Awkward but necessary, driving while pregnant can be an uncomfortable experience, but now the Institute of Advanced Motorists has issued guidance for mothers-to-be on how to drive safely and comfortably.

“It seems obvious,” said the IAM’s chief examiner Peter Rodger, “but we urge pregnant women to keep wearing their seatbelts while driving.

“A lot of women don’t like the way belts feel and, without realising the danger, let the shoulder strap or the lap belt ride up into the middle of the abdomen.  But the steering wheel hitting the abdomen is the main danger for pregnant drivers in a collision, and the seatbelt is the only thing stopping a driver from flying forward.”

·         Wear the lap strap below your bump, as low as possible, from hip-bone to hip-bone.

·         Keep the diagonal strap between your breasts, moving the strap around the side of your bump.

·         Adjust the fit to be as snug as comfortably possible.

·         You can push the seat back, as long as you adjust your mirrors accordingly and can reach the brake, accelerator and clutch.  You can buy aftermarket pedal extenders for this purpose.  Being an extra three inches away from the steering wheel makes a lot of difference in an accident.

“Correct use of seatbelts is important, as incorrect use can cause harm to the foetus and fail to protect the woman in an accident,” added Professor Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.  “Pregnant women should use three-point seatbelts above and below the bump, not over it.”