Riding while pregnant

[giant rock]

I think that we are all good parents just that we all have different parenting skills. As for me having the one child so far he learns about sharing as he plays at parks and other play area's. Plus he starts pre school next year which he is ready for. We use to take him to gymbaroo once a week for 2 yrs and then pulled him out as for the last 10 weeks of attendance he just wanted to play and if he could not play he would throw a tantrum and scream the place down until it was play time again and yes I persisted for 10 weeks and then gave up and pulled him out and gave him 12 months of before starting pre school. Though gymbaroo did help him to socialise with other children etc just that I don't believe in child care unless both parents are working etc. Me I am lucky to be able to stay home and raise my child and enjoy every minute with my son it is soo worth it and I feel for the parents that wish they too could stay home with their children as for today times are tough and are going to get tougher.......

 

[Pebble]

Ahh yes there's always the Mothers Group or Play Group or Story Time at the library. No shortage of options for interacting children with others these days.

We've gone a bit off topic kind of. Really I don't think anyone can tell you what the right decision is. I guess just put forward some opinions and experiences. I think I may have already written more than my fair share! Hope at least some may have been useful or interesting to read!

Oh yeah that's my Son in my Avatar.

 

[hayley318]

yaya we ride

i was pregnant in 07 with my first son and i was riding dirt bikes. i race them and i was also riding and jumping some hills on our track on a regular bike when i was like 7 months pregnant. but thats just me and he was born fine, no problems he's perfect.

 

[giant rock]

So how much time did you have of the bike???? As I think that we may have decided to try for another child but I don't want to give up the road bike and I think that if I have the next and last one then I can be more serious about riding and improving better. I just love riding the road bike and feeling the breeze pass you by it is just like being free......

 

[Pebble]

Pregnancy, it depends how big your bump gets and how quickly, I was reasonably small for most of it and was working as a kitchen hand up until 6 months (without knocking the belly against the sink). as well as my other storeperson job, so I would have at least been riding to and from work and I don't think I could help myself in lifting things that were heavier than I was really supposed to (like those 15L water bottles). So for pregnancy you may end up staying off the bike for say the last month or maybe as much as 3 months.
Birth, this depends for one if you have a natural labor or have to have a caesarian, obviously with the latter you'd be off the bike for longer. Now ignoring the whole breastfeeding and logistics I imagine most people start feeling back to normal after around 3 months, so everything else taken care of you could probably get back on the bike. Alternatively when bub is around 9-12 months you can put them in a baby seat or trailer.

 

[hayley318]

ill ride my regular bike all throughout my whole pregnancy, i get about 130 pounds in all..and thats SUPER fat for me. i do everything i always have, its like im not even pregnant but i do make sure i dont get hit in the stomach or anything. ill ride up until the day i have it, and im talking about riding a street bike on our motox track. im careful tho.

 

[Techno Destructo]

My wife stopped riding at about 4 months into pregnancy.
She actually crashed on her road bike at 3.5 months... that was a bit scary... but our daughter turned out perfect still.

 

[xcmtbmum]

I empathise with the decision of getting pregnant when you're really fit and loving the bike, and also the age factor (my doctor said I am officially classified as an "Ancient" mum because I'm over 35!) How long and/or hard you ride depends a lot on how fit you are before you get pregnant. I rode for the first 5 months and did easy to moderate rides to keep my heart rate below my chosen maximum (higher than the recommended 140 because I was very fit, and with no ill effects at all on the baby). I stopped riding at 5 months when I felt like I was starting to squash the "bump". I kept up my fitness with other exercise, and with my doctors OK I was riding on the bike path a few weeks after the birth, and my first MTB ride after 7 weeks. Of course my experience wouldn't apply to everyone and depends on the individual and your doctors advice, but pregnancy doesn't have to set you back for too long

 

[xmanbigfoot]

yeah i have that problem too.

 

[ganabu]

Hi there...

Sorry to crash in to the girls forum, but I found this while searching for some thing else.

My partner was still commuting 10km each way to work up to the week before our first baby was born. It only stopped because she went on maternity leave. I was rather nervous about her getting knocked off etc, but all went well and because she was fit the birth went really well. For the second child she wasn't riding as much and found the delivery harder work even though it was much shorter, and puts it down to not as being fit. The Doc agreed.

So go for it and ride.... Just take it nice and easy.

Cheers.

 

[Slowpoke]

You have probably made some decisions by now, but if not: my two cents.

I rode through two pregnancies (commuting and social rides), but gave up off-road at about 16 weeks. After my first child I fell in with a serious biking crowd and started to get aspirations about longer enduro events (was preparing for a solo 24hr when I found out I was pregnant with number 2). Both times, got back on the bike quite quickly.

I too was in two minds about whether a second would curb my passion. I dont have any huge competitive aspirations (even though I love participating in races). I am nearly 39 (youngest child is 2) and I am back into it and feeling fitter and stronger than ever. That said, I dont see a time in the near future when I might find the time to prepare for a solo 24hr. I would have said that could be a 40th birthday challenge, but that is next year...

If you love being on the bike, think about getting a trailer. Dont get sucked into a car just because you have kids.

My partner only just tolerates my bike habit, but we are agreed that we need time to ourselves to be better parents.

