# Pregnancy



## LauraM

I am 31 years old and have been married for over 3 years. My husband and I have put off having kids for several reasons. One, so we could enjoy married life for awhile before adding kidlets and two, I am currently in school for my Master's degree. Next June I will be done, and we have been talking about trying to get pregnant. And then . . . cycling entered our lives.

I have become addicted and we have been actively riding for 6 months now. I can't imagine my life without it, and I can't imagine being pregnant and riding. I also really want to do my first century ride next September. So, what the heck am I going to do? I'm positive there must be at least one woman out there who has done both  

I'd love to hear thoughts on this. Thanks!


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## ewitz

http://www.newsexpressusa.com/2010/10/baby-on-board-the-olympic-champion-armstrong-returns/


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## il sogno

My understanding of cycling while pregnant is that if you cycle regularly pre-pregnancy and are in good shape, your doctor will probably be willing to let you ride during the pregnancy - assuming there are no complications. 

Like all things pregnancy related, consult your doctor first. 

Oh, and good luck.


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## dfvcador

I dont see a problem cycling during the first two trimesters, but most likely you will have to stop during the seventh month due abdominal growth and pelvic tilt changes that occur during the last trimester. Also you wouldn't want to take the risk of wrecking and causing serious injury to the unborn child and yourself. Just remember that center of gravity does change thru pregnancy. BTW, I am a sport med doc in TX. One of my biggest referral source is a Ob/Gyn doc that refers most of all his post partum pt for treatment. Best wishes and becareful. You can always ride after the pregnancy.


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## gardenrunner

Laura- I agree with il sogono. Most docs will deem cycling "safe" for you to continue as long as you have a base under your belt, which it sounds like you do. They put running into the same category as well. I have a friend that is about 8 mo along right now and she had to stop riding since her belly was getting so big, it was touching her thighs on the pedal stroke. My husband and I are both into cycling, and we're pretty much in the addicted category as well-especially myself. We are both tossing around the idea of having another and I was trying to do the math as to which months I'd be pregnant and which I'd be recovering from birth in so that I could get out and ride asap after the pregnancy. *gasp!* You could always do spin classes indoors if you're worried about balance the farther along in the pregnancy you get, and you can also stick to paved trails if you don't feel safe out on the roads. I also loved yoga when I was pregnant with my first, as it helped ease the ligament and joint pain from the stretching/extra weight. Go with feels right for you, and you'll figure it out. It's in your best interest to make sure your ob/gyn knows you're an active cyclist as well. As far as riding a cantury while pregnant, I've seen a few on century rides. As long as your and your hubby are comfortable with it, I say, "You go, girl!" Best of luck to you!


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## LauraM

Thanks for the feedback! I am feeling much calmer about the idea. And, fortunately for my husband! He was starting to tell everyone we are never having kids!!


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## heathb

It's not a matter of riding during pregnancy. It's more a matter of will you have the time after pregnancy. 

There's nothing wrong with not having kids these days, in fact I would encourage it.

Planet is already way over populated, we could lose 99.9% of the people on this rock and still have way too many.


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## BikeWNC

My wife rode and kayaked well into her 8th month at 41yo. At some point it became too uncomfortable to continue. She was told to keep her hr below 140 while riding and was able to find routes to do that even though we live in the mountains. As mentioned above, she had a very good base, these weren't activities she hadn't done before. Stay well hydrated and listen to your body. Any discomfort should be a sign to slow down or stop. Be smart, have fun and good luck!


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## gardenrunner

heathb said:


> It's not a matter of riding during pregnancy. It's more a matter of will you have the time after pregnancy.



It sounded to me the OP's major concern was riding during pregnancy. She didn't ask for any personal advice on wether or not she would have time to ride after she has the baby. I have a 2 1/2 yr old, work 40-50hrs/week, I have a hubby, house, yard, family ect. to deal with. When you're this passionate about riding, you _make_ time to ride. There are people called babysitters and daycares.


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## heathb

gardenrunner said:


> It sounded to me the OP's major concern was riding during pregnancy. She didn't ask for any personal advice on wether or not she would have time to ride after she has the baby. I have a 2 1/2 yr old, work 40-50hrs/week, I have a hubby, house, yard, family ect. to deal with. When you're this passionate about riding, you _make_ time to ride. There are people called babysitters and daycares.


