Driving During Pregnancy: The Quick Do’s and Don’ts

When you are pregnant, everyday things you do suddenly brings up questions:

Is this safe?
Will this be healthy for my baby?
Can I still participate in this activity?

Many women become curious about the safety of driving during pregnancy.

For good cause too. We’ve written about risks and possible injuries that can occur if a pregnant women is involved in a car crash.

For your convenience we wanted to provide you with a quick list of do’s and don’ts. As always, check with your doctor if you are unsure about any activity. Be aware, not all doctors are informed on all the aspects of this serious topic.

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN DRIVING DURING PREGNANCY
DO continue driving while you are pregnant, assuming you are not under any restrictions from your doctor.

BUT DON’T drive when you are tired or feeling nauseous. Pregnancy hormones can play a number on you, making you feel extra sleepy or ill, like any sleepy driver on the road, this is unsafe.

DO opt to be the passenger whenever possible.

And DO take plenty of breaks if you are on a long trip and get out to stretch your legs — and use the bathroom, you’ll probably have to anyway.

DO adjust your seat so your belly is not too close to the steering wheel (10″ away if possible) and DO tilt the steering wheel up so it’s not pointed directly at your belly.

DO use a seat belt. Some moms-to-be worry about the possibility of the seat belt injuring the unborn baby in a car crash, but not wearing one greatly increases the chances of injury to both you and baby. The recommended position is the lap belt as low as possible and the shoulder belt mid-shoulder/mid-chest. For optimum positioning, use a Tummy Shield to redirect the seat belt to the upper legs/pelvis.

CLOSE TO YOUR DUE DATE?
DO stay within a short driving distance of home or the hospital.

DO put a towel on your seat, if you worry about going into labor and your water breaking.

DON’T drive if you are in labor. Talk about distracted driving! And we all know how dangerous that can be.

DO keep a cell phone in the car in case you need to pull over and call for help, especially if you are going into labor. Remember don’t drive during labor so pull over and call for a ride.