TRAVELING WHILE PREGNANT

I started this blog in May....

Today is  Aug 11. So about 3 months ago a little less. In that time I have done a fair amount of traveling to a few different places. I have been pregnant the whole time. I did not plan it this way, but as I get bigger and bigger I realized maybe a short blog entry with some traveling while pregnant suggestions could help!

It is totally summer time and my home base is South Florida. This leads me to my first set of suggestions about traveling while pregnant....

Try to travel during the second trimester! I know if your going to travel you probably want to do it before you really start to show.... The problem with this is that the first trimester can be rough. If you are lucky enough to feel great go for it! But most of us have some type of nagging ugly pregnancy symptoms in the first 12 - 14 weeks of pregnancy. This is why I suggest traveling in the second trimester. You are still not to big to move and you get that pregnancy glow accompanied by a cute belly that people whisper about lol.

This is totally a prego pic! 5 or 6 months big shirt maternity shorts and good to go!

In my second trimester I went to Disney World. We had an amazing trip! There were some things I couldn't do but because it's Disney and mostly everything is family oriented it is actually a great place to go while you are pregnant. It was super hot though! We took afternoon naps everyday and made sure to bring plenty of water. Other than that we took breaks when ever I needed one and me and the little one skipped a few big rides. It was like I wasn't even pregnant!

If you have to travel during your third trimester try not to travel to a place hotter than what you are used to. Sounds crazy I know but unless you plan on being in the pool almost the whole time really it's tough to be in a hot place while you are already so much hotter than normal. It just makes it so much less enjoyable. If it's winter I say have at it go where you want but if it's summer please be careful especially in that third trimester.

I have not flown while pregnant so I can not comment on that. I can say that for car trips bring lots of snacks and again drinks. Healthy snacks if possible it is harder to eat right while on vacation and if you bring healthy snacks it helps a lot. Stop to pee!!!! This one is super important, as a pregnant lady you are already uncomfortable don't make yourself more uncomfortable by not stopping to pee.

Again if you are traveling during the winter it is a lot easier as the cool weather already keeps you more comfortable. I hope your third trimester is in the winter! My first two were, this third one has been quite an experience dealing with the South Florida heat while 8 months pregnant and I live here! I can't imagine coming to visit and not being used to the heat!

At seven months we took a staycation and I can tell you it was pretty awesome. While I was big it was still fun. We chose a hotel right on the beach. This is important as you have the ability to go right back to the a/c immediately if needed. Another great travel idea late in a summer pregnancy is anywhere with a great pool. Even now when I'm not feeling good and I'm hot even in the a/c the pool manages to bring my body temperature down and make me feel like I weigh 15 lbs less... it's a win win.

So in conclusion, first trimester travel really depends on how lucky you are with your initial symptoms.

Second trimester is a go! Have a blast this really does tend to be the best time in pregnancy. Stay hydrated, bring plenty of snacks, a lot of walking should not be a problem, and you are generally happy during these months. Bring several changes of clothes especially underwear and socks.

Third trimester... use caution. This can be a great time or a troublesome time. Swollen ankles can lead to a miserable trip so don't plan anything with to much walking at this point. As always stay hydrated. If it's summer try to make it a trip with lots of swimming and a/c involved. If it's winter not to worry just don't exert yourself to much more than you are used to.

Other than that have fun. Being pregnant is not to much different than how you are normally. If you are normally fit you should stay that way during pregnancy. If you are normally sedentary pregnancy is not the time to start a high paced workout routine so you to should be able to do about the same as before. Just remember to rest and hydrate!