PSA - Travel

mkemommy

I think I mentioned to some of you that I was traveling internationally (to India) in the first trimester and would report back with tips and tricks.  

My first two big ones for travel, especially international travel during the first trimester are:

(1) Bring ALL of the medications you think you might need internationally even if you usually don't have issues with travel (including your prenatal vitamins and OTC meds that are safe during pregnancy for colds, nausea, trouble sleeping, insect bites, stomach upsets, headaches, etc.)...you may not find these in another country and don't want to be left trying to figure out if something local is safe.  If you have a good relationship with your doctor, consider getting prescription drugs you might need (even if you don't need them right now) for long international trips.  My doctor was happy to prescribe nausea meds for me even though I didn't take them (because I could keep food down without them...barely but I could keep it down).  Again, you don't want to be stuck needing something in a place where you can't get it.  Also ask your doctor BEFORE you leave what medications are safe in the event something like an infection or accident should happen to you internationally. The latter I didn't do and trying to deal with a time-zone difference to reach my doctor as well as a language/culture/lack of resources barrier where I was wasn't easy when I developed an infection in India.  Ask for the non-brand name of things like antibiotics that are safe during pregnancy. 

(2) Do NOT forget a copy of your doctor's records for you.  Thankfully I had mine for the doctor I had to visit in India.  

Other tips?  

(3) Compression socks were very helpful.  I ordered THESE from Amazon and they did a good job.  

(4) Get an aisle seat...I normally like to sleep on planes by the window but I was getting up to use the bathroom all the time because...

(5) Drink a TON of water.  Bring your own empty water bottle on the plane and just tell the flight attendant you are pregnant and he/she will gladly fill up the bottle for you.  Drink sealed bottled water only if traveling internationally to a country with water issues, including to brush your teeth with.  I also brought a lot of safe herbal teas from the U.S. as I didn't want to worry about what was/wasn't safe internationally where I might have difficulty reading local labels.  Avoid carbonated beverages on the plane, it will just make the bloat worse, trust me.

(6) Bring snacks, way more than you think you will need.  I'm grateful I did because I was too nauseous half the time to eat anything local.  Snacks saved me...I ended up giving the snacks I didn't eat away to local kids. 

(7) I opted out of the X-Ray scanning machines (doctor didn't tell me to but I figured there was no need to expose myself to anything unnecessary) and everyone was really nice about it, though I certainly got thoroughly searched.  WEAR PANTS/SWEATS to the airport.  If you've never done an "opt-out" before, please know that the person searching you will be running their hands up VERY near your crotch...one hit it actually.  If you aren't wearing pants...your dress/skirt is going to be pulled up and you'll give everyone a show.  Please also make sure to know the word for "pregnant" internationally in places where you aren't sure to find someone who speaks English if you don't speak the local language.  

(8) If your flight is over 8 hours and you can schedule a layover, do it and make sure to do it in a city that has hotels connected directly to the airport.  Even 3-4 hours of laying down is a blessing for a long trip.  

(9) Don't forget the weather where you are traveling...it is winter here in the U.S. where I am but the mosquitoes were still out in force in India when I went.  I got a spray with minimal DEET (a child's spray) per the recommendation of my doctor.  

(10) Get your flu shot if its the right time to do so.  I know this one can be controversial for some but I honestly don't understand why.  You are going to be stuck in a germ infested plane for hours with sick people and germ infested airports with sick people....it just ain't worth the risk.

(11) Go with the flow and rest, rest, rest when you can. 

That's all I can think of for now.  Any questions ask away....

CopperLane

Thanks for sharing!!! How was your trip? I hope you were able to enjoy it, aside from feeling nauseous.

mkemommy

@copperlane - Happy to help!  I know I was searching the internet for travel tips before I went.  The trip was nice other than the nausea and needing to go to a doctor over there.  It was great to be with H's family and friends in India!  We traveled to a bunch of different cities to catch up with various loved ones in India.  This is also my MIL's first grandchild and she made the baby the CUTEST knit sweater.  I almost started crying.  I was excited to be able to document a lot of the trip in the pregnancy book I picked up before I left.  My MIL wrote an entire page to the baby in Hindi too and getting to share that with her was awesome.  We also went to a wedding over there (H's cousin) and it was a multi-day event and so much fun!  

Knottie86418473

Thanks for the info - glad you enjoyed your trip. Sounds like a great time (other than the nausea/getting sick part)!

MynaBird

Where are they pulling skirts up? In India? I've opted out of the backscatter scanner machines lots of times, sometimes wearing skirts, and I've never had skirts lifted. In the US, TSA isn't allowed to expose you like that. 

