Comments at Christmas cause I choose to carry on riding whilst pregnant

God I forgot about the judgey pregnancy police
I rode until 9 weeks with my first as I didn’t have my own then and it was riding school horses, I opted out of a jumping lesson and then didn’t go back. I did cycle until about 22 weeks though. Didn’t ride with DD2 due to SPD (ouch)
I would totally ride my lad now until I couldn’t!

No point in the post as you want to carry on riding.

Being fat and doing nothing is far riskier than riding.
Probably driving is more risky than riding a sound horse in low risk environments.

I rode my horse until my bump was too big for me to get off him!

Its your choice, but you'd be devastated if something happened. Even if it was independant of the riding; you'd probably always wonder if that was a contributing factor.

I rode 2 of mine all the way through my first pregnancy right up until dc was born, I had ridden the day before. My second pregnancy was higher risk so I didnt ride at all.

Enjoy it, be careful and listen to your body.

@justpassmethemouse

well it’s obviously not akin to food and water and shelter, but if a woman can’t colour their hair for months on end and gets dark roots, or greys coming through or whatever than that is gonna pretty hard for her isn’t?
plus, there is absolutely no scientific evidence that dying hair in pregnancy causes harm so why deny oneself??

It’s your choice, I personally wouldn’t as I’ve been thrown off a horse at high speed when it was spooked by a dog. Every one I know who rides has been thrown off multiple times, some seriously injured, so I just wouldn’t take the risk.

Just about every horsey person I know continued to ride while pregnant. Most scaled back a bit ie stopped jumping although look at Ros Canter - out doing BE at 4* still. I wasn’t really riding during my pregnancies but I did work doing carriage driving which tbh is probably just as risky and a lot more active and bumpy. A friend of mine was still taking her trusty point to pointer up the gallops when she was over due. I think horsey folk are just built a bit different 😅

Well Maslow must have forgotten that one then 🤣

That’s why I said that none were essential except the office.

@justpassmethemouse

being able to dye hair is pretty essential tbh.
also most offices are not gonna let pregnant women work from home for the duration of their pregnancy in case they catch flu. They would most likely be told to get a flu jab

I rode up to 6 months until the pommel got in the way. I was back in the saddle 2 weeks after, stitches included 🏇

Stress is much more likely to cause issues with your baby and no one is going to suggest you give up work. I am sure you are taking whatever precautions you feel are needed. I think it’s just another internalised misogyny thing- ignore,ignore,ignore.

You've made an informed decision and that's your choice. You don't need to justify it.
What I would add though is, at the end of the day even the most bombproof horse can spook.

Sounds as thought you have made your mind up.

My observation would be that people take risks - some more calculated some less so, some more controversial and subjective - every day of their lives and pregnancy is an enduring state of those being amplified whether by you or others in whatever capacity and with whatever intention.
only you can ultimately decide and so as long as you have thought this through and comes to terms with the worst case scenario here but still want to proceed then nobody can really stop you.
starting a thread about it is just an illustration of my point.
all the best with your pregnancy

I carried on riding , skiing , going to the gym when pregnant - you do you

You don’t have to do any of those things while pregnant, except maybe going into the office, and even then your HR department might even complete a risk assessment for you and state there are things you aren’t allowed to do.

Also, I got soooooo many questions on what I can eat and why I'm still drinking coffee etc.

Motherhood is judged but not as directly. The pregnancy stuff feels like a very personal attack, or it did to me anyway.

Granny? Riding? Old gentleman??

Have I tumbled upon a plot for Downton or what?

It's just the beginning. The comments will get a lot worse, come from a lot more people and people will get furious when you don't listen.

People lose all respect for you when pregnant.

When I was 28 weeks pregnant, DH and I went on a weekend away in a hot location with a pool. A 6ft 4 security guard physically grabbed me to stop me from going into the (gorgeous 5* star hotel) pool because in his opinion pools are dangerous for pregnant women. I cannot begin to express how violated and intimidated I felt to have a strange man suddenly restrain me, when pregnant and in a swimsuit, and shout at me firmly "You're not getting in there".

Unfortunately for him, I'm quite confident and vocal and after the initial shock I shouted at him, complained to management and got him fired.

‘Risky Sport’??
@Pladii is probably doing a bit of schooling or a gentle hack -not jumping 5 bar gates on a hunt.
Going up the stairs/jogging/swimming/is risky - should pregnant women not do that either?
@Pladii - do what feels right for you. Your body will tell you when to stop.

I chose not to, but this was a rainbow baby and I was whiter than white in this pregnancy as I was terrified.

I would have carried on in my first pregnancy - complications 100% not due to riding as I didn’t ride in those early weeks for other reasons.

You know your skill and your horse, my boy from years ago I would have definitely ridden - my friends ones now? No chance 😂.

But welcome to a lifetime of people judging you regardless of what you do. My mum was judging me again last night, on something we have made clear works for us for the last 21 months. Same conversation every couple of weeks!

Very good.

I've no need to read it back.

I read it the first time.

Someone very close to me lost a baby when she contracted some kind of food poisoning from something she was advised not to eat. I still think it was her choice to make and her risk to take.