Riding my bicycle

[hamster]

Strange question;

I ride my bike to and from work every morning. It is a neccessity. I start at 5am, and therefore do not want to hang around at that time in the morning, and I have to be home in time for my other half to go to work.

I just want to know, is it safe to cycle throughout pregnancy?(I am 14wks pg) I won't pull anything, or strain anything that shouldn't be strained....will I?
I am planning on leaving work at 29wks anyway, so it's just until then.

Thanks for any advice x

[Kelly1978]

I cycled until about 20 weeks with my first pg. I think the biggest problem is balance rather than pulling anything - exercise is good. I'd see how it goes, personally.

[koalabear]

i asked same question in first pregnancy as we did a lot of mountain bike riding - answer i got was not to start anything during pregnancy that you have not done before (that is, if you were doing it before, you should be alright to do it during) - having said that, the main risk the doctor was worried about with the bike was not the physical excersion (as I was already used to that), but the possibility of getting knocked of it and having an accident and the potential of that to cause harm to me and the baby

also, as you get heavier, your centre of gravity changes, so you might be alright in the beginning, but at 29 weeks, you might find it just too awkward

[NotQuiteCockney]

I biked all the way through both my pregnancies, with no problems. As long as you're doing it when you get pregnant (not literally when, obviously), you can carry on until you're due.

[roisin]

I cycled right through my first pregnancy; if there's a contra-indication I wasnt' aware of it. Some friends of mine were doing a 50 mile sponsored ride when I was 30 weeks, and I decided not to participate in that!
But I was certainly cycling at 39 weeks

[hamster]

wow roisin, 39 weeks? eeek. I take it you are one very fit lady then!

I had been cycling before I got pg, so it seems that it must be ok then.
Luckily most of where I cycle is path/cycle ways, and at 5am I don't think people mind if you mount the odd pavement!

Thanks all x

[popsycal]

pidge is the gal you want.....she did this til really late in pregnancy

[roisin]

Hamster was fit - not now - it was a long time ago when I was a student.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I biked past 40 weeks with DS2 (with DS1 on the bike, too!), and to 38 weeks with DS1. It's really really fine, as long as you're doing it regularly so the weight change/balance change happens slowly, rather than sneaking up on you.