Preparing for a flight is one thing, but preparing for a flight when you are 8 months pregnant is quite another.
Last week (9.14.16) I went on a flight that was a little over 2 hours. I was a little anxious but I also knew I had taken the right precautions and the flight was short, so I would be fine.
I by no means am an expert, and every pregnant woman’s body is different, but here is a list of things I did to make flying in the 3rd trimester as comfortable as I could.
I made booking an aisle seat a priority.
One thing my doctor shared with me when I entered my 2nd trimester was I needed to make sure I wasn’t sitting still for more then 2 hours. Having an aisle seat meant I could get up to use the bathroom as often as I needed without disturbing anyone and also allowed me to stretch my legs.
I made sure I packed a water bottle.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – water has been my best friend during pregnancy! Even though you can’t bring water through security, I packed an empty water bottle and filled it up at a water fountain when I got through security and was about to board my flight. I also always took the flight attendent up on their offer of a free beverage and got a cup of water on the flight as well. I kept it a priority to stay hydrated.
I made sure I had snacks.
Personally, I didn’t pack much more than some crackers and an energy bar, but knowing that they were handy if I got a little hungry or started feeling “off” was helpful.
I brought some spending money.
Typically, I try not to spend money in airports because I feel like everything is severely overpriced, but I made it a priority to tell myself that if I felt like I needed something to not hesitate to purchase it. I ended up doing this when I felt like my body needed juice, so I purchased a bottle of Orange Juice for the flight. Of course, it took some courage for me to hand over the money it required to purchase it, but I was so thankful to have it on the plane when I unexpectedly started to not feel well. A couple sips later, I felt fine and I know the juice is what perked me up.
I was in a constant state of prayer.
On one of my flights, I suddenly started to not feel good. I had eaten recently and had been drinking water, so I was alarmed as I stood up to go to the restroom and I suddenly had no balance and my surroundings were spinning. Locking the bathroom door behind me, I plopped onto the tiny seat and instantly began to pray that God would heal me and whatever was going on would stop. Eventually, I put my head between my knees and my light-headedness started to disappear. I also splashed some water on my face and neck which helped tremendously. When I had my barrings, I went back to my seat and I was fine for the rest of the trip.
All that to say, any time I felt off or uncertain, I always prayed for peace or healing (or whatever else was going on at the time).
I made sure I had plenty of time.
Y’all, I waddle. I’ve been fighting that word for weeks but I’m at the point now where I’ll just accept it. I’ve got a big belly (and getting bigger) and I definitely walk slower then I did before. Allowing time for me to get from Point A to Point B without feeling rushed was crucial.
Like I said, that is what worked for me, but everyone is different. I am so thankful that my flight went smoothly and I am glad I will not be flying anytime between now and my due date – I don’t know if I could handle that. 😛