Can I drive during pregnancy? When is the best time to drive during pregnancy?

We all know that after a woman becomes pregnant, there will be many things to pay attention to, such as travel. Some women still have to go to work after they become pregnant. They have always driven to work by themselves. So, can they still drive after they become pregnant? Let's take a closer look!

Can I drive when I am pregnant?

During pregnancy, if you have no other physical discomfort, you can drive. Many pregnant women have to drive to and from work.

It is best to drive yourself during the entire pregnancy in the second trimester. As you enter the late pregnancy, your belly gets bigger and bigger. If you accidentally hit the steering wheel, it will easily cause the amniotic fluid to rupture and cause premature birth. In the late pregnancy, the burden on the body will become heavier, so it is not recommended to drive. In the early and late pregnancy, it is better to take a taxi or ask family members to take you there.

When pregnant women are driving, the shoulder straps of the seat belt should be placed on the shoulder blades instead of close to the neck. It is best to pass through the chest. The waist belt should be placed under the abdomen so as not to compress the bulging belly.

How to drive when pregnant?

Early pregnancy

The fetus has just developed and the pregnant mother's belly has not yet bulged. Driving at this time will not have much impact, but everyone's physique is different. In the early stage, many pregnant mothers have pregnancy reactions, nausea and retching, which affect their appetite and are prone to hypoglycemia, dizziness and other symptoms. Therefore, in the early stage of pregnancy, when the mother has some pregnancy reactions, she should pay special attention when driving, do not suffocate herself in the car, open the windows, and keep the air circulating. At the same time, you can prepare some candies, chocolates and other foods around you to avoid hypoglycemia.

Second trimester

At this time, the pregnancy reactions of most pregnant women have disappeared, and their bellies begin to bulge slowly. When driving, the belly will hit the steering wheel. Special attention should be paid when getting in and out of the car to avoid dangerous collisions with the belly. During pregnancy, you must fasten your seat belt in the car. When fastening your seat belt, place the safety rope under the abdomen to avoid squeezing the belly. At the same time, you should adjust your sitting posture and do not maintain a posture for a long time to avoid compression of the lower limbs and poor blood circulation, which may cause symptoms such as numbness of the feet and edema.

Late pregnancy

At this time, the mother's belly is getting bigger and bigger. It is not recommended for pregnant mothers to drive in the late pregnancy unless it is absolutely necessary, because the car seat is no longer suitable for pregnant mothers to sit in, and the seat belt will also tighten the mother's belly. In the late pregnancy, the baby is ready to start at any time, so pregnant mothers should still travel by carpooling, chartering, taxi, etc. to avoid accidents.

What should you pay attention to when driving during pregnancy?

After pregnancy, due to the special physical condition of pregnant women, there are many aspects that need to be paid attention to, and you should pay attention to the driving posture, driving time or speed.

Don't drive during early pregnancy

Driving is something that requires a lot of mental concentration, and pregnant mothers are often in a bad mental state after pregnancy, especially in the early stages of pregnancy. Because of the influence of early pregnancy reactions, even lying down or sitting often makes you feel tired, let alone driving. You can also smell gasoline when driving. For pregnant mothers who have morning sickness in the early stages of pregnancy, if they smell something and want to vomit while driving, it is easy to have an accident. In addition, sleepiness is also a major feature of early pregnancy, and it is easy to fall asleep when driving with high concentration. In addition, in the early stages of pregnancy, the connection between the fetus and the mother is not tight enough, and the bumps during driving may hurt the fetus. Therefore, it is not recommended for pregnant women to drive in the early stages of pregnancy. If you really need to drive, do it in the second trimester.

Remember to wear seat belts when driving

Many pregnant mothers do not like to wear seat belts because of their enlarged abdomens. They feel uncomfortable and are also worried that it will strangle the baby in their belly. In fact, don’t think that you don’t need to wear seat belts when driving because your belly is enlarged. On the contrary, pregnant women should pay more attention to the importance of seat belts when driving, because sudden braking and other situations may occur at any time while driving, and seat belts are a major protective measure to protect the belly from hitting the front. Therefore, seat belts must be worn. The lower end of the seat belt can be wrapped around the lower abdomen, and the upper end of the seat belt can be wrapped around the upper abdomen. If you feel uncomfortable, you can put a small soft pillow between the upper abdomen and the seat belt, which can relieve the discomfort of wearing seat belts.

Watch your speed while driving

Some pregnant mothers are used to driving fast before they are pregnant, but don’t do this after you are pregnant. Pregnant women should try to keep the speed at about 40 miles per hour when driving, because pregnant women are particularly slow in spirit and reaction. If the speed is too fast, if an emergency occurs, they may make wrong operations because they do not have time to react, and the consequences will be very serious. Therefore, the speed should be controlled, so that even if an accident occurs, you can react and make a decision in time, and even if an accident occurs, the slow speed will not be very serious.

Keep some snacks in the car

Pregnant mothers who drive frequently can prepare some snacks in the car, because pregnant women get hungry easily. If they encounter traffic jams on the road while driving, they can eat some snacks to fill their stomachs, maintain physical energy, and prevent dizziness caused by hypoglycemia due to fasting.