Planning a safari trip to Tanzania in pregnancy? Despair not, you can have a very safe and enjoyable trip simply by taking the necessary steps for precaution. Here is a short pregnant women’s guide for traveling to Tanzania.
The best time to make a safari trip during pregnancy is in your second trimester. Second trimester is the most comfortable of all trimesters because you have crossed the morning-sickness phase and you haven’t yet entered a phase of extreme fatigue with a gigantic belly. It also carries the lowest risk of miscarriage and if you wait any longer, you might even feel like not going at all, thanks to the nesting instinct!
While many airlines let you travel up until your 36th week of pregnancy, most will require a doctor’s note if you have hit the 28th week. In any case, no matter how far along you are in your pregnancy, it is important that you be insured for early birth and medical care, should you require it.
Before making any reservations, make sure that you run your plans by the OBGYN. Doctors mostly consider traveling fine, but if you are taking a trip to Tanzania then it is best to get the green light from your doctor. They may also give you preventative medications that are safe to take during pregnancy.
Apart from consulting your doctor, you need to do some of your own homework as well. Before you fly, get the details of all the good hospitals that are located near your travel destination in Tanzania. Then make sure that you have traveler’s medical insurance that covers everything, including childbirth.
The length of your travel depends heavily on how you are feeling. Obviously if you are traveling all the way to Tanzania, you cannot just spend a weekend there. Having said that, if you find yourself feeling more tired than usual or see some red flags, then it is probably best to not take a very long trip. If you are feeling healthy and adventurous then there is no reason to cut your trip short, but always be aware of the healthcare situation wherever you are vacationing.
Going to Tanzania means you will be mountain hiking. Hiking is actually an excellent cardiovascular exercise for soon-to-be moms and the amazing view does not hurt either. However, you can never be too safe during pregnancies, so make sure that you let your doctor know about your hiking plans. In addition, when hiking try to opt for even terrains so you can easily maintain your center of gravity. You also want to stay on the grid or have a hiking partner in case of a medical emergency. Lastly, take care of your health by drinking lots of fluids and healthy snacks.
If you are planning to hit the beach during your vacation then make sure that you protect yourself from the sun. Pregnancy hormones make your skin more sensitive under the sun, so wear lots of sunscreen and avoiding spending too much time under direct sunlight.