Pregnancy is one of the mostimportant phases for a woman. It indicates the emergence of another human life. However, despite the joy and happiness that pregnancy brings, it often comes with its own array of discomfort for the expectant mother. These discomforts could include difficulty or sometimes an outright inability to perform certain activities which otherwise should not be a problem for the mother.

Among the activities which might turn out to be strenuous physical activity for a pregnant woman is driving. Under very normal circumstances, driving require that the driver should feel very comfortable behind the wheels so as to drive effectively. So also, during pregnancy, it becomes even more necessary that pregnant drivers should feel as comfortable as possible as even the slightest discomfort could result in avoidable casualty.

With the comfort of expectant mums in mind, NaijaCarNews.com brings you some great driving tips for pregnant drivers to feel comfortable behind the wheels while getting around from one point to another.

1. Tips for driving while pregnant

•  Maintain a right posture

The driver's seat should be adjusted to feel very comfortable while at the same time allowing the pregnant woman to be able to reach the gas and brake pedals without too much stretching or bending over to reach dashboard controls or even the steering wheel. Excessibe bending over while pregnant is considered an unsafe position for the child and could pose some seroius danger.

It is also recommended to maintain an upright position while seating as comfortably as possible.

Getting the posture right is very important for driving while pregnant. It is important that you sit upright while driving.

In addition to maintaining an upright position while driving, it is also important as a safety measure for pregnant drivers to buckle up their seat belts at all times while driving. Even though buckling up while heavily pregnant might appear a bit uncomfortable for some women but the earlier you start buckling up, the sooner you get comfortable with buckling up.

It is only common sense that pregnancy should not be a reason to neglect the safety feature of a car seat belt. Car seat belts can also be set to longer lengths to accommodate a growing baby bump.

Research showed that it is safer for mother and child to be restrained by a seat belt than to be sent flying in the air should there be a major accident. Car airbags are generally built to cushion the driver by absorbing the shock off a car crash. In the case of a pregnant driver, the airbag protects the mother whereas the amniotic fluid protects the child in the case of an impact.

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•  Long distance driving is not advised

Long disance travels or driving is highly discouraged for pregnant women. Reason being that seating at a spot for far too long is not healthy for both mother and child.

It's generally known that maintaining same posture for far too long hcan be very tiring and unhealthy as blood flow is affected. During pregnancy this situation requires an even greater attention. When pregnant, it is important to change positions periodically as that helps in evenly distributing the building weight of the child.

• Use tummy shields

If after adjusting your car seat and seating posture correctly so as to reach dashboard controls and pedals, you still observe that the steering wheel presses against your protruding tummy, you can opt for a tummy shield.

Tummy shield restrains the seat belt and provide adequate cushion to the tummy while driving

A tummy shield is a safety restrain for the bulging tummy. It restraints the seat belt while also cushioning the tummy region from direct contact with the steering wheel. Tummy shields are inexpensive and are a great safety feature for a pregnant driver or even passenger.

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• Avoiding distractions

Distractions are common occurrences in driving, from events on the roads, a defaulting drivers, ringing cell phones and many more.

You should know that being pregnant is a distraction on its own. Infact, researchers have argued that pregnant women are easily distracted by even the slightest distraction.

However, it is very important to pay maximum attention to the driving than the distraction. As a precautionary measure, you can also remove major sources of distraction from around you when driving, such as switching off your phone.

Safe driving is the only guarantee for the continued safety of mother and child while driving. So it is important to observe all necessary safe driving practices when behind the wheel.

• Never drink and drive

One of the last but not the least tip for driving during pregnancy is that it is important that you drive with a clear head. Although you should not be drinking in the first place while pregnant, you should also clarify from your doctor that you are not on any medication that could cause dizziness or fuzziness while driving.

Drinking and driving is very bad for everyone not only for a pregnant driver

• Driving according to road conditions

In addition to making use of the available safety features while pregnant, you should also drive more carefully especially when it is raining or when there is a haze reducing visibility.

>>> Visit Naijacarnews.com for safe driving tips and car care advice!