Traveling While Pregnant: Your First Trimester Checklist
In your first trimester, you would assume that traveling is at its most straightforward point of pregnancy.
Not true!
Traveling in your first trimester requires a checklist. I love to travel and my biggest fear throughout my pregnancy was that I wouldn’t be able to travel as I did before.
My fear was having to completely slow down and change when and how I traveled which made me feel super anxious about the idea of how I could live my best travel life and still enjoy my pregnancy.
After researching and going through my first trimester of pregnancy I created a checklist that made it easier to know exactly what I needed and when I needed it while traveling short and long-haul trips.
If you are in your first trimester and planning a trip this blog post is for you!
prenatal vitamins
water
hospital check
comfy shoes & accessories
1. Water
You’ve probably heard me talk about our good friend H20 on several occasions when looking at the must-haves throughout your pregnancy.
The truth is, being pregnant requires you to have a reasonable amount of water every day.
I didn’t experience the effects of dehydration until my third trimester when my Braxton Hicks became an everyday thing. Although drinking multiple bottles of water, every time I went in to see my OB I was told:
“Not only are you having Braxton Hicks you are also very dehydrated.”
I was drinking at least 6 16 ounces a day but somehow, was still dehydrated?
#GoFigure.
While traveling and even when you have reached your destination, it is essential to have a few bottles of water handy to make sure you and your baby are very well hydrated.
To inspire me to drink water even more, I loved adding fruit to my water, or drinking out a cool bottle to make me feel like I was drinking something a little more fancy. Truth is, visualizing cocktail while drinking a big glass of water was a big help!
2. Comfy Cute
One of the most essential tips I can provide you with during pregnancy is Comfy Is Cute.
As someone who loves to try their best to keep up with themselves, I was so worried on how I would be “cute”, throughout my pregnancy but also be comfortable.
Throughout your first trimester this honestly isn’t much of a challenge but as that bump grows, the need for bigger, more comfortable clothes becomes real!
More on that when we look at your “third trimester travel checklist”.
For now, as you travel make sure you have a pair of flat, comfortable shoes that allows you to get around easy, comfortably, and while looking cute.
Boots were my go-to in the winter periods, but there are a ton of cute and comfortable sandals for the warmer months, that can allow you to be just as comfortable and cute as boots do.
3. Local hospital Check
Knowing your surroundings are important as a woman. Knowing the closest hospital to your location is vital. When traveling in your first trimester, it may not “feel like” you’re pregnant but you are. You want to treat every trimester as delicate and important as the other trimester.
Make sure before you choose your hotel you know exactly how far you are from a local hospital.
We can always hope we never need that information, but I promise you it is always good to know!
4. Prenatal Vitamins
No matter what stage of pregnancy you are in, you never want to leave your prenatal vitamins at home. Make sure you have them packed. When traveling in your first trimester it’s still easy to carry a small extra bag on you. Use that extra small cute bag as an accessory to also pack your prenatal’s and any other additional vitamins you are taking to keep both yourself and your baby healthy.
5. Compression Socks
Compression stockings are a useful way to improve the blood circulation in your legs. These special stockings will gently squeeze them, allowing blood to move freely up your limbs.
If you don’t typically have an issue with swelling or varicose veins, you may only want to wear your compression socks if you know you’re going to be on your feet a lot. But it’s great to have compression socks on hand when traveling since it’s difficult to move around and be as active when you’re flying or driving.
Once you get home and prop your feet up, you can take your compression socks off and enjoy the rest of the night. Just remember to put them back on, in the morning—your feet will thank you!
