Pregnant and tours?

[cyclechick]

Hi! I'm an avid biker...do about 2000 miles a year...mostly in the warm months....
I just found out I'm pregnant...and I certainly don't want to give up my 50 - 75 mile rides on the weekends....I'd like to hear from some of you and your experiences...If you were able to continue riding, even long 4-5 hour rides while you were pregnant....It's hard to ask people this who work out maybe 1/2 hour to an 1 hour a day..not quite the same thing. Thanks!

[Irulan]

There's gal in my club who just quit riding at 8 months. The drop handlebar style of a road bike is very uncomfortable for pregnancy as your knees start to hit your belly after a while. When I was pregnant with my two, I borrowed my hubby's mt bike and it was great.

The main things about pregnancy are 1) find a medical practicioner that supports your fitness 2) listen to your body.3) learn and understand the physical changes that occur during pregnancy. These include loosening of the joints and cartilage; changes in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood, physical changes such as decreases lung capacity and so on.

I have done all the following at various stages during my two pregnancies. biked, hiked, backpacked,wt training, lap swimming, alpine and XC skiing. I would highly recommend taking up swimming at least for the last half of your pregnancy. It's very low impact. Plus it feels great to be in a "weightless" environment when you feel like a whale. PLus if you are due in the late summer it's a great way to cool off.

You probably will need to scale back, but your body wil let you know. Wait until you get hit with the "sleepies" you won't care a bit about exercising when that happens.

Irulan

[snakebite]

I agree you will have to wait to see what your body says. Many Doc's don't recommend cycling while pregnant for the reason of falling. I lost my first child possibly from mountain biking during my first few weeks. During my second pregnancy I was able to ride into about my 7th month. I had to stop mostly because of lung capacity, I just felt I couldn't ever catch my breath. But I toned it down and remained on the road or the bike trails and laid up my mountain bike for 10 months. I was able to continue to ride 3-4 hours in the begining to about 1hr at the end. I do strongly encourage you continue to excersie in some way during your pregnancy. And if its cycling you love then thats what will keep you motivated to continue to keep fit. I truly feel it helped me get through. Best wishes on a healthy pregnancy.

[Irulan]

Originally posted by snakebite
I agree you will have to wait to see what your body says. Many Doc's don't recommend cycling while pregnant for the reason of falling. I lost my first child possibly from mountain biking during my first few weeks.

wow, that's very sad. Did you have a big wreck? Now, with this next statements I am not intending to be disrespectful at all...Everything I've ever read about pregnancy was that the baby was well insulated for impacts. I guess unless there was an implantation problem? It's hard to know why these things happen. I do know that when I was skiing alpine up to 5 months I was very mellow and had a good healthy fear of falling and impact. Just happy to be out if you kow what I mean!! I am really glad that you were sucessful the second time around.

Irulan

[cyclechick]

Thanks all! ..I just went to my doctor and it was like she looked at me crazy for wanting exercise (at all) during my pregnancy..I'm very upset...The whole time I've been going to her she's been telling me, don't worry, you got plenty of time...now all of a sudden I've hit this "magical" 35 years old, and now I'm "high risk" although I'm probably healthier than 90% of the people in America younger than me....Needless to say, I'm looking for a new doctor. If I truly am high risk, then fine, I'll quit, but I don't think I am just because I'm "35", especially after talking w/ a lot of people about this. I've been stewing and crying over this for 2 days now. The more I think about her responses, (Oh, I see we're going to have a problem) the more I get burned up.....

Thanks for letting me vent!....I have noone to vent to yet, as I don't want to tell anyone until the 3rd month.

[Irulan]

You might want to seriously consider getting a differnt medical parcticiouner that you feel comfortable with. NO exercies? That is medieval!!!! While there are certain risks assosciated with your age that can be assessed, it's been proven over and over again that exercise makes for better pregnancies and deliveriies. Even if you do turn out to be a true higher risk and not a just a statistic, find someone that you feel really good about. If you feel supported and edcuated you will feel a lot better.

also, you should be starting pre-natal vitamins with folic acid; very important.

My first MD was wonderful, as was the NP-Midwife I had for #2. I had them both in birth room at hospitals.

Irulan

[cyclechick]

Yeah, I mean she didn't say NOT to exercise,but just her attitude was very weird... "oh, i see we're going to have a problem"....Damn right we are! Of course, by that point, I was so upset, I couldn't even talk w/o blubbering so I didn't say anything.

So, I did sign up for a new doctor, (I talked to the nurse at the new place, and she was very empathic and said people love this dr, and can talk to him, so keep your fingers crossed for me!) and also asked my chiropractor (who fully supports me exercising) to give me a recommendation. I don't have any cycling friends who are young enough to ask, they all went through their babies before they started riding!

Thanks again

[cyclechick]

Snake bite...Glad to hear everything worked out ok, and thanks for the advise! (I've given up mt biking, but that's ok, cuz I'm not as "gonzo" as I used to be when I was younger..and I don't enjoy it as much)....And as far as the balance....I ride a tandem w/my husband (My only road bike)...so it will give him a workout balancing us, as I gain the weight ! ha ha. We've been riding for 8 years and only tipped over once, so I'm pretty confident.

[MightyMitre]

Hi cyclechick - I can't believe how unhelpful some doctors can be. What a bad attitude. As far as exercise goes, my sister-in-law who lives in Canada is a mad, keen runner and she was still running up to about 6 months of her pregnancy. She even took part in a Mothers Day fun run at the local school.

I'm sure she checked it out with her doctor etc to make sure it was ok, but the only reason she stopped was because the bump was getting too heavey and the pressure was uncomfortable. She then switched to swimming and swam at least a couple of times a week right up to the end.

At 7 months we also spent a fantastic few nights camping and hiking in the Rockies which was excellent fun.

I know she would have been totally gutted if someone had suggested she didn't exercise. I still can't believe a lot of people seem to think if you're pregnant you should settle yourself on the sofa at 3 months and not move till the birth! Good luck in finding a new doctor. Hope the new one turns out to be a bit more symapthetic.

[Karen London]

Btw the blubbering?? probably worse because your hormones are feeling a bit "fragile" too.... you did the right thing. The girl I know who had the shortest labor I have ever heard of AND for her first baby was a sports instructor, fearsomely fit, kept doing almost everything right through her pregnancy, I'm sure her baby got lots of oxygen and that it made the difference... good luck

[cyclechick]

Yeah, Couldn't stop crying...I get bad emotional PMS sometimes, so I know it's the hormones....So I got a few recommendations, I just hope the first one is good, so I don't have to keep "shopping" around! ha ha...