You see the two lines, you get the confirmation from your OB/GYN about your blood-work, and {insert your favorite activity} season is right around the corner. I am sure a lot of pregnant women would be disappointed at the thought of putting a halt to anything that could *potentially* cause harm to their developing fetus. Hell, I was nervous at the thought of even SAYING the word “skiing” while in the doctor’s office. But nevertheless, skiing is in my blood. It’s something I didn’t want to give up, even for just one season, and even at the advice of my old-school OB/GYN (I have since seen other providers who have differing opinions…). So, I didn’t give it up!
I also didn’t give up waterskiing or running, two of my other favorite outdoor activities. I did, however, learn to listen to my body, pay attention to conditions (read: don’t go running outdoors in the snow with my spikes in the middle of winter, as I normally would have), and back off the speed on most of my activity. There are many reasons I make these personal choices, but number one for me is being able to continue feeling as much like myself as possible. (Note: I’m writing this post at 38 weeks pregnant with our third). Pregnancy and being a mom can overwhelmingly take over who you are, and a big goal of mine is to always keep the pieces of myself I love the most a top priority. Staying active outdoors keeps my body and mind healthy, engaged, excited, and motivated.
Here are some of the tips I have for someone who wants to continue their active (and maybe questionably safe during pregnancy depending who you talk to) lifestyle.
Keep it comfortable
Be sure to wear clothes that will stretch with your growing belly so you can stay as comfy as possible. For my ski base layers and running/workout outfits, I just sized up one size in my normal Lululemon staples which have been comfortable until probably week 36 or so. My favorite tops are the Swiftly Tech long sleeves for skiing and short sleeves and tanks for running. They’re light and relatively unrestrictive. For bottoms I swear by the Wunder Under crops, also sized up one size. This ski season, I ended up wearing Keith’s size large ski jacket on the last day of the season to be sure I wasn’t being restricted in any manner, and over the three pregnancies I used a pair of size large ski pants to grow into that worked well for me too.
Keep it (relatively) safe
Many doctors will say “absolutely not” to many things. Most doctors will say, “anything you’ve been doing for awhile is safe to continue.” This is especially true for most aerobic activity. For activities like skiing and waterskiing that have potential for falls and impacts to the belly, my advice is to be aware of changes in your balance and center of gravity, and be aware of the risks around you (i.e. stay off of trails with a lot of beginners on them, and stay well within the limits of your pre-pregnancy ability). For me, this meant keeping my faster skis in storage and taking out the more playful ones that require me to keep my speed in check. It meant taking runs in the morning while the mountains were less crowded and packing it up for the busy afternoon. It meant listening to my legs when they told me they were getting tired, even though the conditions were epic. With my every day exercising routines (running and OrangeTheory), it meant slowing my paces if my breath was getting too heavy, and modifying any exercises that were unsafe or uncomfortable (mostly for exercises flat on my back, or ab work). Being completely upfront with any trainers or teachers is critical as they can help you made minor tweaks to keep you and your little one safe.
Just. Keep. Going.
Routines are hard to establish. Once established, they’re pretty difficult to break. But when you have an excuse like a tiny human growing inside you, taking bits and pieces of your brain and your physical fitness, it’s easy to say “I feel like crap, I’ll just stay home today.” I encourage you to avoid that urge with every ounce of your being. I succumbed to that urge for much of my second pregnancy and I can promise you that mentally and physically I felt much worse than my other two pregnancies. Hiking for 20 minutes for some fresh thigh deep Whistler or Vail powder can bring me (and anyone, really) out of the slumpiest of mental slumps. Pounding the pavement for 30 ugly minutes just for two miles will make me feel like a million bucks for the next 24 hours. And swerving behind the boat on a glassy morning can bring a smile to my face any day of the week. It’s worth overcoming the exhaustion piece, because you feel so. much. better. afterwards! I’m told labor is easier after an active pregnancy too, I’ll update you after this third one because quite frankly I can’t say the first was any easier than the second, they both were “as advertised”… HA!
