Pregnant Skiing

A snowHead

I skied at 20 weeks when expecting #1 - no problems, didn't fall (but then I rarely do anyway). Maybe took it a bit easier, skipped out the bumps, etc, and was lucky in that where we were was (as it always is) uncrowded, with good snow conditions and populated mostly by very competent locals. Not sure I'd have been so comfortable if it was somewhere crowded and icy with lots of overconfident (near)beginners. This time round, with junior #2 due in 6 weeks time (terrible timing re the ski season) it's not really been such a realistic proposition.

A snowHead

asw97uk, hello and welcome snowHead

A few thoughts - written in between patients Embarassed

To be honest this thread probably has said it all, I even posted on it under a previous username Wink

You have to make your own mind up, and I think you'll ski whatever is said on here, just from the tone of your post.

I don't think a 'baby on board' would make any difference, to be honest.

Will your insurance cover you at that stage of pregnancy?

edit: Useful link from the RCOG: http://www.rcog.org.uk/resources/Public/pdf/exercise_pregnancy_rcog_statement4.pdf

edit 2: may be worth looking at : Pregnancy as a risk factor for injury in downhill skiing. Sherry, E. Med J Aust. 1985 Dec 9-23;143(12-13):633

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

We had our 1st child last March, In my opinion if you do anything that increases the risks to yout unborn child you are crazy. If anything went wrong you would never be able to live with yourself.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

asw97uk, welcome to snowheads

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

asw97uk,
Welcome to snowHead

's Mrs T Bar skied during both pregnancies but took it easy. As a destressor during preganancy I think it probably benefitted both her and myself.

pam w,

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Kramer, oh she did, although by the end of the week I looked more pregnant than she did Very Happy

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

My friend's wife skied at about 12 weeks gestation in Whistler. Apart from the jet lag, and having to limit her skiing because she got tired she didn't have any problems.

snow reports

CANV CANVINGTON, you can't be a little bit pregnant (or am I missing your point here? Wink

I skied early on while pregnant with no. 1 daughter. But I'd give up by about lunchtime every day because tiredness would set in. I had a couple of falls, but not what you'd term wipe-outs. And Boris, the loo thing is so true Smile

I struggled more on the alcohol front - had to tell the colleague I was with that I had given up booze for Lent (fortunately she didn't know me well enough to realise this was a ridiculous statement).

asw97uk, my wife skied when about 21 weeks, in La Plagne. We all had an enjoyable holiday, but it's something she has said she won't do again. She found that her confidence was lower as she was always wary of falling, and especially wary of being hit by someone else. She definitely though that the relaxed ligaments was an issue, and found she was having to work much harder to keep everything in position, as it were. She was also convinced that her centre of balance had shifted - she was leaning back much more to compensate and was therefore less in control.

She fell a couple of times, and although she felt more shaken by a fall than normal, there was no damage to either of them. Not sure if that's clouded the issue even more. Puzzled

You know it makes sense.

up4it, We've got 4 of the little darlings and not managed to break any of them yet! Is it really any more risky doing the following:
*having a week away,
*NOT doing houswork,
*NOT going to work,
*NOT driving around,
*NOT doing shopping in a busy supermarket with milk spilled on the floor,
*pottering around on a green run while
*having a great relaxing week

Than it is staying in the UK, breathing in the fumes from the buses up town, almost getting run over at every pedestrian crossing, doing shopping in an over-crowded supermarket with milk spilled on the floor, cooking OH's dinner, hearing all the depressing news on the wireless, and all the other poo-poo that goes with living here?

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Now, I'm not a Dr, I haven't skied while pregnant but I am Mum to two boys under 4 so I think that qualifies me to butt in here. There is no medical reason to say a woman shouldn't ski while pregnant - we agree on that right? There is no law, although some of our doting husbands may wish there was as all they want to do is wrap us up in cotton wool and control all that we do. Women have this funny thing called intuition and if its says "you should be ok to go skiing" then she should go. If her intuition says "mmmmnnnn maybe not" then she shouldn't. We know our own bodies and we know all the risks and what ifs and have probably mulled them over a thousand times before deciding what to do. NO woman would ever put her unborn child at risk intentionally. She is probably in more danger driving to her local shop than skiing and I'm pretty sure statistics will back me up on that one.

You know what??? If a pregnant woman wants to ski and feels fit and healthy enough to do it, then she should do it! End of Story, no arguments, no what's, if's, but's or maybe's.

A snowHead

Leis, well said !

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I sat in a pub two weeks ago and watched an 8 month pregnant woman drink 2 WKD's and smoke 15 cigarettes whilst chatting to her mate, who was also smoking and drinking at a similar rate, about the fact that she was 12 weeks pregnant. I wonder if skiing would've been a better way for them both to spend the afternoon.

