With July being the most popular month for childbirth, many moms-to-be are now in their third trimester eagerly researching what they can do to keep their baby as safe as possible. And while diet, exercise, sleep and work habits pervade conversation around lifestyle in pregnancy, there isn’t as much attention paid to safe driving for expectant mothers.
To address this need and to empathize with moms-to-be, Ford is starting the conversation this May by bringing safe driving guidelines and its empathy suit to the forefront. A multicomponent, weighted garment, the suit is designed to enable men and women to experience the effects of pregnancy. Engineers use this insight to understand the needs and limitations of moms-to-be when creating future vehicles.
And, working with Well Rounded NY®– an online destination for expectant mommy advice – Ford is kicking off License Renew While Driving for Two, a comprehensive guide for road-ready moms-
to-be. Tips from Ford and from Well Rounded NY will help both moms- and babies-to-be experience a smooth, enjoyable drive.
This is a pretty funny, yet important idea. You really don’t know what it’s like to be pregnant unless you actually are or have been, right? Here is some very important info and some interesting points I think we can all learn from.
DRIVING TIPS for a WELL ROUNDED TRIP
- Adjust your mirrors
- You may be adjusting your seat on a daily basis as your belly grows, but make sure you follow suit with your mirrors to limit blind spots and give you the best possible view of the road from every angle
- Ford BLIS®with cross-traffic alert uses radar to identify a vehicle detected in your blind spot, then alerts you with an indicator light in the sideview mirror
- Prep is everything when it comes to food cravings
- Cravings can hit at any moment – hard
- Have snacks and water on hand and easily accessible so you’re never reaching while driving
- Nausea happens
- For many moms-to-be, nausea is practically a given, and being in a moving car can make it worse
- Nip it in the bud with a motion-sickness bracelet or an easily accessible baggie filled with anti-nausea candies
- Up to 85% of pregnant women experience morning sickness – which should really be called all-day sickness*
- Distractions are dangerous
- If you’re pregnant with baby No. 2, you’re probably driving around with the cutest little distraction ever
- But don’t let your little one’s cries, giggles and screams cause you to take your eyes off the road
- If you’re concerned about something, pull over
- Plan your route
- Pregnancy brain is for real, so no matter how many times you’ve driven these same streets, you just may find yourself incomprehensibly lost
- Map your trip beforehand and use your car’s voice-command navigation to help you find your way
FORD SAFETY TIPS for a SMOOTH ROAD TO PREGNANCY
- Safety first – always wear your safety belt
- 88% of women say they drove their entire pregnancy with only 7% stopping at the end of their third trimester**
- Bump, not bulk
- Remove bulky clothes so the safety belt can be placed as close to the body as possible
- Proper posture
- Always ride and drive with your seatback upright and the safety belt properly fastened.
- Back it up
- Move your seat as far rearward as possible while still being able to reach the pedals comfortably
- Buckle with a bump
- Lap belt portion of the safety belt should fit snug and be positioned low across the hips, below the belly
- Shoulder belt portion should be positioned across your chest, between the breasts and to the side of the belly
- Make sure lap belt does not run across the belly, but lies as flat as possible under the curve
- Never tuck the shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back – this can hurt both you and the baby
- 78% of respondents believe it is somewhat difficult – if not much harder – for women to fasten or adjust their safety belt when pregnant**
Well, what do you think? Interesting, right? Not something you really think about, or, at least, I haven’t really thought about. It’s always good to learn more, get insights into what people go through. It makes us all a little more in tune with the world around, you know?
About Well Rounded NY
Well Rounded NY is an online destination for trendsetting parents-to-be, providing inspiration and information that speaks to a millennial pregnancy. They’re delivering the latest and greatest to help the Well Rounded woman not only “deal” with pregnancy and parenting, but also navigate it, revel in it, and most importantly, celebrate it.
Find out more about Well Rounded NY:
- WellRoundedNY.com
- Follow Well Rounded NY on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global automotive and mobility company based in Dearborn, Michigan. With about 199,000 employees and 67 plants worldwide, the company’s core business includes designing, manufacturing, marketing, financing and servicing a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs and electrified vehicles, as well as Lincoln luxury vehicles.
At the same time, Ford is aggressively pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility, the company’s plan to be a leader in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics.
Find out more about Ford:
Sources:
*TODAY: http://www.today.com/parents/got-morning-sickness-new-research-shows-it-might-be-better-t74876
**Ford-commissioned Nielsen Survey
2 comments
This is a great post! When I was pregnant, buckling up was the worst. Of course, now I realize that the reason it was awful was because I was doing it wrong.
This is a very nice post! Thanks a lot for sharing this!