Keep hydrated.
Take a big bottle of water (16-24 oz.) with you on the plane. Also, with many airlines cutting back on the food and snack service they provide, it's important to take along a lot of healthy snacks. Good ones are bagels, dried fruit, popcorn (unsalted) and pretzels.
(Source: Kathy Loebel, Advisory Panel, Pregnancy Today)

Wrong place, wrong time...
Should you go into labor on a plane, depending on how long the flight is, you may ask for an emergency landing. After you've landed, ask to be taken to a level three hospital, or tertiary center, with OB services. And, if you go into labor while staying at a hotel, your concierge should have the name of the closest tertiary center with OB services.
(Source: Kathy Loebel, Advisory Panel, Pregnancy Today)

Bathroom breaks...
Pregnant women who fly might want to reserve an aisle seat, since they will need to get up to use the bathroom and to walk around much more often than normal.

Buckle Up...
On a car trip, [or during a flight] it is, of course, vital to wear a seat belt and pregnant women should feel absolutely no fear that this will constrict the fetus.

Not All Diarrhea Medicines Are Equal...
Traveler's Diarrhea is a common stomach problem that occurs to travelers in foreign countries. It is not life-threatening, but can be very uncomfortable and inconvenient. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends: "It is best to consult a physician rather than attempt self-medication, especially for pregnant women and children." Many over-the-counter diarrhea medicines are not recommended for pregnant women. So check! check! check!

Pregnant Yes...Alcohol No...
Since drinking alcohol is an accepted and expected part of many peoples' vacations, pregnant women must be prepared to be firm and refuse drinks, even if they are guests in a local's house.

JourneyWomen with tummies will appreciate this website...
We were very pleased to learn about a U.K.-based site called 'Baby and Pregnancy'. This informative website offers up over 120 extensive articles containing tips and advice for new moms and moms-to-be. What makes us extra happy is that they have a section devoted to 'Travel and Transport'. Happy reading everybody!

Avoid Skiing Holidays...
Pregnant women should maintain the same level of fitness as before pregnancy, on vacation as well. If you were a hiker or swimmer before becoming pregnant, these activities are perfectly safe as long as over-exertion is avoided. Downhill skiing is not advisable, though.

Editor's Note: Elisa All is the editor of both Pregnancy Today, the magazine as well as http://pregnancytoday.com, a wonderful Internet resource for moms-to-be. Elisa graciously contributed the above tidbits from her site as well as excerpts from a recently published article entitled, "Have Tummy Will Travel."

My mother phones daily to ask, "Did you just try to reach me?" When I reply, "No," she adds, "So, if you're not too busy, call me while I'm still alive," and hangs up.
(Source: Era Bombeck, The 1992 Erma Bombeck Calendar)

The highest risk areas for malaria are: Africa, the Pacific Islands and parts of South East Asia around Vietnam and Cambodia. The Indian subcontinent including Nepal and Peru are areas where travellers suffer from filth-to-mouth diseases like diarrhea and Hepatitis A and E. Pregnant women should avoid unnecessary travel to these regions.
(Source: Dr. Jane Wilson Howarth, Author of Bugs, Bites and Bowels)

According to Pregnancy Fit Magazine, expectant moms should stay away from brie, sushi and herbal teas anywhere in the world. Underlying bacteria in these three foods products can be hazardous to pregnant women and their developing fetuses.

"I was travelling ...when my periods stopped I began to worry. I knew I couldn't be pregnant, but couldn't think of any explanation for what was happening. Luckily I bumped into two women nurses returning home overland who had had the same experience. They said it was common occurrence; it's just our bodies' way of recognizing that now would be the wrong time to get pregnant."
(Source: The Handbook for Women Travellers, Maggie and Gemma Moss)