Atlast111

mkemommy said:

@copperlane - Happy to help!  I know I was searching the internet for travel tips before I went.  The trip was nice other than the nausea and needing to go to a doctor over there.  It was great to be with H's family and friends in India!  We traveled to a bunch of different cities to catch up with various loved ones in India.  This is also my MIL's first grandchild and she made the baby the CUTEST knit sweater.  I almost started crying.  I was excited to be able to document a lot of the trip in the pregnancy book I picked up before I left.  My MIL wrote an entire page to the baby in Hindi too and getting to share that with her was awesome.  We also went to a wedding over there (H's cousin) and it was a multi-day event and so much fun!  

Sounds amazing. Indian weddings are the best! Had the fortune of going to one in London, very fun day!

LizM61409

The x-ray scanning machines expose you to the amount of radiation that you get with 2 minutes of flight time. If you think that's too much radiation then you shouldn't be flying at all

CopperLane

That sounds like such an amazing trip!! I love that it is so easy for us to travel and see the world, vs if we had lived in the early 20th century.

I had a friend from India and she told me all about her wedding, so I'm really jealous of you for experiencing one.

Earlier this year I went to a wedding in Germany, it's so cool to experience a wedding in a different culture. And I honestly didn't expect their wedding to be very different from an American one, but it was!

mkemommy

MynaBird said:

Where are they pulling skirts up? In India? I've opted out of the backscatter scanner machines lots of times, sometimes wearing skirts, and I've never had skirts lifted. In the US, TSA isn't allowed to expose you like that. 

In the U.S....I guess it will depend on the agent you get but the agent has the right to feel up the entire length of your leg to your crotch area if you opt out.  If your skirt is flowy enough the agent should be able to feel your legs over the skirt but I really wouldn't want to bank on it which is why I recommend wearing pants.  You can always ask for a separate (private) room to do the opt-out pat down too.  

mkemommy

LizM61409 said:

The x-ray scanning machines expose you to the amount of radiation that you get with 2 minutes of flight time. If you think that's too much radiation then you shouldn't be flying at all

I disagree that "I shouldn't be flying at all" if I personally think opting out is the way to go vs the X-Ray machine.  I agree that the X-Ray machines give off a very small amount of radiation, if the machines are operating correctly. I'm not a conspiracy theorist or anything but machines malfunction all the time and, as I have no control over if they are operating correctly, I used what is, to me, a perfectly safe alternative (namely, a pat down).  Like I said in my original post, my doctor didn't advise me to opt out, nor did I ask her about it, because it was just unnecessary for me to go through the X-Ray machine when there was an alternative I felt comfortable with.  The trip, for better or worse, wasn't a completely optional trip.  

MynaBird

TSA absolutely is not allowed to force you to remove or lift clothing in a way that exposes you improperly, even in a private screening. If an agent asks you to do so, request a supervisor. Mobile won't let me paste, but if you go to TSA.gov and select the "Security Screening" page, the section on pat-downs is very clear about that. There's a lot of ineptitude in that agency, so it's good to be well-versed in your rights (including having them printed out or handy on your phone if you think you're going to encounter problems).

mkemommy

@mynabird - Very good advice to print out the rules.  I'm just going based on first-hand experience watching skirts fly up to pretty close to the underwear region at the airport and feeling sorry for those ladies so I just opt for pants whenever I fly.  This could very well be the ineptitude of the agents' work I witnessed, however. 

MynaBird

The inconsistency of training and knowledge among TSA agents makes me ragey. I'm definitely That Passenger who will whip out a printout from TSA.gov and call them on it.

SnowQueen105

I just flew this week and asked to opt out of the back scatter machine. I told them I was pregnant and asked for the xray machine instead (which they were taking everyone under 18 through) and was read 'my rights' and told that I would have to get a pat down. I didn't really mind, as I've been randomly selected for it before. I wear skirts 100% of the time and it's amazing how often I get picked out of the line for this. anyway, I didn't really care, but still felt my feathers slightly ruffled at the manner in which I was treated. I simply made a request, and was then treated as if I had made everyone's day so much harder! As for my skirt going up during the pat down,I always wear comfy maxi skirts when flying, so it wasn't an issue for me. Just my two cents, and I'm sure I'll be experiencing it again when we go home Monday.

umhassoon

MynaBird said:

TSA absolutely is not allowed to force you to remove or lift clothing in a way that exposes you improperly, even in a private screening. If an agent asks you to do so, request a supervisor. Mobile won't let me paste, but if you go to TSA.gov and select the "Security Screening" page, the section on pat-downs is very clear about that. There's a lot of ineptitude in that agency, so it's good to be well-versed in your rights (including having them printed out or handy on your phone if you think you're going to encounter problems).

Thanks for the info! Definitely going to learn my rights!! As an Arab American Muslim I always get the extra special pat down no matter which machine I walk through

MynaBird

@umhassoon That's infuriating. I can't imagine how frustrating that must be. I'm sorry!