Traveling Pregnant
Missy Ryan2.5.19Traveling is so much fun!! The food, the experiences, the anticipation leading right up to the day you are getting ready to take off on the plane.I love every aspect of a vacation. I love traveling with my husband, and I adore doing family trips. I like to think of myself as a well prepared and planned traveler who usually knows what to expect and how to prepare for the good, the bad, and the ugly. It was not until I traveled pregnant that I realized my plan was not a cookie cutter template I can utilize and customize with every trip. Pregnancy mixed with travel takes on a whole new meaning. Of course, everyone is different and rarely are 2 pregnancies the same. Destinations are different, as well as the amount of planning needed and what you will actually exert yourself doing. Small trips are a drop in the bucket, in my opinion. I have traveled during different times of the pregnancy to several locations - two trips being Walt Disney World. Each time I had other young children with me and I was several weeks pregnant. Big belly and all, I conquered the days at the parks.
Let me be honest and straight here. Doing WDW is no small feat. Depending on your age, how many weeks you are and what ages the children you have in tow will be a factor as to how you want to prepare.I am a planner. I like to be prepared for the ups, downs, and in between. I enjoy packing and some may say I overpack but for me this is comfort. I like to know I am ready and prepared with any scenario that may be thrown at me. With that said, packing is so very important. At Disney you will do a lot of walking. Of course you want to pace yourself but you also want to be sure you have the correct shoes to support your legs in order to avoid swollen ankles. I prefer to buy sneakers with memory foam. I had a pair during my last visit and they were heavenly.Brands that make shoes with memory foam and have a pretty good reputation are:Sketchers (my preference)FilaRykaAsicsChampion (I have a pair of these too and Target sells them!)BrooksThe pros are they also keep your feet cool, they have great arch support, they are comfortable and light weight. A must to-look-into for any mom expecting and walking the parks.Another purchase that saved my long hot days was the cool towel. These can be purchased online, at a sporting goods store, and I recently saw them at Dollar General for $6! they are a wonderful investment, so light to carry and pack and wonderful for a quick cool down. The directions and use of the towel are easy and go a long way.
Of course if you are flying you are going to want to clear it with your doctor. Be sure to visit and discuss you plan along with daily schedule. He may have specific instructions to follow but if you have had a healthy pregnancy thus far he will most likely advise you to take several rests (in the shade) and drink plenty of water. You will also want to check with your airline. Some carriers will not permit women to fly after a certain number of weeks. I checked with Southwest and was within the safe travel time but requested my doctor write me a letter of permission just as a precaution.Once I arrived at WDW I realized that I would need to scale down activities real quick. I debated renting a scooter but settled for a wheelchair the last half of the trip due to wanting to conserve my strength. I took advantage of the free cups of ice water at each quick serve and made sure to rest any chance I could get. Waiting for parades or fireworks was a perfect opportunity to regroup and recharge as I waited and reserved an area for my family.Here are some examples of experiences that will get you off of your feet but still be interesting enough to keep you awake and involved:Magic Kingdom - People Mover, Carousel of Progress, PhilharMagic (on the screen show), It’s a Small World, Enchanted Tales with Belle (interactive show), and Happily Ever After (fireworks).Epcot – The Seas aquariums, Spaceship Earth, Gran Fiesta Tour (located inside the Mexico Pavilion), Character Spot, and IllumiNations.Animal Kingdom – Festival of the Lion King, Finding Nemo on stage, the petting zoo at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Rivers of Light, and the Tree of Life Awakenings.Hollywood Studios – Fantasmic, Muppet Vision*3D, Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage, and Voyage of the Little MermaidOf course, there are numerous rides that anyone expecting should not ride. Do not let that discourage you. Disney has a plethora of slow moving rides, shows, and opportunities to still feel part of the magic and memories with your family.
During my last trip my family and I stayed at the Cotemporary Resort. This particular location is on the monorail. It makes traveling to Magic Kingdom and Epcot so easy. You can also walk to Magic Kingdom which I took advantage of and did a few times. I also enjoyed the option of many dining experiences right at your fingertips. Adding the dining plan helps with snack cravings, added drinks ,and buffets for the hungry moments.Going in with a plan and knowing that it will be at a slower pace will help with scheduling out each day.I am not saying it is easy, I am not saying it is the hardest days. Life does not stop when we are pregnant and should not have to. We can still enjoy our lives, our children, and our travel. Just take precautions and be prepared.If you have further questions or are ready to plan a magical trip I am ready to help. Please contact me at missyr@wishesfamilytravel.com.You may also follow me on FacebookI look forward to working with you!!