Despite all the things you should not do during pregnancy, are you wondering whether you can continue driving during pregnancy? In most instances, yes! You can drive your car even during pregnancy. However, there are some valid concerns about the safety of driving while pregnant. Here's safety tips during pregnancy that you should consider if you put yourself in the driver's seat.
Risks of Driving While Pregnant
The risks associated with driving during pregnancy are strangely higher than when you're not pregnant. There is an increased chance that pregnant women are likely to be involved in a severe car accident during the second trimester of pregnancy compared to non-pregnant women. First and third-trimester risks were similar to non-pregnancy risks.
It is because during the second trimester of pregnancy, calculated by the pregnancy calculator, fatigue, lack of sleep, and other disturbing conditions are common due to the hormones. It involves you paying less attention while driving.
Safety Tips While Driving During Pregnancy
Here are the list of five needful pregnancy tips that you must consider while driving during pregnancy:
- Seat belt safety during pregnancy
You should always wear your seat belt, even if you are not pregnant. Here are some tips to help you feel comfortable and safe using a regular three-point seat belt during pregnancy.
- Place the lap portion of the belt under the stomach and not over it.
- Place the seat as far away from the steering wheel as possible to allow easy access to necessary items such as brakes, gearshift, and headlights.
- It is recommended that you angle the handlebars up so that the bottom of the handlebars is not directly parallel to your abdomen.
- Make sure the shoulder portion of the strap is in the correct position (above the shoulder, below the center of the chest).
- Skip driving if you feel severe nausea
If you are so sick that you can't get off the couch, you shouldn't be in the driver's seat. Ever thought it is scary to sneeze unexpectedly while driving? Unexpected barf is much worse. Nausea is often accompanied by dizziness and lightheadedness, two more things that prohibit driving during pregnancy.
- Sit in a safe position while driving
The seat must be pushed back from the steering wheel so far that you cannot press the brake pedal. To reduce pressure on your right painful thigh, you may need to turn your body to one side partially. No matter what adjustments you make, move until you can sit comfortably. If you don't sit comfortably, the risk of accidents, including loss of life and sudden stops during driving, might increase.
- Plan for frequent stops
It is not safe to sit for long periods of time during pregnancy. Pregnancy puts you at a higher risk of developing deep vein thrombosis (DVT), leading to potentially fatal consequences, including blood clots. The best way to prevent blood clots while driving is to mark an area where you can get outside and stretch your legs at least once an hour. Also, include plenty of rest and staying hydrated in your healthy pregnancy guide.
- Do not drive if your movement is limited due to pregnancy
If you cannot turn around to see your blind spot, you're in trouble if you are driving a car! If you have a large stomach, severe back pain, difficulty looking in the mirror while driving, or are so stiff and clumsy that it is difficult to turn your upper body left and right, you should give up.
Wrapping up,
Driving during pregnancy is safe until you wear your seat belt correctly. There are situations where you may need to delegate the role to someone else or skip the trip. But this is not normal. Once you can sit comfortably and safely on the front seat without worrying about anxiety, illness, or limited mobility, you are ready to go on a trip.
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