I am currently 19 weeks pregnant – and am happy to say for the most part, they have been quite uneventful weeks.
However, early last week out of no where I nearly fainted during rush hour on the subway. Â I’m not usually a big fainter, so this threw me for a loop – especially because I had very little warning. Â The platform was stuffy but not terrible and the train was full but not packed. Â All of a sudden, I realized I would be on the floor if I didn’t ask someone (anyone!) for a seat when I started to black out. Â Thankfully, New Yorkers are a lot nicer than given credit for and I asked for (and immediately received) a seat not a second too soon.
Of course, I don’t look completely pregnant at this point, so people near me regarded me as though I had the plague, but the near fainting spell passed and I made it to work safety. Â After calling Pops to relay the story I called my doctor and learned a great tidbit of information the isn’t listed in any pregnancy book I’ve read: Â Around 20 weeks, women who take the subway start to have problems with fainting. Â Presumably it’s the combination of stuffiness, crowding, etc that causes this…..but I suspect another factor should be given attention – especially to those of us who ‘tunnel’ to Manhattan.
On the R/V line there is a point where the train dips under the East river. Â Over the past week I’ve noted I feel my worst at this point. Â And perhaps it makes sense – at this point in pregnancy my blood pressure is already low and when the train dips down and starts picking up speed (thus increasing the side to side motion) I think it’s reasonable to assume my pressure drops even more – and quite suddenly.
As a lover of the subway, I think the above explains away a lot of it. Â I’d hate to think a train is making me ill. Â I’d rather blame the pressure change! Â So, if you’re pregnant and riding the subway, consider this as a possibility and take heed. Â And maybe you’ll be lucky like me and convince your significant other to ride with you in the morning…just in case.
As it turns out, fainting Moms-to-be is not a phenomenon isolated to New York City’s subway system. In Japan, pregnant Tokyo subway passengers are given pins in hopes that other commuters will give up their seats. The pins come in blue or pink and read “There is a baby in my stomach“.
While working remotely is one solution (albeit one that not everyone has the option of), Babyzone.com offers seven tips for pregnant commuters.
Among these tips and advice should be Asking for seats on train/tube/bus when pregnant.
If you are early on in your pregancy, don’t assume people know that you’re pregnant, even in cities considered polite, expectant mothers have a hard time getting seats.