Anyway, one question - is there any risk with altitude? On one of my seasons one of my mates clients had a miscarriage and the doctor told her it was due to the altitude - Val Thorens, 2300m at village level. I think she was second trimester.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

nightshift, so what about all the women that live in these places all year round Puzzled

You'll need to Register first of course.

clara_jo, that's what I thought but maybe they're acclimatised? I don't have a clue really and am not a mum so don't have a personal perspective on it. I intend to be one in the future though and I know that, while I may not ski, I'd at least like to be able to go to the mountains (being in the mountains keeps me sane)

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

A woman has the right to whatever she likes. It's still irresponsible though.

After all it is free

Leis, I don't suppose it's always an entirely black or white issue.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I wasn't going to pitch in here - I've not skied when I've been pregnant, but I've got firm views on being pregnant. I will start by saying that I've had two babies, both home births, so have some perspective on the subject.

1. When women are pregnant - they are pregnant NOT ill
2. Until your belly gets too big, provided you feel up to it all things are possible - I was riding horses at 3mths and threatened to do the same at full term +5 days when he wouldn't shift - I would have carried it through too before letting them induce me if he hadn't have turned up. I also worked until my due date with the second one - if I could have worked longer I'd have done so, but they wouldn't let me. I also swam for a mile 3 times a week for the last 3 months and went on a training course and got turned upside down in the underwater helicopter dunk tank at 8 weeks to no detriment. I think some degree of care is in order and maybe not deliberate recklessness, but if you are used to doing something then why on earth should you stop doing it? I took suitable precautions (PPE and masks) but even birthed our sheep whilst being pregnant - being the best person for the job - the midwife would have shot me, so I didn't tell her. You are pregnant - not ill
3. I believe official advice on pregnancy, birth and bringing up babies is written to prevent litigation. If you follow it to the letter you won't harm anyone, but it'll cost you more, is often unnecessary, and often deprives you and the baby of simple common sense life. I took the view that in the surgery I would listen to what was said, read all the literature at home and then do my own web research and stick it through the Megamum common sense filter. The result was that I had 2 fantastic pregnancies, two home births with no drugs and 2 of the healthiest happiest kids on the planet. Don't forget you are pregnant not ill
4. If you are used to it a little gentle skiing activity I don't feel should hurt you or the baby - though as some here have said - take care in later pregnancy where the ligaments and muscles do generally slacken across the body and your usual centre of gravity will have shifted. Lets face it you can just as easily fall down the kerb in the high street as you probably can skiing a gentle slope if you know what you're doing. Also, a fall won't necessarily hurt baby - again echoing others he is well protected - you are pregnant not ill
5. Oh, did I mention you are pregnant not ill

N.B. I had brilliant birth experiences - if anyone wants to pm me to discuss their pregancy, birth etc. generally then please feel free to do so - I'm not medically trained - just experienced in the process!!

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

up4it,

snow reports

Megamum, correct. Fortunately the health profession is slowly coming around to your view as well.

up4it so you don't have any dependants at the moment, and will stop skiing as soon as you do? After all it would be irresponsible for you to partake in activity that might kill you and leave your children fatherless wouldn't it?

Kramer,

b.t.w. didn't up4it say they had a baby last summer?

Oh, I was just going to add that in order to get monster no. 2 going, I cut the bumpy 1 acre lawn on our ride on mower going full speed - took the dog for a 1 mile walk over a muddy field, and finally got him sorted by extracting honey supers in our hand cranked centrifuge doing nine a time - and flipping well finished the job just to make sure the little so-en-so didn't go back to sleep. Anything is possible when you are pregnant not ill! Very Happy

up4it you've been swayed by all the literature and dire threats of the medics. It's your first, still new and you're no different to thousands of other mums. It takes a strong will to argue against a 'medical professional', but we have to accept that it is their role to protect you and your baby - as I say the advice they have to give you won't harm a baby, but to say it takes the cotton wool approach is the understatement of the year. You will find soon that babies are pretty indestructible and by the time you have no. 2 you will realise that there just isn't the time to do all you did to 'protect' that precious first bundle. I am strong willed and knew my own body - I also did sufficient research to argue from an informed viewpoint - how on earth do you think I managed a home birth for No. 1 otherwise. Take the issue of vitamin K injections - I did enough research to find out that the risks of for and against the injections were about the same and also that they can be given later if reqd. so I said 'no' I didn't want a needle shoved in my brand new baby just to keep the medics happy. Also, I couldn't feed mine - nothing kicked in so they said it had to be formula - have you seen what's in that C R @ P? just look at the list of artificial additives on the side and the medics insisted that I could feed nothing else - no whole natural milk, no diluted evaporated (as I had been raised on), just this horrid artificial muck that is based on whey (milk with the goodness removed), doesn't satisfy a baby, but again won't harm it - mums just get driven up the wall by the crying of a non satisfied infant. I fed it for 2 + months and then put them onto fresh pasturised wholesome goats milk from my own herd, which I drank unpasturised for the whole of my pregnancies, and at 6 months they had it unpasturised - I just then used to supplement it occasionally with a baby vitamin mix that had just 4 vitamin compounds in it in case the vit D was low. It just had to be better - whole fresh milk and just 4 additives. They also had simple solids (baby rice etc) at 6 weeks - as I apparently did - they then slept through the night and my sanity returned. My babies were some of healthiest I knew.

up4it Please don't think I'm trying to say that you're wrong - I'd just like to encourage you to step back and perhaps consider that there is an alternative way of looking at things. If you spend all your life just protecting you new little bundle you and they will have a pretty dull life. You are allowed to live a little and you will find lots of other mums doing the same.

