ts of maternity.
How about working when expecting a child? Are you able to buckle up? Could you continue? Or can you just start moving anywhere? Is it possible for you to start working from home and have everything delivered to you directly?
Being pregnant does not imply that you have to give up on leading a normal life. Most pregnant women continue working until very late; the errands will not wait for fourteen months, even if you are not working outside the home. These days, a lot of things need driving.
However, driving is clearly unsafe, especially for a woman who is pregnant.
DRIVING WHILE PREGNANT
You may have already read the studies showing that pregnant women are somewhat more likely than their friends who are not pregnant to be involved in an accident. Could this be due to the fact that many of them are feeling fatigued, queasy, lightheaded, or distracted? You may have read about the figures of pregnant girls involved in wrecks each year, which range from 32,800 [CDC] to 170,000 [University of Michigan research]. You may have heard that during pregnancy, car accidents are the leading cause of fatalities and serious injuries.
Unless you are rushed to the hospital, it is unlikely that you will be able to stay at home today (or even have a home entrance). Furthermore, although walking can be effective anywhere, it really only works up until you are so tired that you need to stop every one to five hours to take all the breaks you want. What is a girl to do, though?
TIPS FOR SAFER DRIVING WHILE PREGNANT
Driving safely while pregnant is possible, especially if you use these precautions. But if you can, try to drive as little as possible while you are still pregnant. You have to exert greater effort as your due date draws closer. As you go into labor, you most definitely do not want to work on the streets.
Here are some suggestions for driving safely while pregnant and protecting the unborn child growing inside of you:
BEFORE YOU DRIVE
1. Prepare yourself for breakdowns and crises.
On the street, you have to be prepared at all times, but especially when you are expecting. Purchasing a crisis and first aid kit for your car is a great idea. You should also include items like a flashlight, a blanket to keep warm in the event of an emergency, a rechargeable battery charger (to ensure you can contact roadside assistance like Towing San Jose), a couple of snacks, and water to ensure you do not get too hot from the electricity should you have to wait for repairs.
2. Measure the way you’re feeling.
As I previously stated, fatigue, nausea, inattentiveness, etc. are likely contributing factors to the rise in mishaps among senior women. Make sure you are feeling well before leaving. If you have any of these symptoms, ask someone else to push through or reschedule your trip until you feel better. Take a bite to eat, sip some water, and then take a moment to assess your specific feelings. Do you feel alert at all? Have you received more notice? Go and secure your travel if that is the case.
Now is the time to feed your own system to get through the stay. Bring snacks and drinks when you cross the street. Maintaining your fluid intake can keep you focused and energetic. Continue drinking small amounts of fruit-filtered water to make sure you stay hydrated while out on the town. It goes without saying that while this could make you want to stop longer, it sure beats being exhausted!
3. Plan regular breaks.
Your body will function differently when you are pregnant. Therefore, you should adjust to these changes, especially when driving. If you plan to spend several hours in the car, stop and give yourself a little extra stretch. (This is an excellent excuse to use the restroom.). Your blood pressure will rise, you will feel more satisfied, and your ability to swell will decrease.
Make sure to prepare these and allow for more fracture space than you would typically do. Add ten to fifteen minutes to your shorter travels, and allow extra time for longer road trips. Make sure you eat until you get to the street, and keep a protein bar or other healthy snack handy as well.
Making plenty of time for your trip in advance will also allow you to drive more safely and avoid common car collision causes like speeding and distracted driving. A GPS app could help you maintain composure while driving if you have to venture into unfamiliar territory. (We especially like Waze because it is a nice reminder substitute included with this program. Parents will find it useful.)
4. Cut the distractions.
You already have plenty going on in your thoughts and body as it is; you do not need any more distractions when you feel compelled. Give your radio and cell phone the attention they deserve when driving. Of course, this information also applies to non-pregnant women.
In bad weather or during periods of heavy traffic, exercise extra caution or refrain from pushing.
5. Eliminate additional layers.
Coats may cause the seat belt to become misaligned. Additionally, if you are too hot, it could distract you and cause discomfort. Additionally, coats may restrict your freedom of movement when operating a vehicle.
