Going on vacation with a baby bump? Travel tips for pregnant women

First time expectant mothers seemingly have this tendency to go on vacation, just with their significant others, while they still can. Given the fact that it is a lot more tricky to travel with babies and toddlers (but at the same time, by no means impossible I have certainly done it without too much trouble!) this is quite logical. But if you are already heavily pregnant there are also a few things you might want to take into account to make your vacation more enjoyable.

Here are some travel tips for pregnant women.

1) Make sure that the actual journey to your destination is the shortest one around. Before getting pregnant, I didn't mind traveling by bus, train or plane, and I often chose the cheapest flights, even if they involved several stops, and changing airplanes. Your pregnancy vacation is supposed to be as much fun as possible, and you want to spend your time enjoying yourself, not sitting in a cramped airplane seat longer than necessary. If you can afford it, fly first class! They have more leg (and bump) room there.

2) Don't go camping, even if you enjoy it normally. Walking around with a huge bump is not a good combination with setting up a tent. Watching your partner struggle to do it by himself is no fun either. Just get a hotel!

3) For the journey itself, take a change of clothes, or even two, in your hand luggage, especially if you are in your first trimester. Air travel, or any other kind of travel, can provoke full-on episodes of pregnancy sickness very easily, and the last thing you want is walking around with smelly, vomited-on clothes for hours on end. Not charming, and not nice.

4) If you are going to some kind of holiday resort, check that they have a great massage facility with professionals who can massage pregnant women too. Getting a massage is always a wonderful way to pamper yourself, but while you are expecting a baby, it is almost a must!

5) Look into the healthcare system of the country or area you are visiting. Should you need sudden medical assistance, where would you turn? Do you need to take prenatal records or insurance documents with you? Can you get hold of phone numbers of doctors to call? The chances are slim you will need to get medical help while you are on vacation, but having the right information can always come in handy, especially for expectant mothers.