It is advised to wear safety belts even if you are pregnant. A correctly positioned safety belt is one of the best ways to protect your baby from any injuries while traveling in a car. Let’s find out more about the importance of safety belt in pregnancy.
Is It Safe To Wear Safety Belt In Pregnancy?
At first, it may look like the seat belt puts pressure on the belly region, and might squeeze your belly region. This can cause discomfort to you and your baby. However, a seat belt is a basic essentiality, and an effective protection against car crash. It is when you don’t wear it, can be life threatening for both expecting mother and the baby. With the seat belt, both of you will be protected against sudden stopping of the car, or hitting an accident.
According to the study, it was found that in-utero baby is five times more susceptible to dying than an infant or child traveling on the same seat and in the same vehicle. It was also found that mom is three times safer when she wears a seat belt.
What is the right way to wear a seat belt?
The right practice to wear a three-point seat belt is:
- Keep the Lap belt below your belly bump. It should be low on your thighs or the hip region
- Shoulder belt has to be above the belly bump. It should be on the shoulder, and between your breast.
- It is advised that if you are driving the car, you should move the seat back to increase the distance between steering wheel, and belly. Increase the distance while ensuring that your feet reach the pedals conveniently.
How to wear the seat belt to get the best protection?
- To avoid any injuries, it is important that the seat belt has to be properly fastened. The belt should have a three-point restraint system (that implies a shoulder strap, and a lap strap).
- Never wear the lap belt above, or across your belly. This is because the sudden jolt from the belt at crash situation can cause tearing of the placenta away from the uterus. Along with that, there can be a few more injuries that can be happen to you when you wear it incorrectly.
- In winters, as you wear an outerwear as a sweater or a coat, it can cause the seat belt to slide from its place, and move up on the belly. It is advised to remove your outerwear once the interior of the car gets warmed.
- When wearing a shoulder belt, make sure you don’t place it behind the back, or below the arms.
- If the steering wheel is adaptable, then fasten it and place it away from the stomach. In this way, the air bag deploys toward the chest, in place of the belly.
- Choose the back seat as it is safest place to sit in the car as a passenger. It has been found that people who sit at the back seat are found less likely to get injured, or suffer from less serious injuries than the ones who occupy the front driving / passenger seat.
- Even if you have got jerk, or a minor crash while travelling in the car, it is advised to get yourself check by the doctor. It will ensure that both you, as well your baby will remain unharmed.
- You can find various types of safety measures in the market that claims to offer the best level of protection to pregnant women while they travel in the car. Don’t use them until you are sure about its safety. Always check with your healthcare provider before you use any of those devices.One of the safety measures available is pregnancy seat belt positioner. It is called as Tummy shield and made from stainless steel. The product is effective in offering protection to the pregnant women and her baby. When you wear this belt, it takes away the lap region of the seat belt from the upper pelvis, and abdomen region. It gets positioned on the lower pelvis, and legs to eliminate the possibility of your lap region intruded into the abdomen.
Also read: Car Travel During Pregnancy; Is It Safe?
Conclusion
Safety belt is must-use ways to secure life of a pregnant woman and her baby while riding in a car. However, it is best to reduce your frequency of travel, and the need of wearing seat belts. By learning to wear the right way, you not just avert crashes, but also any complications that can arise due to its improper positioning in pregnancy.