By: Dominica Morris

“You’re going to Hawaii at the end of your second trimester? Aren’t you worried about sitting on an airplane for 10 hours???” This was the question I kept getting when I would excitedly tell people that Caleb and I had booked our flight to Hawaii for our babymoon. We had booked the trip right at the end of my first trimester and I was feeling amazing, not even thinking that my changing body would make it more difficult for me to endure a half day trip to the other side of the country. So I made it a point to research different hacks to make my flight as comfortable as possible and I will say that I’m so glad that I did. All of these items have made my trip a breeze and I will continue to use them even after my pregnancy.

1. ) Compression Socks

It’s a known fact that air travel may cause swelling in legs and feet. This is caused by sitting for long periods at a time, which leads to the blood to pool in your legs. Although I’ve never had issues with swelling during airplane rides I was very aware that pregnant women and the elderly are more likely to get this. So I went ahead and bought some compression socks to wear during my flight. The tight socks pull all the way up to under my knees and helped keep the blood flowing in my legs and feet. I also made it a point to get up every hour to walk around the plane even if it was just to go to the bathroom.

Travel Tips:

I always love sitting by the window on plane rides, but this time around I made sure to book an aisle seat so that I was able to get up and walk around if I needed to. This way I wasn’t disturbing anybody else during the flight, but it also made it easier for me to go to the bathroom, (we all know how pregnant ladies need more bathroom breaks).

2.) Bring a Bottle of Water

While you can’t bring water into the airport you can always buy water bottles at the gate and I always make it a point to buy at least two bottles. Air travel can make you more dehydrated than usual due to low air cabin humidity on the plane. This can lead to dry eyes, skin and throat, which is why drinking water before, during and after the flight is key. Always make sure to keep a bottle or two of water on hand.

3.) Bring a Small Pillow

When I first announced that I was pregnant a kind neighbor got me a small pillow. At first I thought it was for the baby until she explained that it was for me. She knew that Caleb and I travelled a lot and she swore that having a travel pillow during her pregnancies was extremely helpful, and too my very surprise this pillow was a lifesaver. I’m usually prone to getting bad lower back pain from flying no matter how long the flight is, this time around I had no back pain at all and felt very comfortable throughout the whole flight. It also was great to use for sleeping at our Airbnb since I couldn’t take my big maternity pillow with me on the trip.

4.) Bring a Neck Pillow

I used to always wonder why people would want to take a big neck pillow with them on their flights since they seem so bulky. but when we went on our honeymoon to Thailand Caleb bought us two for our long flight. The nice thing about the ones he got is that they are inflatable which makes them perfect for traveling. I also love that I can make them as soft or hard as I need them. I now always fly with my neck pillow and it’s been perfect for this 10 hour flight.

5.) Noise Cancelling Headphones

On this flight I took my new Airpods and while I love wearing them at the gym and at work they’re not the best for flying since they aren’t noise cancelling, (although I’m hearing rumors that the news ones will be). I usually bring my bigger Skullcandy Hesh 3 headphones and they’re perfect for flying. Not only are they super comfortable to wear, but they also cancel out most noises.

6.) Download Some Relaxing Guided Meditations

Air travel can be stressful and anxiety inducing from going through TSA to rushing through the airport to catch your flight, to dealing with cramped seats and overcrowded planes, but to deal with this I love to make sure to download relaxing music and guided meditations to keep me calm and relaxed throughout my flight. My go to meditation app for this flight was the Expectful meditation app. It’s made for mothers and fathers, and couples who are expecting. I used the sleep meditations for me to relax and get a little rest. Check out my blog post to learn more about it.

Whether you’re pregnant or not air travel can be difficult and uncomfortable. I hope these tips can be helpful for anybody who wants to be a bit more comfortable while traveling.