You know it makes sense.

Taking part in an active sport, on snow and ice, where falls and collisions are not uncommon, at relatively high altitude, during a season when snowdepths are below-average, while knowingly pregnant, is not the wisest decision I've ever heard.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Whitegold, But I assume it's ok for a woman to get stressed out and end up with high blood pressure through chasing around after the rest of the family, going shopping, doing the housework, driving a car, dealing with crap from everybody, holding down a full time job while knowingly pregnant.
What's the relevance of snowdepth to someone taking things easy on gentle greens?

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

CANV CANVINGTON, I was smiling to myself because we were reminded on holiday last week that "Going off-piste is like being pregnant - you can't be a little bit pregnant".

You need to Login to know who's really who.

clara_jo, yeah but if you have just snuck around the other side of one pole is anyone gonig to notice?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

HG, I skied when I was 6-8 weeks pregnant with my first child - I thought about it very carefully, but decided that on balance, if the pregnancy was going to fail, it might do so anyway regardless of whether I went ski-ing or not. The snow conditions that year, at Serre Chevalier, were good, so if I had fallen, there would have been a soft landing - in fact, I had one of the best ski-ing holidays I've had, didn't fall over at all whilst skiing, although I didn't push myself. Something I would watch out for is that your wife will probably be very emotional, (all those hormones flying around) and will also need regular meals/snacks to keep her blood sugar level on an even keel. In fact the only time I fell over was on a horrible icy walk down to the hire shop after arriving in resort very late at night due to a delayed transfer and not having had anything to eat, which had me in ridiculous floods of tears, and having to explain to the others in our party why I was so emotional. I was fortunate in that I had a really healthy easy pregnancy, and never felt sick at all.

I was accompanied on the trip by my sister, who is a doctor, and took the same attitude as me. One word of caution here though - if I had found it difficult to get pregnant, I don't think I would have risked it. Another point to think about is that you should probably inform your insurer, if you have not already done so - to be honest, I can't remember if we did, but with hindsight we should have done.

Incidentally, that first baby is now ten, and loves ski-ing, as does his younger sister, but ski-ing holidays get a whole lot more expensive and tricky to organise timing wise the older they get....

You'll need to Register first of course.

Here is some stuff I found on the net. It appears that it comes down to personal choice ladies and gentlemen . . .

"As regards skiing, you need to weigh up the pros and cons. Your developing baby is nicely cushioned and protected by the amniotic fluid that surrounds it and which fills your womb. Gentle sports like swimming and walking are perfectly permissable at 20 weeks, and it is only really contact and impact sports where there is a risk of direct trauma to the lower abdomen that involves serious risk.
I would think that skiing itself carries very little risk to the fetus, as most of the time you ski in a slight squatting position with no undue pressure on the abdomen. You must bear in mind, however, that skiing is a fairly physical sport and does involve the risk of serious falls. Plenty of regular skiers continue to ski during pregnancy, and there is no reason why you should not.
But I assume that you are an experienced skier and are prepared to go skiing on the basis that you are going to take it very easy, and not go as fast as you can down any black pistes. I wouldn't have thought that Lapland provides any black runs anyway, and most of the skiing would be cross-country. If this is the case you'll land up very fit and in much better condition to give birth anyway! Good luck and enjoy the holiday.
Yours sincerely
Dr Hilary Jones"

Ifyouski.com
There are two things to consider here - the effect of skiing on the foetus, either through falling, vigorous exercise or tiredness, and the effect of the foetus on you! Both will depend on the stage of pregnancy and your individual experience.
From about the seventh month, skiing is physically difficult. In late pregnancy it is also potentially dangerous as it could induce premature labour. The best time is 12-28 weeks. Try not to fall heavily; avoid high speeds, crowded pistes and high altitudes.
Women who have had previous miscarriages should not ski. Pregnant women are at increased risk of leg vein thrombosis during prolonged periods of immobility, so make sure you move your legs and feet while in the airplane or car and keep well hydrated.

Expert: Jeanne-Marie Guise, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Oregon Health Services Center, Portland, OR
It's best to avoid sports, such as downhill skiing, with a high likelihood of impact or falling. That said, if you're used to skiing and ski well (and if you're willing to accept some degree of risk), then it's probably okay during your first two trimesters. But I'd definitely stop by the time you get to your third trimester because your center of gravity will shift and there's more risk of falling. A fall could lead to premature delivery by causing the placenta to tear away from the wall of your uterus (called a placental abruption) or by bringing on preterm contractions.

Great Debate though . . . Smile

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

up4it, You take care you don't slip over and fall on your little chap while sledging now!

Anyone else noticed that the women unanimously say "go for it", and the only "no way" opinions are from the (occasional) male?

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Help!!

Pregnant Skiing

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste