November 2015 Moms

Road tripping while pregnant

Hi Ladies, I am hoping for some advice. I will be driving cross country with my husband at the end of June, I'll be about 20W along, and I am wondering if I should prepare anything special for the trip? I'm assuming stops will be more frequent, and I'll have to stretch regularly, but I'm not sure what else to be prepared for. If you've done a long road trip or maybe moved cross country while pregnant I would love to get your thoughts/advice or experiences. *From a health perspective, I have the green light to take the trip.

Re: Road tripping while pregnant

  • I have pretty much stuck to the east coast throughout my life, so not much advice.  Perhaps bring a little extra lotion for the times when you're in more arid climates? 
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  • Not sure how much driving you plan to do each day, but I'll have an 8.5hr drive each way when I'm 25w 4d and 26w 1d pregnant. I talked to a dr and he told me to stop every 2-3hrs and take a 10-15min walk.
  • FalchasFalchas member
    I love road trips.  I've done cross country (not pregnant) twice and loved it.  Those are some of the great pre-kid memories I have of just me and my husband.  I live about 15 hours from my parents, so we take that car trip at least once a year, and will be doing it when I'm about 7 months.  The  things I can think of for long car trips while pregnant are ice packs in your (fully loaded) snack cooler.  Sitting for long periods puts a lot stress on muscles, especially in your back.  You might need some extra relief at the end of a long driving day.  And bring your own pillows.  Even if you're staying in hotels or friends house, no one has as good a pillow as you want when you're pregnant. Worth the extra space.  Have a blast, I'm jealous!
  • I took one in April during first tri (MT to OH and back), I'm leaving for my second one in a few days (MT to TX) and will be taking a 3rd one (FL to OH) in July around 25 weeks. I get around :)

    Anyways, I think you mentioned the main things. Stop often and stretch your legs, but your bladder will dictate a lot of the stops. Bring a pillow or something in case you start getting uncomfortable on long days. Despite the urge to not drink a lot due to stopping, still make sure you stay hydrated. Snacks to keep you happy along the way between meals are good too.
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  • Toilet paper for any side of the road pee emergencies! Zantac for heartburn, a cooler filled with drinks and snacks. A pillow and blanket incase you want to nap, hair tie for pulling your hair up, wet wipes,
  • Sun glasses and a sun hat
  • Everything they said and compression socks for when you're sitting.
    I notice swelling when it sit in the car for more than a few hours. The socks help. So do stops to walk around and stretch.
  • @oilfieldmomma took everything out of my mouth! My husband and I drove from here (Wisconsin) to Yellowstone last summer and that is all the stuff we brought! Make sure you have some good tunes to set the mood too. Music made the trip fun. Have a great trip! :)

      FTM due 11/06/2015
    Married 09/21/2013
  • Last pregnancy I drove NE to MD at 20 weeks. It was tough on the tailbone but we did it in 2 days so lots of driving. Bring lots of snacks, pillows (to sit on and help position you), a blanket and tons of water. We stopped about every 2 hours based on my bladder and I always took a 10-15 minute walk. Good luck and hope it's lots of fun!
  • lopezalonsolopezalonso member
    edited May 2015
    I agree with PP's about the compression socks, emergency toilet paper (I like baby wipes as they're multifunctional), a pillow, comfortable clothes, music, and LOTS OF SNACKS!!
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  • I will be making a 16 hour trip at the end of the week. The only thing I have to add is hand sanitizer! (Can't stand questionable bathrooms!!)
  • FilbertTreeFilbertTree member
    edited May 2015
    I have nothing useful to add...however I will be sitting over here being all jealous of all of the road trips. We did a crazy ridiculous 9500 mile trip around the US (and Ontario!) when kiddo1.0 was just 2. That was oodles of fun (side note: visiting the Meteor Crater and Grand Canyon in one day with a rebellious toddler in tow is a little.bit.stressful) . Can someone take me with them on their road trip please? I still have 20 more states to check off the list....

    Edit: mints, ginger ale, anti-nausea bands...whatever makes you feel like you're not going to barf. I dont know about you, but I'm feeling car-sick a whole lot more often at the moment, especially as a passenger.
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