admin You may wonder if flying while pregnant is completely off the table or if there are certain times where you can fly pregnant. Guess what? It is generally completely safe to fly while pregnant up until 36 weeks of gestation. I say “generally” because it is dependent on if you have a healthy pregnancy with no complications. As always, before flying you must check with your OBGYN to get the O.K. to fly as every pregnancy is unique.
I have flown pregnant twice now once with my first son, Luke and just recently while pregnant with my second boy. I wanted to share some tips and advice on things you can do to make flying more comfortable. I will also include all the things you need to fly while your pregnant.
Preparation and knowledge of what to expect is everything. It can cause a lot of anxiety flying pregnant for the first time. But with these tips and my experience of what not to do will hopefully give you that assurance you need to fly stress free.
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Check with your OBGYN on whether you can fly:
The very first thing you want to do is make sure you are safe to fly. Your OB is the best one to tell you if you and baby are healthy enough for flying. In general, if you have no complications then you’ll be able to fly.
If you get the O.K. to fly, the next step would be to ask your doctor if there is anything special they would like you do. Some doctors have things they recommend you do.
Check with your airlines on regulations while flying pregnant:
Some airlines have specific rules for pregnant women. So I would recommend BEFORE purchasing an airline ticket, check with your chosen airlines and make sure they even allow pregnant women to fly. The last thing you want to do is purchase a ticket and not be able to fly.
Some airlines require a doctors note simply stating that you are good to fly so getting a doctors note from your OB before hand is smart to have. I had a note both times. Alaskan Airlines never asked me for one but it was nice to have just in case.
Bring snacks and water:
I learned the hard way on my first flight while pregnant. We were traveling to Hawaii for our baby moon. I was about 27 weeks pregnant. I ate before the flight and I’d figure I would buy lunch during the flight. Come to find out they only had so many options of meals that I could eat while pregnant. They ended up running out so I was left with like nuts to snack on.
I ended up starting the flight out throwing up and didn’t have anything to eat throughout the flight. I ended up throwing up the ENTIRE flight. It was a miserable experience.
>>Tip<< Take a look at the meals your airline offers ahead of time and reserve a meal that way you know they won’t run out and it’s something safe you can eat while pregnant!
SO bring plenty of snacks and water. Staying full and hydrated will hopefully ease the nausea. I was better prepared on the way home and my most recent flight. I ate when I felt sick and kept up on plenty of water.
Bring compression socks to wear:
This is something my OBGYN recommended. Pregnant women are more susceptible to blood clots. The Compression Socks aren’t the cutest but they help with blood flow. I wore mine for both flights and it eased my anxiety tremendously.
Walk/Stretch every hour if possible:
It’s important to get up every hour to get your blood flowing. I was also uncomfortable sitting for long periods at a time on the airplane. Getting up to stretch and walk eased my joints and ultimately made me feel better.
Choose a seat close to the bathrooms and maybe an aisle seat as well:
It’s no secret that you will be getting up to use the restroom a lot. I found that having a seat close to the bathroom was really convenient. I also don’t normally like having an aisle seat but flying while pregnant it was prefect. Knowing I had to go pee frequently and get up to walk often…I didn’t want to bother the person sitting next to me.
Wash hands frequently & use hand sanitizer:
The airplane is full of germs. I ALWAYS seem to catch a small cold after flying. Be sure and wash your hands frequently while using hand sanitizer to prevent germs. Pregnant women are more susceptible to getting colds and that is the LAST thing you want is to get sick while on vacation.
Purchase flight insurance:
It’s so important to purchase insurance as things can happen especially while being pregnant. If you have extreme nausea and just don’t feel up to flying or if some complication happens and you cannot fly, it is nice to have insurance to get your money back.
Dress comfortably:
This is probably a no brainer but it can be hard when you are going somewhere hot or tropical. It may be tempting to look cute. But trust me…you want to be comfortable on the airplane.
I wore Maternity Leggings and an oversized shirt. I brought a zip up hoodie in case the plane was cold. I had no complaints. The leggings were amazing because wearing that seatbelt adds extra pressure so you don’t need tight pants on top of it.
Bring a neck pillow:
I wish I would have had a pillow on the way to Hawaii the first time. I wanted to sleep my nausea away on the first flight but could not get comfortable to save my life. I bought a neck pillow at the Hawaii airport and the trip back was so much better. I was able to get the rest I needed.
That’s it. With these simple tips, flying while pregnant should be no concern at all. I would love to hear any other great tips for expecting mamas that I may have forgotten to include. Comment below. 🙂