It would seem that if a person was worried about something interfering with their cycling for 4 months, wouldn't it be logical to be worried about it after the baby comes as well. 

Lots of women aren't dealing with the family stuff anymore. It's okay, you don't have to work 50 hours a week, clean the house, tidy up the yard, change the diapers, ect.... 

You can just chill out, have no kids, live carefree, ride to you hearts content, have a few beers with your friends and enjoy.


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## SBH1973

Just one more example: my wife road 36 miles on her 36th birthday on July 13, 2008, and gave birth, with no meds at all and in just six hours of labor, to a healthy, beautiful baby girl two months later. She cycled until her 8th month, gradually reducing miles and speed, and was in great shape for the big day. 

Being in great shape will, in most cases, make things so much easier, from labor to recovery.


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## ph0enix

heathb said:


> It would seem that if a person was worried about something interfering with their cycling for 4 months, wouldn't it be logical to be worried about it after the baby comes as well.
> 
> Lots of women aren't dealing with the family stuff anymore. It's okay, you don't have to work 50 hours a week, clean the house, tidy up the yard, change the diapers, ect....
> 
> You can just chill out, have no kids, live carefree, ride to you hearts content, have a few beers with your friends and enjoy.


It's apparent that you don't want to have kids but that's not the OP's intent. There is nothing wrong with being a parent and a cyclist.


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## |3iker

Once you have a baby, priorities change. Riding all of a sudden doesn't seem to be that important anymore. Your focus will shift. Don't worry though because you will have a new found joy that is hard to describe to non-parents. 
My wife road when she was like 4 mths pregnant. However it's nothing intense and she rode an upright bike. 
Cycling with children are some of the best life moments. My little 3 yo has now developed a curiosity of bicycle tinkering these days. Gee... I wonder why.


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## gardenrunner

heathb said:


> It would seem that if a person was worried about something interfering with their cycling for 4 months, wouldn't it be logical to be worried about it after the baby comes as well.


Yes, it would be logical, but she didn't ask for unsolisited advice about what happens after the baby comes, Negative Nancy.



heathb said:


> Lots of women aren't dealing with the family stuff anymore. It's okay, you don't have to work 50 hours a week, clean the house, tidy up the yard, change the diapers, ect.... .


Lots of women aren't doing it, and you're right, it is okay. But, I DO do it, and I love every single moment of it. 

Cycling doesn't fall to the wayside after you have kids. Yes, your priorities change, but sometimes it takes a major change in your life to realize what you're really, really passionate about. I'm as passionate about cycling as I am about raising our daughter.


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## LauraM

gardenrunner said:


> It sounded to me the OP's major concern was riding during pregnancy. She didn't ask for any personal advice on wether or not she would have time to ride after she has the baby. I have a 2 1/2 yr old, work 40-50hrs/week, I have a hubby, house, yard, family ect. to deal with. When you're this passionate about riding, you _make_ time to ride. There are people called babysitters and daycares.



Thank you for this post. I agree!!! I think women are amazing and can do anything they want. We are great at juggling things. I am currently working 30 hrs. a week, going to school and participating in an internship for 16 hrs. per week - and somehow manage to fit cycling in 6 days a week. There is no reason for anyone to believe that being a parent means that I won't care as much about cycling anymore, or won't be able to "fit" it in.


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## gardenrunner

LauraM said:


> Thank you for this post. I agree!!! I think women are amazing and can do anything they want. We are great at juggling things. I am currently working 30 hrs. a week, going to school and participating in an internship for 16 hrs. per week - and somehow manage to fit cycling in 6 days a week. There is no reason for anyone to believe that being a parent means that I won't care as much about cycling anymore, or won't be able to "fit" it in.


Welcome:thumbsup:


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## foofighter

sorry for jumping in on this discussion but when my wonderful wife learned she was preggers with our last child her doctor discouraged her from doing strenuous activities that would raise her HR up too high. Is this simply precautionary or just one of those things that is like an old wive's tale?


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## il sogno

foofighter said:


> sorry for jumping in on this discussion but when my wonderful wife learned she was preggers with our last child her doctor discouraged her from doing strenuous activities that would raise her HR up too high. Is this simply precautionary or just one of those things that is like an old wive's tale?


