Your seat belt is your baby’s first car seat

A growing pregnancy belly can make a lot of things more difficult – including car seat belts. Think of your body as baby’s first car seat. It’s important to wear a lap and shoulder belt every time you travel — even in the difficult final weeks of pregnancy.  Your seat belt will help keep you and your unborn child safe in a crash.

How should I wear a seat belt while I am pregnant?

• Buckle the lap belt below your belly so that it fits snugly across your hips and pelvic bone.
• Place the shoulder belt across your chest (between your breasts) and over the mid-portion of your collar bone (away from your neck).
• Never place the shoulder belt under your arm or behind your back.
• Pull any slack (looseness) out of the belt.
• If you are in an accident, seek medical attention right away, even if you are not injured.

What should I know about air bags when I travel in a car?

• Keep 10 inches between the steering wheel and your breastbone.
• If the car has an air bag “on/off” switch, check to be sure it is turned to “on.”
• As your belly grows, you may not be able to keep as much space between you and the steering wheel. If the car has a tilt steering wheel, make sure it is angled toward your breastbone, not your belly or head.