Bushwalking while pregnant

[Kainas]

Feeling a bit stunned, my husband and I have just begun to get back into outdoor sports. The first two children (now 5 & 3) were my first two children - everything seemed hard with them, and going out seemed impossible. We have now begun camping and walking and orienteering and parkrunning together. We have found ways to make it work, and we all love it.

Now with another pregnancy just begun I am wanting to avoid having another 4 years at home. I want to keep doing these activities - yes modified of course, but I know more about what I am like as a parent now, so lots of things don't worry me (for example, I have never had a bad nights sleep with my kids - well, maybe 3 or 4 with my first).

We had just been planning two multi-day walks for this year. But now factoring in a pregnancy means that I am trying to figure out what I need to put aside. E.g. Yuragypir Coastal Walk in September (14wks pregnant by then) and Mt Koscuszko in Nov/Dec (24wks by then).

I would love to hear about actual experiences of woman who walked while pregnant, comments, advice etc.

[north-north-west]

While I've managed to avoid the whole pregnancy thing, I have seen quite a few women out on the tracks who were obviously carrying a little something extra. First trimester, I see no reason why you can't indulge in your usual round of activities. Beyond that, you would need to start scaling back the intensity somewhat but, with care, I'd have thought walking would do more good than harm, unless there are sound medical reasons not to.
As with anything that has an impact on your physical capabilities, it's mostly a matter of being sensible in what you decide to do.

[Moondog55]

No personal experience obviously; but in a previous live my Ex walked and carried a reasonably heavy load until 27 weeks. We did not walk as far or as hard but we still got out for long week-ends

[Tortoise]

Years ago a bushwalking friend came with a couple of us when she was quite pregnant ( >30 wks). Short, easy walk to a base camp, with day walks from there. 2 of us carried some extra weight for her. We thought we had everything covered, till she went to put her pack on - and the hip strap wouldn't go around. We managed fine - just took things easy. And we had pretty good access to mobile reception, just in case.

So - do you have any friends who bushwalk, who might be willing and able to come along and help out a bit?

Given that I know some farmers' wives who did fairly heavy work till 37+ weeks, I expect there's a fair bit of lee-way. It would be interesting to know what research has been done - maybe with athletes?? Of course it would be good to get personal medical advice for your specific situation.

[GPSGuided]

First a congratulation is in order!

As for the question, it all depends! Fundamentally, suitable amount of exercises is good during pregnancy. However, every pregnancy is different and you should wait and see how your pregnancy progresses and your physical condition. Apart from checking with your obstetrician, bear in mind that female of the specie have walked and gathered food for millions of years during pregnancy. It's all built-in.

[Moondog55]

First a congratulation is in order!

Whoops YES
Congratulations

[Kainas]

Ha thanks, and thanks for the responses. Yes, my husband is in tow, and so are my 5 & 3 year olds.

My husband works crazy hours, and I was planning a solo hiking adventure for september, just me and the girls (with a bonus if my husband didn't have to work and got to come). I had figured taking it slow and with gear drops at every caravan park along the way (The multi-day coastal walk near Coffs Harbour - Yuragypir??). I am still very tempted. Surely I won't walk any slower than an almost 4yo? I was going to aim for 5km per day, turn it into a 9day trip (with the option to pull out almost every second day, and the option to stay in caravan parks every second day).

I agree with all the "wait and see" posts, and of course I will. I just want to have some idea of what is achievable if I maintain a decent level of fitness (happy to amble along like an old grandpa, happy to keep it short - it is easy to forget that pregnant mums are not only carrying around extra weight... they also have loads of energy going into creating a whole new person -- it is exhausting to say the least).

.... I promise I am not hoping to have my next child in a tent. (Although the thought occurred to me today - with no level of seriousness - as I hollered "were you born in a tent" at my daughter. Ha ha ha).

