How to Survive Traveling in Your First Trimester — A Mom Explores | Family Travel Tips, Destination Guides with Kids, Family Vacation Ideas, and more!

TIPS FOR SURVIVING TRAVEL IN YOUR FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY

So you just found out you’re pregnant - congratulations! You’re probably still in your first trimester, which means not many people know about the little baby causing so much upheaval in your life.

Whether you’re one of the lucky moms who face morning sickness, you’re feeling a level of exhaustion you never thought possible, OR you don’t even notice physical symptoms yet but just feel overwhelmed, the first trimester can feel like both a joyful and tumultuous time.

Having just entered the third trimester of my fourth pregnancy, I’ve experienced almost every unpleasant pregnancy symptom you can think of, and I lived to tell the tale.

One thing I’ve always been stubborn about was that no matter how difficult my pregnancy symptoms were (as long as I’m healthy and not on bed rest), it wouldn’t stop me from traveling.

That has proven to be really difficult during my first trimesters when I’m throwing up and living exclusively on toast and cereal, but I’ve still managed to survive trips to Mexico, Finland, and multiple road trips around the United States.

If you’re struggling to make it through your first trimester and wondering if you should still go through with your travel plans, I’ve got some tips and tricks that have made travel during the first trimester bearable, if not enjoyable. I hope you find these helpful!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

IS IT SAFE TO TRAVEL IN THE FIRST TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY?

If you look up tips for travel during the first trimester, you’ll often find articles that tell you to wait until the second trimester when you’re more comfortable and have more energy.

Obviously it would be ideal to only travel when you feel perfectly well, but that’s not always the reality for us moms. Sometimes our travel plans are booked far in advance, and we were not planning to be pregnant during the trip. Sometimes we have to travel for work. Sometimes time-sensitive opportunities or situations arise that we would rather not miss.

So is it actually safe to get on a plane or to take a long road trip in the first few months of pregnancy?

As a general answer, yes. Travel up to 36 weeks is generally considered safe.

But OF COURSE, this is something you should talk to your doctor about. If you have a high-risk pregnancy or certain complications, your doctor may advise you not to travel during this time.

Most pregnant women are aware that miscarriage is most common during the first trimester, so one of the biggest concerns would be traveling to a destination where you can access medical care if the unthinkable should happen.

In recent years, the Zika virus has also been a cause for concern for those traveling during pregnancy. Make sure to check with your doctor if the area you’re traveling to carries a risk of contracting Zika. I personally wouldn’t risk going to an area with a Zika warning, but each case is different and each person is different.

I’m not a medical professional, just a mom of (almost) 4 who has lots of experience in this department. If you want to read more from actual medical professionals, check out the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) website’s guidelines for travel during pregnancy. And I’ll say it again - communicate with your doctor (or midwife or whatever medical professional you’re seeing) about your individual situation and circumstances.

TIPS FOR FLYING DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER

Ok, assuming you’ve been cleared by your doctor to fly during the first trimester, let’s talk about ways to make your flight more comfortable.

DEALING WITH MORNING SICKNESS ON AN AIRPLANE

My biggest concern when flying during the first few weeks was how nauseated I was, and the very real possibility of throwing up on a flight.

During each of my 4 pregnancies, I got into a routine of throwing up first thing in the morning, then dealing with steady nausea throughout the rest of the day. I knew being in an enclosed space with bothersome smells, unfamiliar food, and potential turbulence might exacerbate the morning sickness. Here’s what I did to make it a bit easier:

