Cut off Dates
Most airlines will let you travel up until you are 36 weeks pregnant, the catch here is that the majority of Canadian travel medical insurers and cancellation insurance will not cover pregnancy related health problems after 32 weeks.
On the Plane
I'm a die hard window seat girl. I like to look outside and watch the landscape or rest my head against the side to sleep. Do yourself a favour, get an aisle seat. And get it close to the bathroom. There is nothing easy about trying to walk down the plane aisle to get to the bathroom. Inevitably someone is trying to get back to their seat and it is basically impossible not to molest them with your belly as you try to sneak by. I can't tell you how many people I belly bumped on the plane. Not cute.
Even though its a total pain in the ass to walk the aisles it is also a really good idea since you WILL get stiff just sitting in your tiny seat for several hours.
Embrace the layover. I was actually really glad we had a layover on both our flights. It gave me a chance to walk a good amount (without having to avoid bumping people) and allowed me to get the blood flowing and release some tension.
Swelling isn't so swell
While the 3rd trimester means you are that much closer to meeting your lil bundle of joy it also means saying goodbye to your ankles. That has certainly been the case for me. Thankfully I am in the last stage at the end of winter and into spring so hot weather hasn't been an issue. Until I went to Mexico of course.
Flying, regardless of your destination, will cause your feet to swell, and I meant A LOT! I armed myself with compression nylons designed for travel, a pair of knee high socks (because my feet are always cold on planes, comfy flat shoes and a maxi skirt (because NO ONE wants to see your puffy feet!
Compression socks will run you about $30, OR you can go to Walmart and buy the nylons for $5. They work just as good! There is nothing sexy about compression stockings but they are way better than having to walk around with Shrek feet.
If you head to a hot destination be prepared to allow time to kick your feet up and relax. I made a habit of propping my feet up on several pillows before bed for at least 30 minutes. Most of the swelling stayed in the tops of my feet and ankles until I spent a whole day on my feet. I'm sitting at dinner and trying to wiggle my toes, its exceptionally hard to do. I lift my dress to expose my feet and I see that my feet are basically webbed! My toes are so fat they can hardly move independently. Pillows weren't going to help me now.
Up to my room I went and filled a bucket of ice. Grabbing the garbage can (clean obviously) I fill it with water and add some ice. I plunge my feet into the icy cold water. Oh MY GAWD! The pain! It's for the good of my feet, I'll feel better, just a bit longer. Holy wow that water was so cold but boy did it do the trick! I soaked them as long as I could bear and then propped them up for a bit. The swelling began to come down and by the next day they were much better.
Foods with high water contents will help you battle swelling also. Think cucumber and watermelon. Mint also helps so sip away on those virgin mojitos.
Eating and Drinking
I was really concerned about what I would be able to eat and drink while I was in Mexico. I certainly didn't want to be stuck with pasta and bread all week. We were at a 5 star resort and typically they have better filtration systems throughout the resort which means you can worry less about things like brushing your teeth with tap water and drinking bevvies with ice.
Initially I was worried about fruit but then I figured if I chose the fruits that were peeled and not washed they should be the safest bet. I loaded up on pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe and honey dew. Protein was more difficult for me. A lot of the meats available are processed and I have a bit of an aversion to eggs. I love seafood and fish but I was concerned about how well they were cooked after seeing a few items a bit too rare/raw.
When it comes to drinking it can feel like your missing out on all those delicious bevvies but let me tell you, the virgin versions are DEEEEELISH! My 2 favs ended up being the blended mojito (so much better than on the rocks) and the virgin mudslide, which is essentially just milk and chocolate syrup blended with ice. Other great options are your fav fruit juice bended with ice. Pineapple with a bit of mint was really yummy too!
My biggest tip is to bring a double walled tumbler cup! You can buy them just about anywhere. Starbucks sells them but they are much more affordable at big box stores. Just be sure it is double walled, it keeps your drink super cold and the ice does not melt, even after an hour in the sun. HONESTLY! Best ever!!!
Montezuma's Revenge
This is the one thing that can really reek havoc on your vacation. The only thing my doctor cleared me to take during my trip was Pepto Bismal. Well if you've ever had a bout of tummy troubles in Mexico you already know the pink stuff isn't going to help much. My best advice is to stay hydrated (sealed bottled water of course) and keep your electrolytes up.
My, What a Nice Shade of Red You Are
I very rarely burn and if I do it is a tan by the next day. And then I got pregnant. I was prepared from the start. I slathered on 15SPF before I even hit the beach. Normally 15 was more than enough for my skin, not the case anymore. Even after several applications of sunscreen I finished the day with some very pink legs, only on one side though since I couldn't lay on my stomach.
If you are going to tan and lay around in the sun, do not underestimate how sensitive your skin is now that you are pregnant. Load up on sunscreen and use a higher SPF than you think you need.
As for tanning your back. It's a bit of feat. One of the other girls in our group packed along a floaty and it was only the greatest idea ever! It was the kind with mesh in the middle and the inflated bit around the edges. I was able to lay on my stomach in the pool VERY comfortably. My belly was weightless in the water but also supported by the mesh and my back got all the colour I could have asked for!
The other contraption I made was good for out of the pool. If they are available at your resort, rent a cabana at least one day. Well worth a couple of bucks for the comfort you get. Ours had a large mattress with big body pillows. I desperately wanted to lay on my stomach to read and tan so I placed 2 body pillows beside each other with a gap between. When I kneeled on the bed the first pillow was in front of my knees. I gently lowered down so the first pillow supported my legs and the second was supporting my chest. I belly sunk into the space between. Again whats important here is that you belly does not hang freely with no support underneath but also that your weight is not supported my your belly. Mine touched the mattress but did not support my body weight. Letting your belly hang with no support can damage the ligaments in your stomach as they over stretch trying to hold the weight.
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