Millions of pregnant moms all over the country face the same dilemma every day when entering their car, how to wear the seat belt so it does not inflict any danger to the unborn child in case it is used.
It is sad to say that until current moment there are no official seat belt tests and safety tests done to check pregnancy driver safety.
It is embarrassing to say that the test dummies which ere used were male dummies stuffed with clothes in the breasts and in the abdominal to get the “look and feel” of pregnant driver, but not checking the baby situation in crash situations.
With all this said, there are some tips which will allow you to drive safely and keep yourself and your child inside you less exposed to belt dangers. In the article below you will get the most important tips for safe pregnancy driving.
How Pregnant Women Should Wear A Seat Belt
Wear your seat belt at all times. even when sitting in the back seat. You may already know that most of the accidents happen close to home. This means that all the “small trips” to the shopping mall or office, are those you should worry about. So no matter if you sit in the back or front, wear a seat belt at all times.
Place belly above the belly above the seat belt. The belly should be placed flat over your thighs. Avoid the position where the seat belt is crossing your belly. It supposed to go underneath it. Check image to see how to wear the belt when pregnant.
The shoulder belt should go between your breasts and not over any of them. In this way it is holding your body mass and not pressuring your breasts. Many pregnant women suffer from breast pains and a seat belt pressuring is not helping.
Tilt steering wheel upward when possible. In most cars today you can position the steering wheel to a convenient position. If you are driving your own car you may want to adjust the wheel so it is higher than usual so it does not press or touch your belly while driving. The wheel should be comfortable to use and steer.
Take the seat “one click” backward from the normal position. This will take the airbag slightly further away from your body, Do not take the seat too far back as you need the power of the feet to hit the brakes in emergency.
Airbags are designed to work WITH seat belts and not replace them. Crashing without a seat belt will throw the driver fiercely into the exploding airbag. This might be a fatal blow for the pregnant driver or the baby in the uterus.
Dreambaby Bump Belt
Here are some features for better safety while driving with the pregnancy belt accessory:
- Soft, comfortable fabric cover
- Helps protect you and your unborn child by holding the seatbelt under the bump
- Helps to support unborn child’s head and neck while travelling around
- Makes riding in the car more comfortable for mom
- Can easily be moved from vehicle to vehicle.
You must be responsible fro both yourself and for the child you carry. The attachment will keep the belt always positioned at the right place BELOW your belly, so in any emergency brake the pressure will be on the waistline and not on the uterus.
