Cycling & motherhood

[MightyMitre]

Now before you all get exciting, I'm not expecting, but hopefully will be one day, and thought a little reseach wouldn't do any harm.

I was wondering how people cope with becoming a mum and cycling. I'm not really talking about whether you should or shouldn't train/ride while pregnant, more about how you felt towards cycling after baby arrived.

Did any one leap back on your bike and ride home from the hospital with junior strapped to your back ;) or was it the last thing on your mind.

At the moment my partner and I often go out riding togther, but I guess that would not longer be possible. Just need some re-assurance that it is still possible to do a sport while being a mum.

[Veronica]

I see lots of people with trail-a-bikes with the little kid on the bike. You could also get a triplet and put junior in the middle. At the tandem rally we went to in July, there was a family with mom and dad on a tandem and their triplets in a trailer. So you can certainly turn biking into a family affair.

Veronica

[tinkerbell]

I've got one word for ya-- babysitter (and if a grandma lives nearby you're doubley lucky-- they'd practically pay YOU for extra time with the grandkid while you go riding ;)). I have a 6 year old now who uses a trailer bike, but even then I can't go out for my much beloved 2-3 hour ride, it's mostly for shorter around the neighborhood kind of rides. I never used a trailer when she was younger. I like to cycle, but honestly I love to really escape-- by myself or with a small group. I really do consider it time just for me to get out exercise and feel the wind in my hair--I don't race, but I love zipping around on my road bike and feeling the speed of it all. I have some very reliable babysitters and sometimes trade time with the family across the way. They watch my daughter while I bike, while I watch their child so that they can run errands. Even if I can't work that out I find it much to my advantage to give me "Me Time" and pay someone $10-15 dollars so that I can go out, ride a good long ride, and have some time to myself to think and reflect. Besides I get too stressed out riding on the streets with the baby in the back and I'd die of lack of patience if I had to try to maneuver on the sidewalks or trails ;) Although, I do see some advantage to having a trailer or trail-a-bike for shorter more intimate family times...I guess how you approach it depends a lot on why you like to cycle

[annie]

Being a mom and a bike rider are definitely compatible. In fact, I don't think I would have survived motherhood without the stress relief of biking. ;) I have 4 children. I biked throughout all of their babyhoods, childhoods, and on into their teenage years. It gets easier as they get older, but there's always compromises to be made. When they were babies, I made what time I could to ride. When they were old enough, I took them with me in a trailer. Then onto their own bikes. Unfortunately, none of them have developed a love for riding that I have. So once they were old enough to choose for themselves. they no longer ride. Lazy! They take after their dad, obviously, not me! ;) That worked out, too. He stayed home with them and I rode. I totally agree with Tinkerbell. You have to decide how you want to approach it. Ride as a family deal, or get out by yourself. You can try it both ways, see what works best for you. Be flexible with your time and it can work well.

Oh, and I did not leap onto my bike and ride home from the hospital! LOL! I can just see that......... my family thinks I'm crazy as it is. But I was back on the bike sooner each child I had. Two weeks after the 4th one was born, I was out there. Overdid it a bit and starting bleeding again, but it was worth it. I backed off to shorter riders after that one, but at least I proved to myself that I was still a rider. And I haven't quite since. That was fifteen years ago. My "baby" is 15. Time goes by so fast! You do need to enjoy them when they are little and when they are growing up. I personally think you can do that better when you have an outlet for your own interests and take some time for yourself, be it biking or whatever you are passionate about.

Okay, I've rambled on enough. This is a subject with so much to say that I need to limit myself.

[Steph_in_TX]

I have a trailer for my little one, but I pull it behind a hybrid so that's no so much biking for me as it is just to get us out of the house on nice mornings. We have really nice bike trails and we ride to the park and feed the ducks. But there are some dads in my area that I have seen at rallies with trailers on their road bikes and the kids sleep for 30-50 miles. Not my thing, but it can work.

As for some real time on the bike, my husband and I take turns going out for short rides once he gets home from work during the week, but with it getting darker earlier now that's coming to an end for this year. We also takes turns going out on the weekend. Grandma does babysit for us so we can ride together some, too.

[Kpicha]

LOL! Annie, I totally relate to you! I also have 4 children, all small right now though - the oldest will be 6 next month.

I don't get to ride as much as I would like but then again, who does :) I started riding a few months after my third and then when I was pregnant with my fourth, I stopped for about a year. I had a C-section with him and it took quite a while before I stopped the bleeding. Beside that, nursing made me very tired and I rarely had the energy to ride for more than an hour. That's just me though, you may find that you have more energy when the time comes :)

My husband is an avid soccer player (I used to be) so we have to compromise on who is doing what on the weekends. I'm planning on getting some lights to be able to extend my riding time into the night, otherwise, I'll only be limited to one day a week.

Well, everyone's story is different but I never lost the desire to ride (unless I over do it and get burned out) and where there's a will, there's a way :)

Cheers,
Kristina

[tinkerbell]

hmmm, all of these posts got me to thinking...a husband...that's the part I forgot, next time I'm going to plan ahead and get myself one of them so he can watch the kids while I ride ;) Maybe that's another reason why I feel so strongly about making the time for yourself to go out and ride sans child. Being a single mom I definitely have found that you can lose yourself in motherhood (trying to do everything all the time) and forget who you are as an individual. I guess I think too that if you love riding you'll find a way to continue even once you become a mom, whether that means pulling a trailer or getting a sitter. I'm glad you're planning ahead though...the more you've thought it all through the easier the transition will be. Learning from other's experiences, hearing advice, and then making my own decision according to what I want from my life is something that has helped me to learn a lot about how to be the best mom/person I can be.

[MightyMitre]

Thanks guys - these have been some really inspiring replies.

Yes, I do like to plan ahead and know what I'm getting into as much as possible. Next year I'll be 30 so I've decided to have one last cycling season - train hard this winter and really go for it, full on, next summer and see how I feel then. I'm sure getting pregnant while nice and fit must help, strong legs especially to carry the extra weight. :p

I guess one thing I'm worried about is getting lost in being a mum and forgetting who I am. I'm sure having cycling as 'my time' will be perfect for keeping in touch with myself, so I'll have more to offer as a mum.

I especially like the idea of family rides and a bike- trailer sounds cool. Still, plenty of time to look into that later:)

Anyway, thanks for the reassurance. It's always nice to talk to people who've been there. Now all I've got to do is persuade my partner a baby would be nice. So far I've been playing on the proud dad thing...'wouldn't you be so proud to watch junior ride his first bike on his own, or take part in his first kiddies race...' :p

I'll keep you posted....:D