Good luck!

 

[schacksta]

My wife is doing the Sydney to Gong ride at the end of the month. She is 19 weeks today.

cheers,

schacksta
president
www.wsmtb.com

 

[czecharch]

Babies?bike?babies?bike?

Hi, You are at a fork in the road but you've got to go where you heart is. I have had both mine (3 and 5 now)and three years later fully back into riding, better and more than I ever have. I am 38. I found that I couldn't ride much more than about 8 weeks into each preg as my cartlidge went all soft and I kept hurting myself and the vibrations going up my seat made my tummy feel uncomfortable. But I know lots of people who rode for longer. You can always wait and keep riding, get it out of your system and have another baby later, there's still plenty of time!!!
I bought myself a yeti (my dream bike) as contraception!

 

[Pebble]

Hi, You are at a fork in the road but you've got to go where you heart is. I have had both mine (3 and 5 now)and three years later fully back into riding, better and more than I ever have. I am 38. I found that I couldn't ride much more than about 8 weeks into each preg as my cartlidge went all soft and I kept hurting myself and the vibrations going up my seat made my tummy feel uncomfortable. But I know lots of people who rode for longer. You can always wait and keep riding, get it out of your system and have another baby later, there's still plenty of time!!!
I bought myself a yeti (my dream bike) as contraception!

Contraception
Can't see how that would work, I think Hubby probably wouldn't let me go riding if he was missing out

 

[OMA11R]

Hi Giant Rock

My wife and I have two beautiful children, and think one of the most important things while pregnant is to keep the body in its normal routine, especially when it comes to fitness. However before we knew we were pregnant with our first baby, my wife had a fall on her stomach riding on a small rocky track which caused her to lose one of two babies she was carrying at the time, unfortunately since then she did not have it in her to do another bike ride. On the other hand I knew a female body builder at my local gym who kept up her training for nearly the whole time she was pregnant. Where I am going with this is the female body goes through enough changes as it is without the need to lose fitness and health by stopping or slowing down exercise. As long as the exercise whether it be bike riding, swimming etc is within your limits at the time of your pregnancy. You should also consult your GP and your obstetrician who have a better understanding of your body.

All the best with the decision you make.

 

[scbullit]

I (wife of scbullit) rode through both my pregnancies. I had been riding for many years. My first pregnancy I was able to do a lot more. I rode single track for the first 7 months then went to flat smooth fireroad for the last two months. I was on my bike two days before my daughter was born. She had a very speedy delivery which I think had a bit to do with being fit. With my second pregnancy I managed to time it through the winter (so that I would be pregnant free for the summer), it was a little harder to get out on the bike as I wasn't going to do any night riding. I wasn't able to mountain bike or ride smooth stuff for that matter as long as the first time round, all my ligaments were more stretched so I wasn't as confortable. I think I gave up riding all together around 7-8 months.

For both pregnancies, I rode with a heart rate monitor and just kept an eye on it. If it got high I would stop straight away and rest till it dropped. Some climbs that I would normally do easily I had to stop a number of times. If I rode when it was hot I took it really easy (it is important not to get too hot). I only rode within my capabilities and didn't ride anything that challenged me.

After the pregnancies I was back on the bike 9 days after the second and 2 weeks after the first. I obviously took it very easy and had to walk up some hills. I know it is not recommended to get back into such exercise till about 6 weeks after but I was a bit eager.

As far as having two kids, yes I think it is way much more work but it is great for the kids to have siblings and it is only going to get easier. I will soon have my first in school and my second has finally started sleeping through. I get out for regular rides, my husband is really supportive of this. He knows I need riding as an outlet I am a happier person when it is a regular part of my life. The struggle is trying to get enough riding for both of us, but we manage.

Hope that helps, probably a little late though looking at the date of the first post.

 

[pinkbike]

Hope that helps, probably a little late though looking at the date of the first post.

Never too late, this is the kind of topic that many women are going to start searching for info about once they consider pregnancy/get pregnant... I almost think it should be a sticky up the top.

 

[Beegony09]

Hi Ladies

I just had a really small question.
Am I allowed to be in my house while it is getting painted????
I mean, I will be at work all day, but is it safe to sleep there while it is drying???
I just about 14 weeks pregnant????

Any response would be GREAT

THANK YOU
REGANKATE

 

[MMelissa]

I JUST had a newborn baby (2 weeks ago) and throughout my pregnancy I was classified as high risk, so exercise was banned and there was no way I could ride.

Now, I am thinking about getting back into cross-country but looking to sell my downhill bike. I don't feel comfortable about taking the risks associated with downhill anymore.

I guess while many women can continue riding right up until they're just about due, for me, that was out of the question. At 31, you've more than likely to have many more years left to have a bub, assuming your fertility is good now. Maybe that's something worth looking into just so that you know you're making an informed decision about when the right time might be for you.

 

[Ceejay]

riding while preggers

Have you tried riding while your pregnant?
Cos I found it very painful just sitting on the seat, and then standing up became awkward with balance.. I've asked about it and most kinds of exercise are great for your body while pregnant, you'd just wanna be sure your not doing anything crazy and there was a chance you were going to fall off...
Happy breeding