[GPSGuided]

One other item as you've already thought of is, the extra weight and bulk. There'll be postural changes and associated extra stresses on your spine as well as the hips, and that's something you need to be careful of. Along with the baby's calcium consumption and hormonal changes, you'll really need to consider protection there and lest let it cause any long term problem. As such, pack weight reduction needs to be a priority. Earlier I wasn't aware that your husband won't be joining you to off-load a significant portion of the gears and it concerns me. Maybe you should limit yourself to just low intensity day walks come the third trimester.

[Strider]

I hate to put the thought in your mind, but if complications arise with pregnancy, a multiday walk in the middle of nowhere is probably the worst place you could be. Perhaps stick to easy walks that are close to civilisation or at least easily accessed by emergency services?

I was out bushwalking when my wife called to tell me she had started bleeding heavily at 13 weeks gestation. I was only half an hour from home, but I still feel guilty for being so far away at a time when I was needed most.

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[Kainas]

One other item as you've already thought of is, the extra weight and bulk. There'll be postural changes and associated extra stresses on your spine as well as the hips, and that's something you need to be careful of. Along with the baby's calcium consumption and hormonal changes, you'll really need to consider protection there and lest let it cause any long term problem. As such, pack weight reduction needs to be a priority. Earlier I wasn't aware that your husband won't be joining you to off-load a significant portion of the gears and it concerns me. Maybe you should limit yourself to just low intensity day walks come the third trimester.

I am being confusing and my "damn I wish I could still to what I was planning" is being mixed up with my "I think I might be able to still do this". This is partly because I am having a mini-4yo tantrum in my head... refusing to give up the toy!

Just to reassure you - I wouldn't attempt a multi-day walk by myself without my husband to carry half my pack. I have never been crazy or a risk taker...

At any rate, I am genuinely curious about other woman who have hiked and what they found manageable.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Yes - my wife and I did a 5 day trip to Frenchman's Cap when she was pregnant.

1. Talk to your OB/GYN. All pregnancies are unique, and as discussed before, you'll need to make sure your scenario is okay with your doctor. For example, a history of miscarriages or a multiple birth scenario etc will change things.

2. Earlier will be easier than later. As you would know, after about 18 weeks your size will really start accelerating and make it much more difficult.

3. Our OB/GYN strongly recommended my wife to keep her heart rate down (I think always less than 150) so she wore her running heart rate monitor. Only a couple of times did we have to stop (on steep uphill slogs) while her heart rate dropped back down.

4. Don't have pack tight around your tummy, you'll need to carry more load on your shoulders. Try to minimise your pack. We had three people on our trip, all with 18kg packs. So two of us upped ours to over 20kg, which got my pregnant wife's pack down to under 14kg.

5. Hunter/gatherers a few thousand years ago still seemed to have healthy babies, so provided you talk to your doctor first and take it easy then you should be fine. I think a healthy, fit and active mum is better than a mum who wraps themselves up in cotton wool for 9 months.

We returned from our trip, and 30 weeks later had a happy, healthy boy.

[perfectlydark]

Being not one of the female kind i really cant say. That said my wife (gave birth this week) couldnt even walk down the road to the park for the past 8 weeks or so. So i guess all pregnancies are different. Early stages i wouldnt put off walking if you are capable but 3rd trimester i probably woukdnt go more than an hour or 2 from the car just in case
Congrats and good luck!

[GPSGuided]

5. Hunter/gatherers a few thousand years ago still seemed to have healthy babies, so provided you talk to your doctor first and take it easy then you should be fine. I think a healthy, fit and active mum is better than a mum who wraps themselves up in cotton wool for 9 months.

Not being there but strongly suspect that they would not have carried a 10kg pack. Could have carried and towed other children while they walked though.

[Lindsay]

Once while resting on a steep hill I was overtaken by a very pregnant woman simply breezing up without any sign of exertion. I was rather embarassed to so outperformed.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Oh, and be aware of morning sickness. That was the hardest part of it for my wife.

[Kainas]

Oh, and be aware of morning sickness. That was the hardest part of it for my wife.