ALSO READ: Healthy Tips During Pregnancy
POSITION IN THE VEHICLE
6. Make a passenger.
Avoid driving whenever possible, especially as your pregnancy goes on and your belly becomes more and more pronounced against the steering wheel. Selecting a seat removes an additional element from this collision equation. Even better, take the back seat. Because it is the strongest seat in the car, CPS technicians advise placing a baby in a car seat whenever possible. However, this is only recommended if the lap-shoulder belt is used.
7. Position yourself much back in the steering wheel or airbag.
Move your chair back as far as comfortable when you have to be the driver. Try to position yourself such that the steering wheel and your breastbone are at least 10 inches apart. Pedal extenders that are available aftermarket might help you move further away from your steering wheel. Even if it is only 3 inches, there will be a lot of space in a crash.
Make sure you also adjust your mirrors to the position of your chair.
Even so, you should recline your chair as far back as possible while you are a passenger to lessen your chance of colliding with an airbag. Applying for this secondary restraint program is safe to do while pregnant, but it will take around 200 miles, and the passenger airbag cannot be angled. We want to minimize any impact on your pregnancy that it may have.
8. Tilt the steering wheel
On the other hand, you might be able to deceive the driver’s side airbag. To ensure that you are not directly hit by a driver’s airbag should it deploy, try to tilt the steering wheel in the direction of your breastbone rather than your stomach.
BUCKLING UP
9. Utilize a lap-shoulder belt.
Make sure you buckle up a lap-shoulder belt, not just a lap belt, whether you are driving or a passenger.
10. Buckle up properly.
Pregnant women should wear their safety belts correctly, with the lap portion “beneath” (as low as feasible) and over the upper thighs and hip straps, not over or above, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) advises. (I honestly do not know about you, but when I woke up while I was pregnant, there was not anything “below” the stomach. I was unable to keep the seat belt in its low position.) Make sure the security belt is comfortable. Additionally, make sure the shoulder strap fits between your breasts and over your chest. Never again place it behind your back beneath your arm.
11. Utilize a Tummy Shield.
The more you drive, the more important it is to wear a seat belt. Wearing the seat belt, though, could become a struggle because your tummy keeps expanding.
Although there are other items on the market that promise to increase security or comfort, only one has undergone crash testing and safely lubricates the seat belt completely away from the growing fetus. The results of crash testing show that the Tummy Shield protects the girl’s stomach from potential danger by extending the seat belt across the belly, while also simplifying the girl in the same way as just the seat belt. (The seat belt will descend from the thoracic region onto the infant in the uterus, regardless of how low the girl keeps it on.).
Consider the stomach shield to be the first car seat for a newborn. You will be able to continue driving without experiencing anxiety or endangering the health of your own unborn child.
12. Airbags and seat straps work collectively.
According to the NHTSA, even if your car has airbags, you should still buckle up for maximum protection. In agreement, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that the benefits of airbags outweigh the risks to a pregnant woman and her unborn child. Just be careful not to rest on the opposite of the airbag storage box in case the negative airbag expands—negative airbags have not been shown to be dangerous to passengers.
TIPS IN THE EVENT YOU ARE IN A CRASH
No matter how minor the occurrence, many paramedics are prepared to transport expectant patients involved in an accident to the hospital. There is always a chance of injury even if you heed all of the advice on driving while pregnant, especially in more serious collisions. Get medical attention right away, regardless of whether you appear to be hurt.
It is possible that your doctor will advise having the baby’s heart rate monitored. Preterm labor might result from trauma from an automobile collision, and chances are you will not be able to see or believe if there are any mishaps involving the embryo.
Pregnant females in crashes with no known injuries are more likely to experience premature labor, according to the CDC. For example, it is possible to experience placental abruption—where the placenta partially or completely exits the uterus before the baby is born—without realizing it, which could allow you to give birth to your child earlier than expected.
Sometimes ladies have a disaster, and everything seems OK. After a few weeks, the expectant mother will experience a miscarriage. Both are occasionally linked, but because of cause and effect, they are frequently not documented, even when they are.
You may enjoy your normal life and drive safely during pregnant if you follow these tips. All you want to do is stay alert, stay awake, and remember to listen to your body. It is much preferable to find another way to move around if you start to feel that driving is not a great idea. You want to undertake activities that seem secure and comfortable when you are pregnant, and driving should be among such activities.