Is It Okay To Wear A Seatbelt During Pregnancy?
All people, including pregnant women, must wear a seatbelt when riding in a car. Certainly, wearing a belt helps save lives and can reduce the chances that you will be seriously injured in a car accident.
Many women who are fully pregnant wonder if it’s really okay to wear a seatbelt during pregnancy. You should know that although the baby is protected inside the mother’s body, it is necessary to wear a three-point belt whenever riding in a car for added protection, even in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
The seat belt must have three fastening points. This means he must have a band for his abdomen and one for his shoulder. This type of belt helps keep body pressure away from the baby after an accident.
Also, adjust your abdominals to pass through your thighs and hips, doing this under your belly, not through the middle of your belly. If the hip part is placed on the stomach, the pressure can cause problems in the placenta and harm the baby. In turn, be sure to wear your seat belt as tightly as possible.
Wearing a seat belt during pregnancy is vital.
If there’s one thing we all have to respect when riding in a car, it’s the seatbelt. The same is true for pregnant women, and this applies to both the front and back seats.
They can only ride in a car without wearing a seat belt if they have a medical reason for doing so, as well as a certificate to prove it.
On the other hand, as the pregnancy progresses, it can be uncomfortable to sit in the car for extended periods. So if you need to take a long trip, plan on taking short breaks every 90 minutes or so.
This strategy is to prevent ankles or legs from becoming swollen and tense, for example. In addition, a foam pillow in the lower back can also help prevent pain in that part of the body.
Of course, if you have an accident, even if it was mild and you are feeling well, you need to see your midwife or doctor as soon as possible to see if you and the baby really were unharmed.
Tips for wearing a seatbelt for pregnant women
If you are pregnant and want to ride a car, you should consider some tips on how to use a seat belt:
- Make sure the shoulder strap is positioned between your breasts.
- Make sure the abdominal strap is as low as possible, across the hips and under the belly.
- If you’re driving and need to make room for your belly, don’t place the seat so far that you can’t reach the clutch, brake, and accelerator. This can affect your response times when driving.
- If you move the seat, make sure the mirrors are still in place.
- You should always wear your seat belt, even in the back seat.
- Slide the front seat as far back as possible to sit away from the airbag.
- The lap belt should be below your belly. It should fit snugly across the hips and pelvic bone.
- The shoulder strap should be between your breasts and towards the side of your belly. The seat belt must never pass directly over the belly.
- Never place the shoulder strap under your arm or behind your back. If possible, adjust the height of this handle so that it is correctly positioned.
- Always wear both the abdominal and shoulder belts. Make sure both are snug.
Is it okay to use an airbag during pregnancy?
The airbag must always be on, whether you are pregnant or not. In cases where you sit at the front, push the seat back as far as you can to maintain a certain distance between your abdomen and the steering wheel or dashboard.
As your belly grows, you may not be able to keep that much distance between your body and the steering wheel. So, if your car has a tilting steering wheel, make sure it’s tilted toward your sternum, never toward your belly or your head.
Also, don’t forget that the airbag works in conjunction with the seat belt to protect you and your baby from any accidents or mishaps you might suffer.
Finally, remember that wearing a seatbelt during pregnancy is mandatory; unless the doctor certifies that you cannot do this for medical reasons. If this is the case, then you must present the certificate if the police ask for it.
