Tips for Traveling While Pregnant
If you’ve been following my journey over the past few years, you know that I love traveling while pregnant. Everyone is so thoughtful and accommodating to pregnant women that I’ve considered putting a pillow under my shirt for any post baby bump travel. Tips for Traveling While Pregnant
I’ve traveled a lot throughout this pregnancy- possibly more than the last one. We’ve been to Palm Beach, Mexico (multiple times), Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Roatan, Barbados, Jamaica and Grey County, Ontario over the past nine months. It hasn’t all been pretty – the first trimester I was so nauseous and ill that my adventures were full of trips to the bathroom, consuming lots of bread and naps. By the end of our final trip (32 weeks in), I was waddling on sore hips BUT very content soaking up the beautiful Caribbean sun from my seaside beach chair. Tips for Traveling While Pregnant
The ideal time to travel pregnant is in the second trimester but know that you can fly up to 31 weeks. After that, most airlines will not let you board a plane for health & safety reasons. I get it: I wouldn’t want to give birth on a plane somewhere over the Midwest. Not my ideal birth plan.
Talk To Your Doctor
When planning to travel pregnant, it’s important to make sure you have taken precautions to mitigate any risk for you and the baby. Make good decisions about destinations (maybe don’t go to countries with Malaria issues), the amount of activity you will participate in (for example, I would not hike a mountain at 30 weeks pregnant) and choose a place that has good medical care should you need it. Before you book anything, talk to your doctor about the above, their recommendations and make sure you are safe to travel.
Double Check What Your Travel Insurance Covers
Travel insurance (that includes Medical) does not cover everything (such as a child born during a trip) so it is important to know the conditions and limitations of your policy. For example, benefits are not payable for costs incurred due to, contributed to by, or resulting from:
- a) routine pre-natal or post-natal care; or
b) pregnancy, childbirth, or complications thereof after the 31stweek of pregnancy; or
c) high-risk pregnancy.
So you can’t pop into a hospital for your 20-week gender scan while in Costa Rica but if you read your policy, you can get a good sense of the many other things you are covered for.
Saying that, when I couldn’t feel my baby move at 27 weeks, I went to the nearest Fort Myers, Florida hospital to make sure everything was okay. Luckily, the baby was fine, the nurses were supportive and loving, and my travel insurance covered the entire experience. Without travel insurance, I would be looking at a bill upward of $5000 US. Peace of mind would’ve been out of my price range. You can read all about that nightmare here.
Book The Upgrades
You are about to be a Mother. That means for the foreseeable future you can kiss a good night sleep, peace and quiet and not using the word ‘poop’ regularly, good bye. You will now exist on coffee and wonder how ‘Harper’s mum’ manages to make it out of the house without food in her hair.
Take this pregnant travel time to indulge in all the things that make you happy: Book the ocean view room, order room service, indulge in the pregnancy massage AND the facial, eat only dessert and opt for the hotel with poolside service. Enjoy people opening doors for you, putting extra cushions on your share and giving you the second helping because you are ‘eating for two.’ Be selfish because as once you are officially a mama, it is no longer about you.
Provided you have done your research, covered yourself with the appropriate travel insurance plan and you are ready to relax, rejuvenate and enjoy some pre-baby fun. I think you can handle that.
(Again, always check with your doctor before hopping on a plane while pregnant)
With a presence in 36 countries, Allianz Global Assistance has been helping Canadians safely explore the world for 30 years. Their goal is to make your travel insurance experience simple from end to end, so you can focus on enjoying your next adventure.
Check out their featured travel insurance plans designed for Canadian residents and Visitors to Canada, or browse their site to learn more about travel insurance and other available plan options provided by Allianz Global Assistance.
Disclaimer: I am a brand ambassador for Allianz Global Assistance (Canada) and receive financial compensation.