5 Things to Pack in Your Travel Bag While Pregnant

You have to change many aspects of your life when you become pregnant, especially if this is your first pregnancy. From childproofing the house to avoiding alcohol, everything you do puts a priority on your baby's health. You also have to contend with the nesting instinct in the second or third trimester, according to The Bump. Get your travel plans in before you decide on a whim to repaint the entire house or organize your living room, so it's colour coordinated from top to bottom. Add these essential pregnancy related items to your travel bag so you aren't caught unprepared:

1. Comfortable shoes. When you're walking around for vacation, you'r risking the chance of your feet swelling up. You don't want to hobble around in heels, no matter how cute they look, so pack a pair of comfortable shoes that provide good support, so that you won't stress or strain your feet. You may get blisters no matter how comfortable the shoes are if your feet swell up, so have a first aid kit on hand with something to relieve the blister pain.

2. Prenatal records. You don't want to be caught flat footed if you feel you need to go to the doctors while on vacation. Keep all of your prenatal records and other medical records on hand so the doctor knows your history. This is especially important if you're going outside of Australia for your trip, as foreign doctors' offices may be unable to retrieve your records easily.

3. Water. It seems like a simple item, but that also makes it a simple item to forget when you're excited about a trip. Baby Center stresses that it's essential to stay hydrated as much as possible. Keeping a handy supply of water with you at all times is a no brainer. Of course, this does unfortunately mean that you're going to need to urinate even more often than pregnancy makes you, but stick close to bathrooms and it won't be too difficult.

4. List of doctors in the location you're visiting. Get a referral from your doctor, if possible, to somewhere in the town you're visiting. You don't want to have to find a doctor at the last minute if something goes wrong, as you might end up having to go to the first Ob/Gyn you find without worrying about the quality. You also want to know where the local hospitals are in case you go into labor unexpectedly. Try not to travel too close to your due date, to cut down on the risk of this happening, unless you're visiting somewhere close to home.

5. Travel Insurance. You have enough on your mind to stress out about, so having to wonder what happens if your travel plans go horribly wrong shouldn't be another stress factor. Picking up travel insurance from Budget Direct or another Australian insurance company gives you the peace of mind to travel without stressing yourself into early labor. Travel insurance covers medical expenses overseas, lost or stolen luggage, out of pocket expenses associated with delayed flights, and other problems that come up during travel.

This article has been written for The Pregnancy Centre by:

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