I've been told (by my gyno) that it all depends on each woman's situation. But basically, if you're fit when you get pregnant, you can be more active as long as you're working out at the level your body is used to. 

The best thing to do is to check with the doc first.


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## foofighter

makes sense, the whole thing with the high heart rate and potential harm to the baby was good enough to stop for the time being


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## ColoradoVeloDude

Ride up to your third trimester. Then get a indoor spin cycle or wind trainer (cyclops and others) and get your roadie endorphin fix inside the house. I know that doing riding inside the house is like being a hamster on a wheel in a cage, but there is hardly any prep to jumping on the trainer: fill a water bottle, put on the cycle clothes, put the DVD in the player and go! I bet there are probably cycle specific training videos for pregnancy too. The neat thing about this is that if your HR gets too high it's easy to back off. No flats. if you get a mechanical issue, you're already at home! Also, risk is greatly reduced - no outside forces of road conditions or wonky car drivers. 

I think it's time to find a good, sports oriented, OB/GYN and discuss your cycling habit and how a pregnancy will impact your need for an aerobic fix. Yeah, I think for all of us outside sports like skiing, hiking, and cycling perform a type of wind tunnel for our minds that blows out the cobwebs. At least for me, I can't much concentrate on anything else but cycling when cycling (because if you do, you'll crash!) and this is a great escape for a while.

Remember that women have been having children for many, many, many years. We're here worrying about the impact of training on a bicycle while pregnant. One hundred thousand years ago, the human race was just doing the stuff of life to keep fed and the predators at bay. The threats now are different - but the protective and life support equipment is still in place for baby production and has been modified and perfected over that time to its current design elegance. 

When you have your kid, you'll also have a new piece of exercise equipment. One that starts out around 6 pounds. Then your feed it, the weight will increase and so will your stamina and weight lifting capabilities. Next, you're probably going to have to buy a new bike and a Burley. Then start taking that exercise equipment with you out on the road. If you don't watch out, this may snowball into full blown obsession beyond just merely riding 6 days a week. Imagine training for months, 6 days a week on a heavy bike with a Burley (and your new exercise equipment) then going to your "light" road bike. It'd be like releasing a spring I think.

Bottom line: Get some good outside professional help (a sports oriented OB/GYN) and have a good sit down talk with that person and your husband. Get some information so you can alleviate your fears and concerns. Obtain data, convert that data to knowledge, then use that knowledge to plan. Then stop worrying.

Good luck and you're going to do great!

ColoradoVeloDude
Colorado Springs, Colorado


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## BikeWNC

Our daughter did her first ride in the Burley trailer at 3 weeks old. Her car seat fit right into the plastic tub and the cover helped keep her warm even though the temps were in the low 30s to start. That ride lasted 1.5 hours with a break in the middle to feed her. She rode in that Burley Cub until she was big enough to ride on the trailer bike. I spent many an afternoon pulling her up a local 2500' climb with my mtb. It's pretty good training dragging an additional 70# (Burley, kid, car seat, extra clothes, food, diaper bag, etc.) up a long 8.5 mile hill.


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## sarahd1981

I know this has been a concern for some of my friends as well. In many cases, like some have stated, if you have been riding for a while before the pregnancy, as long as it is comfortable, you can continue to ride. As with anything else, it is best to consult a doctor. 

After the baby is born is a different challenge altogether. Different companies are coming out with some really great baby riding gear. Things may have to change about where you ride (down a mountain vs on road), but what better way to spend time with your new family! Good luck on your new adventure!


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## Rusted Angel

The doctor said to my wife who's pregnant that is OK to ride as long as she don't get her heart rate too high, she's also diabetic.

Here she is taking it easy las Sunday and she's 4 months pregnant:





















The best advise it will be the one from your doctor.


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## Trek2.3

Children aren't a necessity. Not for a full life nor for an enjoyable one. My wife and I have no regreats for 45 years of childless living.

In the 21st. century, it's a *choice* that you and your spouse should make. Not your parents, your siblings, nor your friends (remember that misery loves company). Life can be wonderful and fulfilling with or without children.


