pregnancy and max hr

[vigg]

The new ob said the same thing - 140 bpm max. I told her how easily my hr shoots up to 160 or so just going up a slight hill, but then plummets back downward once the hill levels off, and she said that was probably alright, but why not just lower the gear? Yes, these MD's know a heck of a lot more about human physiology than I do, but this 140 max sounds like a concrete, simplistic effort on their part to protect their collective butt.
Anyone who is as confused as I am about all this (you know, there are a number of sources claiming the 140 max is ultra-conservative bunk, but just check with the doc to be sure it's OK to exceed it, then the doc says "oh no, stay below 140...") should pick up a book by James Clapp "Exercising Through Your Pregnancÿ." I admit he seems a little overzealous about his agenda, but he does cite ample studies that refute many of the current guidelines, including the degree of danger of overheating the baby, or depriving it of oxygen. And because the body undergoes so may changes throughout the pregnancy and even during the course of each excercise session, the 140 max is almost irrelevant. Does this mean I'm going to go all out? No, but now I at least have a physiological explanation for why my heart rate shoots up so readily on hills, with no real change in my perceived exertion. I won't get into it here, but I will certainly stop worrying that I'm hurting the baby if I'm above 140 for 30 second intervals here and there.
As for conception, much of the word out there about excessive exercise impeding your ability to conceive is speculative. Exercise, for the most part, improves fertility, provided one's overall lifestyle is healthy and periods are regular. I'm an impatient person, and had assumed that maybe I didn't get pregnant right away because I was exercising too much, but in retrospect, it took us only two cycles of concious effort (if you know what I mean) to get pregnant. It just felt like forever at the time. Good luck to you!
Vigg