The good people at Ford have gone to some lengths to make their cars comfortable and safe for pregnant woman. Their engineers have even developed a pregnancy suit to test them.
The “Pregnancy Suit” features belly weight inserts that applies pressure to the bladder, and compartments for water and ball bearings that mimic mild foetal kicking. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for all men to wear one for a few hours…
So anyway, after experiencing life in the driver’s seat wearing the Pregnancy Suit Ford developed quite a few design changes to benefit expectant mothers. And they’ve got a few safety tips for expectant mums. For those of you about to embark on a school holiday road-trip, these are well worth reading.
Wearing Your Seatbelt Correctly – Make sure that your seatbelt is positioned below your abdomen, across your hips. The shoulder strap should be between your breasts, and make sure to tug on the belt to make sure it’s nice and snug.
Move Back – Move your seat back to a comfortable distance when you are driving. Reclining the seat slightly can also help. Doing this will protect your stomach in the event of an airbag deployment.
Support Your Back –If you have pregnancy related back pain, place a small circular back pillow to support your lower back or use a rolled up towel. This will help increase comfort while you’re driving.
Take a Break – If you’re driving for a lengthy period, take regular breaks to increase blood flow to your feet. Feet and ankle are prone to swelling and it can worsen by sitting for long periods. Take a break to gently move your feet around, rotate your ankles, and wiggle your toes.
Be the Passenger – When possible, be a passenger. Sitting in the backseat is the safest spot in the car for an expectant mother. If you sit in the front seat, make sure to push the seat back as far as you can to protect from airbag deployment.
Have Your Information –Wherever you go, make sure to bring a long your pregnancy record card, which includes a detailed list of medical information, test results, and emergency contacts.
Remember that car safety is always important, and even more so when you’re pregnant. Make sure to follow these tips to ensure your safety as well as that of your future child.
Please ladies… watch the video and share it with your partners!
What is the technology?
Developed by Ford, the Pregnancy Suit has been specially designed to allow ergonomic engineers to experience firsthand how pregnancy can affect drivers and the problems pregnant women face when driving a vehicle, such as awkwardness in body movements, postural changes, shifts in centre of gravity and limitations in reach.
The Pregnancy Suit consists of lead weights to simulate the weight of the baby, a ‘belly’ containing 2kg of water, and a weighted pouch on the underside of the belly that simulates the foetal head resting and applying pressure on the bladder.
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