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## TreeSaw

il sogno said:


> My understanding of cycling while pregnant is that if you cycle regularly pre-pregnancy and are in good shape, your doctor will probably be willing to let you ride during the pregnancy - assuming there are no complications.
> 
> Like all things pregnancy related, consult your doctor first.
> 
> Oh, and good luck.


Yup! I personally am a mountain biker first, but I rode through virtually my entire pregnancy. I rode my regular trails until I was 7 months prego (I didn't really get a belly until later in my 8th month). I did change the rise on my bars and take shorter rides the further into my pregnancy I got. I rode the trainer in my basement, while in labor, trying to get my mind off timing contractions and waiting until they were consistently only 5 minutes apart.

My best advice is to talk to your doctors and to really listen to your body! You will know when it's okay to ride and when to take a rest...your body is hard-wired  Good luck!


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## OldEndicottHiway

I say go for it.

One of the most amazing life memories I've ever had was finding out I was pregnant, and the very next day taking a ride, looking down at my tummy and feeling this odd but beautiful sense of protectiveness over the little worm growing inside me. There were two on the ride that day!

Very cool.


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## cpecrivaine

Not to throw another voice in, but I'm in your situation two years down the road. My daughter is 14 months and I'm in grad school too. While I was able to stay active up until my 9th month it was rough on my cycling. Change of gravity center sucks and throws your ride off, plus a fall wouldn't be so great. But I did still do some riding on the trainer until 2 weeks before my due date--that was when the fatigue and swelling told me to just sleep and watch tv. 

Now, I'm not gonna reiterate what people have been saying about post-baby, but if you're trying to figure out timing, I had about 6 weeks of recovery before the bike was comfortable again and then I had 8 more weeks of physical therapy fixing a pulled adductor that was a result of the labor. So just be aware that it may take extra time to get back on the bike for real. Just a tip: make sure to talk to your doctor about working your abs during your whole pregnancy--leave them alone and your back will suffer afterward. Just MHO. :thumbsup:


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## upton

I just had a baby and I ran until 32 weeks and swam the day before my daughter was born. I am new to cycling, so I didn't ride too much just because I wasn't too comfortable riding with a big belly.


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## womenbike

*Can a pregnant woman ride a bike*



LauraM said:


> So, what the heck am I going to do? I'm positive there must be at least one woman out there who has done both
> 
> I'd love to hear thoughts on this. Thanks!


Hi!


I this can make you happier, i know women who has done both!
But consider that every pregnancy is different: some pregnant woman ride until delivery, other stop after third months, other choice a stationary bike just to keep fit at thome.
There is just one rule: Communicate to your doctor,ok?
Now, read this article about your concern womensbike.net


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## rcharrette

Check out my wifes blog:
Velo Mom
Some good info and funny stories. We have a 6 year old and 8 month old. So just starting over again!


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## rcharrette

A quick link: Still Riding Along… | Velo Mom


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## HamHocks4Legs

oh this is great news! i've been worried about the cycling and pregnancy thing as that's my main mode of transportation! i was worried i was going ot have to start riding the bus! thanks for asking this question


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## speedcat

Great!


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## speedcat

Wow! Awesome..


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## pmf

LauraM said:


> I am 31 years old and have been married for over 3 years. My husband and I have put off having kids for several reasons. One, so we could enjoy married life for awhile before adding kidlets and two, I am currently in school for my Master's degree. Next June I will be done, and we have been talking about trying to get pregnant. And then . . . cycling entered our lives.
> 
> I have become addicted and we have been actively riding for 6 months now. I can't imagine my life without it, and I can't imagine being pregnant and riding. I also really want to do my first century ride next September. So, what the heck am I going to do? I'm positive there must be at least one woman out there who has done both
> 
> I'd love to hear thoughts on this. Thanks!


This thread is two years old. She's probably had the first kid and the bike is gathering dust in the basement. Why do people unearth the old threads?


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## rcharrette

Laura, you guys took a similar path to my wife and I. We waited to have kids as well so we could travel and race our bikes. Once we decided to have kids it did slow us a bit but certainly didn't stop us. We now have a 7 year old and 21 month old (both boys) My wife keeps a blog. 
Velo Mom
Check out some of the older posts where she rides during and post pregnancy.
Good luck,


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