How to wear your seat belt during pregnancy
Are you secure in the car? Wearing a seat belt correctly is especially important during pregnancy, but the lack of information is widespread. If you feel uncertain that you are wearing your seat belt correctly, you are hardly alone. Research has shown that four out of ten expectant mothers make mistakes when they fasten their seat belts. Here is a guide to learning the right way to use your seat belt - for safer car journeys while you are pregnant.
2 min read
A seat belt is generally supposed to fit tightly against the body. As your stomach grows, you will need to move the seat back to get enough space, especially if you are the driver. Toward the end of your pregnancy, you will need to ensure you can comfortably reach the pedals before you drive.
This is how the belt should sit:
- The lap belt should sit underneath the stomach, not over, and should sit firmly around the hips. Tighten the belt so that it can not slide above the stomach. Make sure that the lap belt presses down toward your thighs and not up against the child.
- A shoulder belt should be pulled to the side of the stomach and sit between your breasts and over the shoulder. Tighten the belt so it sits firmly and cannot slide down over the shoulder.
Maternity seat belt
There are special pregnancy-safe seat belts that can be used as a complement to a normal seat belt. However, there are no requirements for crash tests that prove that such belts increase safety; some are tested while others are not. Some products have a crotch strap that helps hold the car's hip belt in place down to the thighs.
If you are interested in a maternity seat belt you should see it as a complement that increases your comfort, but not necessarily your or the baby's safety. If you use your car's standard 3-point belt in the right way you are sitting safely.
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