I have been through 3 pregnancies with that 24hr 'morning' sickness, I know what you are talking about. I am determined to overcome it this time, to keep fit and keep my mind busier. I was dead on the couch for my last 3 pregnancies - I cannot go through that again - I honestly wanted to die.

I am hitting the ground running (well, bushwalking, orienteering, cycling and yoga-ing) for this one. I have noticed immediately that when I am exercising the nausea subsides.

But that is a whole other conversation.

[Kainas]

Being not one of the female kind i really cant say. That said my wife (gave birth this week) couldnt even walk down the road to the park for the past 8 weeks or so. So i guess all pregnancies are different. Early stages i wouldnt put off walking if you are capable but 3rd trimester i probably woukdnt go more than an hour or 2 from the car just in case
Congrats and good luck!

Ah yes, you reminded me of "the trolley boy incident", which has become legend among my friends as we all seem to have had our own "trolley boy incidents". I was late into the pregnancy with my 2nd, and had just packed a load of shopping into the car. I looked at the trolley, looked at the 30m to the trolley return bay and I though "I would pay someone to take it back for me". I was exhausted from the shopping trip. Out of no where a trolley boy appeared and offered to take my trolley. I nearly hugged him, that young man has no idea that we still talk about him. I swear no one who hasn't been 39weeks pregnant could possible understand how exhausting it is (although I think bushwalkers with a huge pack may had least have some idea).

Thanks for the reminder... albeit I was about 39 weeks pregnant at the time, and I am not trying to go hiking so late in the pregnancy.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

Have some food by your bed. As soon as you wake in the morning, even before sitting up, get some food into you.

Doing that, and waiting 10-15 mins before getting up, seemed to cure 90% of the problem for my wife.

This worked when out on the trail, too, and was the only way my wife could avoid spewing and hence have enough energy to hike.

[Nuts]

Hi Kainas, we shared the Overland Track with a lady into her 7th month last summer (ie. large). She was with a friend and they had a stretching routine each morning. My head tussled old school concerns (of the type that matter when all is said and done) and I kept a weary eye out for them each day.. but I last talked to her at Narcissus and she was happy and looked rosey cheeked, glowingly healthy.

edit: weary=wary (not mutually exclusive but in this case misspealt)

[Kainas]

Have some food by your bed. As soon as you wake in the morning, even before sitting up, get some food into you.

Doing that, and waiting 10-15 mins before getting up, seemed to cure 90% of the problem for my wife.

This worked when out on the trail, too, and was the only way my wife could avoid spewing and hence have enough energy to hike.

I don't spew. I just hug the bowl and beg to die... nothing happens but misery. Yes, I tried all the tricks last time (ginger, jatz by the bed, nibbling on apples all day, getting up slowly etc etc). If I opened my eyes at midnight - without even moving, I would be hit by a wave of nausea. It was hell. I text my friend midway through it last pregnancy and swore that I would never ever do it again. Ha... and here I am.

Well, actually I am trying a new trick this time, this time I am going to try and use exercise to overcome the nausea... It works, but it is really easy to let it beat me back. So I need goals... ie if I stay fit throughout the nauseau period (thankfully only between the 5th and 15th weeks for me) then I will be fit enough to do some base camping, or a short overnight etc.

[Kainas]

3. Our OB/GYN strongly recommended my wife to keep her heart rate down (I think always less than 150) so she wore her running heart rate monitor. Only a couple of times did we have to stop (on steep uphill slogs) while her heart rate dropped back down.

That is a good tip to stop the overheating. I will talk to one of my midwife friends.

I meant to add - thanks for all the tips, they were great.

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

No worries

Just see what your doc says. They are the professionals, after all.

Our five day trip went well, apart from occasional nausea when scrambling up steep slopes. But she still managed to summit Frenchman's, so it was manageable. She was very cautious to stay well hydrated.

She was only 8-10 weeks at the time from memory so just showing, and had a very high level of fitness - much more than me.

Your doctor should be able to match your fitness and trimester of pregnancy to what would be an appropriate trip.

