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resolvedHi All, I'm getting very conflicted advice on whether to stop cycling when pregnant. Some places suggest its ok til about 6 months when your balance changes due to your centre of gravity moving. Other places are suggesting to stop cycling completely on the roads. Even some friends who are hardcore cyclists are questioning whether I should be cycling at all at the moment.
Is it a common sense question i.e. if the route I take is relatively safe and I don't pedal like a mad thing its ok?
The main risk is if you fall - other than that, there shouldn't be a problem.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2010/oct/27/cycling-pregnancy-london
Hi Lezzles,
can't offer any personal advice as I don't have the requisite bodily parts, however here is an older thread from previous discussions on the topic;
http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=1989
My £0.02 on the matter is that pregnancy shouldn't make you any more or less exposed to random chance events on the road - obviously you would be worried about "what if" scenarios however such things would and could happen if you were on a bus, walking, in a car, etc.
Ah that guardian link seems to have some excellent advice.
Now I need to find a blog that will allow me to go skiing this weekend without feeling like the worst mother (to be) in the world.
The best is answer is 'keep doing it until you don't feel like it'
The exercise will be good for you and the baby.
Below is a random selection from google.
First one includes 'cycled to hospital' -
"
Mrs Mieke Jackson, a cycle trainer, was advised by her GP not to race, water-ski or go climbing, but that cycling to full term was fine.
"
http://www.cyclorama.net/viewArticle.php?id=292
http://m.active.com/cycling/Articles/Cycling-During-Pregnancy_-Yes-or-No_
http://bicyclinghub.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/maternity-cycling-clothing-for.html
Don't see the problem with cycling whilst pregnant. I did for a good few months before the enormous bump inhibited pedalling to the point of discomfort (plus resident of said bump used to show displeasure by wellying me with fists and feet). Having said that, I did have a large, low slung, bump from fairly early on (perhaps being 5 ft tall + petite made it so).
Ski-ing, now that was a different matter. I was banned from that sport as soon as the test confirmed I was pregnant! Despite being a better skier than HWMBO, I was banned on the basis that I "just can't help yourself and you'd be going for it no matter what". Ho hum!
Cycling is good low impact exercise so great for keeping fit while pregnant for as long as you want to.
I stopped at 6 months then restarted at 8-9. Got so fed up with waddling and buses. Much more tiring and uncomfortable - especially the waiting around for buses. My bump was pretty small and never got in the way.
I wonder if there is an aerodynamic advantage in your bump if you ride a recumbent bike?
Are you hinting at anything Arellcat? ;-)
Appears to be considered normal to keep cycling in many parts of Europe but this may be taking it a bit far:
http://www.copenhagenize.com/2011/09/cycling-with-contractions-to-hospital.html
I wonder if there is an aerodynamic advantage in your bump
Perhaps if you were attempting supersonic cycling there might be something in the "coke bottle" area-ruled shape that is the most efficient means for breaking the sound barrier.
HG - I once met a woman whose mother had cycled to the hospital to give birth to her.
A friend of mine cycled though pretty much her whole pregnancy.
Those crazy Danes love a bit of cycling whilst pregged up to the max!!! http://www.copenhagenize.com/2011/09/cycling-with-contractions-to-hospital.html I cycled through both of my (wifes) pregnancy's
Mrs Snowy happily cycled about 20 miles/week until a couple of weeks before birth, both times, saying that it wasn't uncomfy because she'd never stopped cycling. (Mind you, it didn't reduce dad's stress levels...with the ride being through Princes St 'n' all...)
Of course cycling after pregnancy is important too - for health and transport.
You'll be able to get plenty of advice from people on here when the time comes -
'how soon', what kid's seat/trailerbike/tandem etc.
Helmets the main problem. My wee boy's just outgrown his 46-53 helmet, which he's been wearing since c. 4 months (but he does have a big head).
Gap in the market for a used sprog helmet business? Effectively a long-term rental service, really.
ours definitely hadn't been in an accident, but it may have been dropped on the floor (a few times)
Yes, much as I like recycling you would never know if a second hand lid has been compromised.
My corporate and salesperson-on-commission conspiracy spider sense tingles when I read about the apparent ease with which you can turn a helmet from magical truck-deflecting forcefield to skull mounted death trap, but I'm not a materials scientist...
I noticed Sarah Storey quoted the other day saying she has raised her stem 10mm to accomodate her bump. If the pros are doing it...
My corporate and salesperson-on-commission conspiracy spider sense tingles when I read about the apparent ease with which you can turn a helmet from magical truck-deflecting forcefield to skull mounted death trap, but I'm not a materials scientist...
I dunno why you'd believe the first claim but not the second though.
Nothing about cycling, but I thought the O.P. might be insterested in this article about climbing when pregnant: http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=2080
(might I also say congratulations?)
Thanks Fimm et al. Its great to read about women who continued during pregnancy to do so much. I seem to be surrounded by people who think I should be tucked up on a couch throughout the full 9 months for fear of what might happen. As a scientist it grumps me out that evidence plays so small a part in the advice pregnant women are given. It also grumps me out that when I present people with the evidence I get the line 'Yes but what if....'.
You've given me courage to continue cycling as long as I can. My route is now far far safer than it was (I moved house)and I'm going far slower than I have ever been. Cycling with a bump is a strange experience though. I like the advice to move my seat post - I do quite fancy one of the Dutch style bikes but I'm too tight.
"You've given me courage to continue cycling as long as I can."
CCE wins again
You can travel a good bit of the way to Holland just by getting different handlebars.
Maybe not if you've got drops'n'STIs at the minute, but if you bodged a pair of them onto Dutch risers and it still worked, that would win hard.
There was a David Hembrow post ages back about Dutchifying an old rigid mountain bike to give it a similar geometry. Will go in search
My better half cycled up to 8 months pregnant, i.e until it was uncomfortable to be squished up, pretty much same with numero duo. did stick to canal etc but then she's has always been nervy on the road. She's convinced it made the birth easier by keeping fit.
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