@dr.katie.hSafety first!! Share this with a pregnant person to raise awareness! ##pregnancytips ##caraccident ##seatbeltcheck ##cartiktok ##pregnancyjourney ##34weeks♬ original sound – Dr Katie
In her now-viral video, Katie explains to viewers that seatbelts should be worn below the pregnant belly, across the hip bones, with the shoulder strap above the bump and between the breasts.
“That prevents the baby from taking all the impact,” Katie told TODAY.
She also added that a pregnant driver should sit as far away from the steering wheel as safely possible, to “minimize the impact of the airbags hitting you and your pregnant belly if they do go off.”
Katie also stressed the importance of pregnant women following up with their doctor after an accident no matter how minor it is “because even minor accidents can cause complications for you and your baby.”
The patient that sparked Katie’s PSA had been involved in a T-bone crash.
“She came in because she hadn’t felt her baby move since the accident. It had been a couple of hours, which is very scary,” Katie told TODAY Parents.
Luckily, both mom and baby were fine, but as Katie stressed, that may not always be the case.
Since sharing the clip last month, Katie, who is now 37-weeks pregnant, has received comments from users and moms everywhere, praising her for this advice.
“I was taught this 2 hours before I was in a bad car accident at 22 weeks,” one commenter wrote. “It literally saved my son’s life.”
“I had no idea how to wear my seatbelt but it was always on my mind when driving,” one mom wrote.
Another added, “This needs to be taught more! I’d never have known this.”
