It should certainly not be a problem to travel when you are pregnant so long as you plan your travel properly. You do of course have to consider the stage of your pregnancy, how you are physically, and any other problems that may have been discussed with your midwife or doctor.

From a practical point of view you need to fit your travel around any antenatal visits you may have booked, and any tests you may be scheduled for.

If you and your baby are well, and subject to any appointments mentioned above then it would generally be acceptable to go ahead and plan any travel.

One thing that I would suggest you do before you leave your home, is to make a note of important details relating to your care so that if you have any problems whilst away from home, then any doctor or midwife will be able to read your details and ensure that the correct treatment is given to both you and your baby.

The information I would suggest you write down are:-

Your name, address, date of birth.

A list of any medications you may be taking.

Your Health care insurance details (if applicable). Check that this insurance covers pregnancy and delivery, and also look at any restrictions that may apply with international travel.

Your doctors name and telephone number and also your consultants details (if you are under a consultant)

Your due date, and also your record of appointments, scans etc.

Include a note of an emergency contact within your family, preferably more than one. This way you can be sure that your family will be notified if there is a medical problem whilst you are away.

Other tips to help you when you are traveling:-

Double check the insurance details for your actual holiday - is pregnancy covered? Some policies specifically exclude cancellation of a holiday due to problems within pregnancy, so it is always wise to ensure that you are fully covered.

Make sure that you pack enough of your medicines to last for your trip - this includes both prescribed and over the counter medicines, as these are not always easily available.

If you are going to be traveling alone at any time, always take a cell phone with you and check before you leave home that it will work in the country you are visiting.

Drink plenty of water to help avoid dehydration - this is especially important if you will be flying.

Remember that you are likely to get more tired, so although you can plan normal activities, make sure you allow extra time for resting.

Try and take a supply of healthy snacks with you for your journey, as it is not always easy to get healthy meals whilst traveling.

It is very important to take your bathroom schedule into consideration. You will know from experience that as a pregnant mum, you are likely to need to use the bathroom much more frequently than normal. It would be best not to plan to travel anywhere out in the sticks, where facilities may be few and far between.

Take into account that your legs and feet are quite likely to swell if you are sitting in one position for any length of time. Wear comfortable and preferably expandable shoes whenever you are able to. Get up and walk around if you are on a train, bus or aeroplane, and if you are in a car make sure you allow plenty of stop times so you can walk around a bit, and of course use the bathroom!

Check what vaccines (if any) are needed to visit your chosen country and ask your doctor if these are safe to have whilst pregnant.

The quality of healthcare and also the quality of the food and water can be 'dodgy' in some countries so do remember this and take necessary precautions.

It is wise to avoid the more risky activities, such as surfing, skiing, scuba diving etc, especially when you are well into your pregnancy.

If you suffer from motion sickness sit in the front seat of the car, and make sure your windows are open so that you get plenty of fresh air. If you are in an aeroplane try and sit over a wing, and if on a boat stay on deck and focus on the horizon as this helps to avoid nausea. You can buy special wristbands which fit over acupuncture points on your wrist to help with motion sickness.

Follow these suggestions, take advice where necessary and you should have a healthy journey.

The most important thing is that if you are uncertain about whether you should be traveling, then talk to your doctor or midwife. If he/she advises against it then put your journey off until after your baby is born, as nothing is more precious than your health and the baby you are carrying.