I wore a scarf on the plane. Not only did this work as a makeshift blanket or pillow, but I could also cover my nose with it in case of unpleasant smells. (and let’s face it - everything smells unpleasant during the first trimester).
I brought gallon-size Ziplock bags in my carry-on. I didn’t want to risk not having an “airsick” bag in my seat pocket, plus Ziplock bags can be sealed up so you don’t have to smell it while trying to find a trash can.
I brought lemon and peppermint essential oil on the plane. If I started to feel queasy, I just put the bottle of oil under my nose and inhaled. I only brought a carry-on, but the essential oil bottles were small enough to fit in my quart-size liquids bag.
I packed so many bland snacks. One of the toughest things about air travel is the lack of access to food on demand. I made sure I was never without protein bars, crackers, citrus-flavored sucking candy, mints, and fiber bars. I even brought apple slices and clementines with me. Yes, food took up about half of my carry-on space. Worth it.
I made sure to stay hydrated. This was actually really hard for me during the first trimester, because drinking water made me incredibly nauseous. I brought travel packets of my favorite healthy electrolyte drink that I could mix up in my water bottle. It’s orange-flavored, which happened to agree with my stomach a little better.
I tried to sleep as much as I could on the flight or stay distracted with movies, shows, or podcasts (in case I was too queasy to look at a screen). I bought my very first neck pillow from TJ Maxx and relaxed as best I could.

HOW TO STAY COMFORTABLE ON THE PLANE DURING THE FIRST TRIMESTER

Even if morning sickness isn’t too bad for you, there are other discomforts that come with the first few months of pregnancy. Exhaustion, headaches, bloating, gas, heartburn, having to pee all the time, increased sense of smell, etc. etc can make your day-to-day existence a drag.

Travel is inherently outside your comfort zone, so you might need to take some extra measures to feel up to par especially during the first trimester.

Wear compression socks. I bought some tall ones from TJ Maxx for very cheap. This will help prevent swollen feet and blood clots.
Wear comfortable clothes, especially if you’re on a long or overnight flight. Do not try to squeeze into something that’s going to cut into your stomach or waist. You WILL regret it when you’re trying to get comfortable to sleep. A few options I’ve tried are joggers with a compression tank top and an open front sweater, a maxi dress with compression shorts underneath, or comfy maternity leggings with an oversized shirt or sweater. (The compression makes me feel supported because of my diastasis recti. If you don’t like compression on your midsection, just use regular tank tops or shorts).
Bring Tums for heartburn, prenatal gummy vitamins (or whatever kind you can stomach, and Tylenol for headaches (check with your doctor about pain medication for headaches during first trimester). I keep all of mine in a mini packing cube in my carry-on or purse.
Try to get an aisle seat so you can get up to walk around or go to the bathroom often.
Speak up. Maybe your best friend doesn’t even know you’re pregnant yet, but there are people who might need to be aware of it on your flight. If you’re stuck in the middle seat or the window seat, you might want to give your seatmates a heads up. If you think you’ll be throwing up, ditto. Maybe let the flight attendants know so they can assist you if need be.

GENERAL FIRST TRIMESTER TRAVEL TIPS

first trimester travel tips to stay comfortable

Once you’re off the plane or out of the car, you might be tempted to hit the ground running like you normally do when you travel.

Unfortunately, your body might have other plans. You are creating a new human being inside of you from scratch, so give yourself grace and allow yourself the rest you need.

Try to limit yourself to one, MAYBE two big activities per day. Go back to your hotel or Airbnb to rest midday.
Always have snacks in your purse or backpack. Eating often helps keep the nausea at bay.
Wear comfortable shoes. I stuck with my handmade custom leather sandals from Etsy. I had ordered them from the shop Leatherhood, but they aren’t currently active. Those shoes are comfortable to walk in for miles! Sneakers are another great option if the weather is a bit cooler. I also love my Tevas!
Eat what sounds good to you. Don’t force yourself to eat something that’s going to make you sick just for the cultural experience. I found Mexico to be the perfect spot to visit during the first trimester. Tortillas, tacos, tamales - it all sounded good to me. Carbs and cheese were really hitting the spot. Finland wasn’t bad, either! In summer there were lots of fresh berries, and bread was always an option at breakfast when I couldn’t stomach anything else.
Carry your pregnancy survival kit with you at all times. That might include: Sea Bands, mints, sour candy, headache medicine, Tums, peppermint or lemon essential oil, ginger candy, saltines, lemon-scented lip balm, and crackers.
Wear a maternity support tank or maternity support leggings. Even if you’re not showing yet, you’ll appreciate the extra support on your stomach and back when you’re on your feet all day. I LOVE my Blanqi maternity support tank. I purchased it during the Black Friday sale, and I’m not kidding when I say I wear it almost every day and HATE the 2 hours it takes to wash and dry it. I should probably just buy another one.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR TRIP

On my most recent first trimester trip to Finland, I think the main reason I was anxious was that I didn’t have much control over the itinerary or food since it was a work trip.

