What should pregnant women pay attention to when driving?

Pregnant mothers often have to face many problems during pregnancy, such as prenatal check-ups, baby supplies, etc. Therefore, there are many situations where pregnant women need to drive themselves. Can they drive during pregnancy due to physical changes? Here are some tips for driving during pregnancy.

What should pregnant women pay attention to when driving?

1. Adjust the seat position

Many women are used to adjusting the seat to be particularly forward when driving, and some are used to leaning forward and putting the whole body weight on the steering wheel. This posture is actually incorrect. In particular, the forward leaning posture is easy to produce abdominal pressure, which compresses the uterus of pregnant women. For unstable early pregnancy (within 3 months of pregnancy) and late pregnancy (after 7 months), this posture is more dangerous and can easily cause miscarriage or premature birth.

It is recommended that expectant mothers adjust the seat back to the most comfortable position before driving. It is best to lean your shoulders against the seat back to provide some support for your body. You can also prepare a lumbar cushion to reduce fatigue. Don't get too close to the steering wheel to avoid hitting the steering wheel in the event of a collision.

2. Correct driving posture

Many pregnant women are used to leaning forward when driving, which can easily cause abdominal pressure and uterine compression, especially in the early stages of pregnancy and in the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy, which is most likely to lead to miscarriage or premature birth. When driving during pregnancy, it is best to lean back on the back of the chair to give the body some support, which is beneficial to relieve fatigue. If you prepare a small cushion, the effect will be better. It is best not to drive in a forward-leaning posture to avoid the abdomen being squeezed and collided by the steering wheel. In addition, when driving, the pregnant mother should not be too close to the steering wheel to avoid hitting the steering wheel in the event of a collision, which will have an adverse effect on the fetus.

3. Fasten your seat belt

Some expectant mothers will deliberately not wear seat belts when driving out, because they are worried that the seat belt will squeeze their stomachs and put pressure on the baby. But the fact is just the opposite. Expectant mothers must wear seat belts when driving, because the car will inevitably bump or brake suddenly while driving. If the expectant mother accidentally hits the dashboard, it is easy to endanger the safety of the baby. When the expectant mother wears the seat belt, the shoulder strap of the seat belt should be placed at the position of the shoulder blade, not close to the neck. In addition, the shoulder strap part should pass through the center of the chest, and the waist belt should be placed below the abdomen, not to put pressure on the bulging belly. Of course, the expectant mother's body posture should be as straight as possible to prevent the seat belt from slipping and pressing the baby.

4. Pay attention to road conditions and driving time

Pregnant women are prone to fatigue and drowsiness during pregnancy. If the road conditions are bad or the driving time is too long, it is easy to cause an accident. When pregnant women go out by car, they should avoid emergency braking and emergency turning, and should not drive on the highway. The driving time should not exceed 1 hour. In addition, pregnant women should not drive in a forward-leaning posture to avoid the abdomen being squeezed by the steering wheel or a collision during emergency braking.

5. Don’t drive a new car

The brand new leather and plastic in a new car will emit a pungent chemical smell, which is not good for the development of the fetus, so expectant mothers should not drive a new car.

6. Avoid driving too fast

Pregnant women should avoid emergency braking and emergency steering when driving, because such impact is too strong and may scare pregnant women. Pregnant women should also be careful when driving a new car. Because there may be some odors in a new car, you should open the doors and windows of the car after buying it home to release some chemical odors, and then put some bamboo charcoal, pineapple or wool pads to absorb odors.

7. Don’t set the air conditioner temperature too low

The air conditioning in the car is generally best at 26 degrees Celsius, and it is best not to be lower than this temperature when pregnant women sit in it. If it is not too hot, you can turn off the air conditioning and open the car window to let in natural wind.

8. Avoid wearing high heels

Women should avoid wearing inappropriate shoes when driving, such as slippers, high heels, plastic-soled shoes, etc. It is best to wear sports shoes or cloth shoes. Pregnant women should pay more attention to this issue. Pregnancy may cause edema. Wearing inappropriate shoes such as high heels will not only make them uncomfortable, but also make it difficult to fully depress the clutch in an emergency due to the high heels.

Can pregnant women drive?

Wang Yali, chief physician of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Zhengzhou Central Hospital, said that generally speaking, driving after pregnancy does not have much impact on pregnant women and fetuses. However, if you sit for a long time, it will have an adverse effect on childbirth. At the same time, sitting for a long time will also affect the blood circulation of the lower limbs.

When pregnant women drive in the late stage of pregnancy, the steering wheel can easily hit their stomachs, and it is inconvenient to get in and out of the car. Once an accident occurs, it is easy to damage the stomach and cause placental abruption, which is dangerous for both mother and baby. Therefore, pregnant women in the late stage of pregnancy should drive less. In addition, if it is a new car, the decoration and material smell in the car can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy women. Therefore, pregnant women should not ride or drive new cars. When driving, they should also pay attention to regular ventilation and adjust the distance between the seat and the steering wheel to an appropriate position.

As for the concerns of many expectant mothers about "high mental tension while driving will affect the fetus" and "seat belts will hurt the belly", Wang Yali analyzed that the bulge of a pregnant woman's belly is generally not hurt by the seat belt, and most pregnant women do not drive for a particularly long time to and from work, which will not have a bad effect on the fetus. However, if the mind is in a state of high tension for a long time, it will have a bad effect on the endocrine system of pregnant women, so it is not suitable for expectant mothers to drive long distances. When driving, pregnant women can adjust the seat back, away from the steering wheel, and open the window for ventilation. In addition, you can also play some pleasant music on the road for prenatal education for your baby. But it is best not to drive after 7 months, and it is better to choose to charter a car, carpool or take a taxi.

How to wear seat belt when pregnant woman is driving

In daily life, many pregnant women do not like to wear seat belts when driving or riding in other people's cars. On the one hand, it is inconvenient to wear a seat belt because of their big belly, and on the other hand, they are worried that the seat belt will hurt their abdomen and have adverse effects on the fetus. In fact, pregnant women should wear seat belts more than ordinary people. After all, there are bound to be bumps, brakes, and even accidents during driving. Seat belts can protect expectant mothers and fetuses when necessary.

Relevant experts pointed out that pregnant women should pay attention to the following points when wearing seat belts:

1. Place the seat belt on the shoulder blades instead of close to the neck;

2. The shoulder straps should pass through the center of the chest, and the waist belt should be placed under the abdomen, avoiding the bulging belly;

3. Keep your body upright while driving to prevent the seat belt from slipping and pressing on your abdomen;

4. Adjust the seat position to the most comfortable position. Do not adjust the seat too far forward, and do not lean your center of gravity on the steering wheel when driving, otherwise the uterus will be easily compressed, especially in the early and late stages of pregnancy.

It is recommended that expectant mothers drive correctly, lean their shoulders against the back of the chair to support their body, or prepare a lumbar cushion to reduce driving fatigue. Keep a certain distance between the body and the steering wheel to avoid hitting the steering wheel.