Well done on getting out there. The best health gift we can give our children (apart from food) is setting an example in staying active. We show our son (who is now four) photos of that trip all the time... He is intrigued that he was inside his mum's tummy when those photos were taken.

[Kainas]

Well done on getting out there. The best health gift we can give our children (apart from food) is setting an example in staying active.

I agree with that so much, another reason to want to keep getting out there.

Actually we just planted another 10 fruit trees on our suburban property today - brings the total to almost 30 fruit trees, as well as various other fruits, herbs, vegies, chooks etc. I love the kids getting their hands dirty and seeing where our food comes from - at least some of it. I just weeded my self-perpetuating herb garden (best thing ever, all I do is weed it, it looks after itself) and found a kilo of potatoes. I planted potatoes a few years ago and they have become a much-loved weed in our garden... They are every where!

[Lophophaps]

There is a related article in the paper
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/when- ... iaj5t.html

[slparker]

5. Hunter/gatherers a few thousand years ago still seemed to have healthy babies, so provided you talk to your doctor first and take it easy then you should be fine. I think a healthy, fit and active mum is better than a mum who wraps themselves up in cotton wool for 9 months.

Not being there but strongly suspect that they would not have carried a 10kg pack. Could have carried and towed other children while they walked though.

They would not have needed to carry a 10 kg pack when they could hunt and gather what they needed daily....

[GPSGuided]

They would not have needed to carry a 10 kg pack when they could hunt and gather what they needed daily....

I was thinking there'll be situations where they need to move camp. Pots and other 'household' items will need to be carried... No CF or cuben equipments then.

[walkon]

Congrats to those expecting/just had one.

We continued on with life as much as we could when expecting. My lovely suffered morning sickness badly, so when possible we got out and about. A family friend continued working on the farm and finished milking one morning when she unexpectedly went into labor, she didn't know she was pregnant and everything turned out good there.

When my wife had issues in some of her pregnancies we were home and nothing could be done to help them anyway. Our motto was to enjoy life, what will be will be. Everyone's different so whatever your comfortable with is right for you.
Enjoy those beauties that do come along, before you know it they turn into teenagers. Eeerrrrgh

[Kainas]

Thank you for those comments. I feel much more confident about it now.

I also envy those who don't realise they are pregnant until labor sets in... skip the whole waiting and worrying part.

Basically, do what I have always done, just slower and with more rest stops... and perhaps put my feet up towards the end unless I want to give birth in the bush (which, while extremely tempting, doesn't fall onto my real birth plan).

[Lophophaps]

OT a little. Election bumper stickers, from the liberal and Labor Parties
I'm a Liberal lover.
Liberal lovers end up in Labor.

[Onestepmore]

So many variables, it's not possible to make any generalised recommendations. Each pregnancy is so different.
I was seasick 24/7 for 7 months with one, but the second I was pretty mch never able to get above horizontal for four months I was so sick. First child I rode my horses competitively up until five months (with spew breaks over the side!) Second one I could hardly shuffle due to sciatica problems from 5 months, and had to wear a neoprene and Velcro girdle to keep the two halves of my pelvis in the same room.
Others breeze through with no issues. If you're generally healthy overall with no pre or pregnancy related problems then hiking may be fine, but get doctor's clearance first, just carry a light daypack and let hubby be the mule. Don't expect to be able to go up even small hills without some serious huffing and puffing.
I worked physically reasonably hard (mixed animal practise vet) up until week 38 with my first, but had to stop at 6 months with my second.
And Strider's point about being any distance away from medical help is very valid. Estimates are that it takes rescue services about an hour to reach you for every 15 minutes away from a vehicle accessible trailhead. I wouldn't be going anywhere without a PLB.
I guess you need to weigh up the risks/ benefits. We just took a break from outdoor activities for a few years as it was just too much hard work. There is light at the end of the tunnel (mine are now 14 and 17) I know it seems like a long time, but we now hike and ski overseas as famil holidays. Good luck and congratulations!