However, when I traveled to Mexico during the first trimester of my second pregnancy, I wasn’t worried at all because I was visiting my in-laws. I knew they would be super understanding and accommodating of my “condition.” This goes for any travel where I’m just with my husband and kids, too.

The more control I have, the more prepared I feel to take on the challenges of travel even when I’m feeling ill.

Here are a few ways you can be as prepared as possible for your trip to reduce anxiety and make the most of your travels.

Check with a medical professional (ob-gyn, midwife, etc) before your trip. If you’re not able to fit an appointment in before you leave, at least call the office and speak with someone over the phone. Make sure you have questions about safety and comfort prepared before you go in or make your phone call so you feel confident in your decisions when you travel. Some questions to ask:
- Is ________ (flying, bike riding, whatever activity you have planned) safe for me during the first trimester?
- What medications are safe for (headaches, heartburn, gas, etc) during first trimester?
- __________ type of food is popular where I’m going. Is this ok to eat while pregnant?
- Questions about sun protection, bug protection, etc.
In the same vein, make sure you have the number for the nurse’s line or some way to get ahold of your medical professional while you’re away in case any questions or concerns arise.
Get as much information as you can about your itinerary. If it’s just a vacation or family trip, this shouldn’t be a problem. If it’s a work trip, email the person in charge to get an idea of what you’ll be doing. Give them a heads up about your pregnancy if you need to.
Check with your insurance to see if you need to purchase an extra plan in case of a medical emergency while abroad. If you’re staying in the U.S., check to see what’s in your network in the area.
Go grocery shopping for comfort snacks or anything that actually sounds good to you.
Download movies, tv shows, and podcasts on your device. if you’re suffering from insomnia due to jet lag and changing time zones, you’ll want some way to relax. You can’t always count on wifi for streaming.
Talk to a spouse or friend about any concerns you have. Sometimes it just helps to say things out loud!

FINAL THOUGHTS ON FIRST TRIMESTER TRAVEL

If you’re pregnant with your first child, realize that this is going to be the most relaxing that travel will be for a long time. Though first-trimester travel, or any travel during pregnancy for that matter, isn’t necessarily the most comfortable, at least you don’t have to worry about baby gear, chasing a toddler around, or dealing with tantrums on a flight. Do your best to relax and enjoy!

If this is your second, third, or fourth + baby, you already know the drill! Once that baby comes out, there is so much more to pack and so much more to think about when traveling with kids.

Though you might be queasy or tired, think of the positives of traveling early on in your pregnancy! You still fit in a lot of your old clothes, you won’t look too huge in pictures, and you can still remain relatively active. The larger your belly gets in the pregnancy, the harder it is to move around or even get comfortable when you’re sleeping.

For some, traveling when you’re feeling yucky during the first few weeks just isn’t worth it. I get it. I get so so sick, and most days the only thing I want to do is lay on the couch and watch Netflix. I have no desire to see friends, much less get on a plane or go sightseeing.

But if you can muster up the energy to make your trip happen, I think you’ll appreciate it in the long run. I know I do! Plus it’s fun to tell your child they were in your tummy when you went to that cool or exotic location! Kids love those stories.

Just remember to make the trip as relaxing as you possibly can. Swim. Nap, Read books. Go for leisurely walks. Eat ice cream if it sounds good. Let your travel companions know so they can accommodate accordingly. Listen to your body and follow your instincts and your doctor’s advice.

Happy travels! You got this!