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AIBU?

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Original poster

would it be ridculous to go to alton towers at 6 weeks pregnant and go on rides, in terms of the baby only being a embro?

94 replies

whiteandyelloworchid · 01/07/2012 23:27

im not going ot do this, as im a worrier, just wondering if it is actually a risky thing to do

would there actually be any risk going n rollercoasters at such an early stage, obviuosly i could see there would be from when it is a actually fetus or baby, say from maybe 8-12 weeks,incase it got suahed but if it is only the size of a poppy seed or something is it risky?

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 02/07/2012 00:05

As interesting as some of the anecdotes are ( I could add that before I knew I was pregnant I stood on a wine table to clean a light fighting and fell off...landing smack bang on my stomach and yet I had a healthy baby boy)

What on earth do they have to do with the OP?

TheDetective · 02/07/2012 00:06

I would - and have.

I went to blackpool sandcastle at 6 weeks during this pregnancy, and went on all the big water rides, including the ones lying down on my front.

Life is full of risks. I weighed it up, and went for it.

WorraLiberty · 02/07/2012 00:07

*fitting - not fighting! Shock

IHeartKingThistle · 02/07/2012 00:11

We went to Disney whilst TTC. Did a test the day we flew out - BFN. So merrily went on all the rides - loop the loop and everything. Had bad stomach cramps, just thought it was my period coming. Turns out I was 4 weeks at the time - false negative!

DD is 5, fine and a total daredevil. I totally wouldn't have done it if I'd have known though.

TheDetective · 02/07/2012 00:12

I tend to go against the grain in most areas of life though. So I will probably be a lone voice here again. I don't see the issue at that stage of pregnancy.

NoComet · 02/07/2012 00:19

Another one who can't resist water chutes PG or notBlush

Shelby2010 · 02/07/2012 00:21

I understand that the risks in later stages of preg are to do with the rapid acceleration/deceleration causing a placental abruption (like could happen in a car crash). I suspect the risks would be less, the earlier the preg, but no one could ever say it was 'safe'. And certainly the park owners wouldn't take the chance they could be sued if they suggested otherwise.

Original poster
whiteandyelloworchid · 02/07/2012 00:28

See what you said sheby makes Sense to me

OP posts:
piprabbit · 02/07/2012 00:41

I would wonder if the massive surges of adrenaline and stress hormones could have detrimental effect on a pregnancy. I know that long periods of sustained stress can be a problem, but am not sure if that could include a trip to a theme park.
So many pregnancies end in a MC naturally before 12 weeks. I would blame myself terribly for anything I might have done to have caused an early MC, even if it was very unlikely to be true. So for that reason alone I would avoid rollercoasters once I knew I was pg.

bogeyface · 02/07/2012 00:42

It would probably be fine, but its the "probably" that would put me off. If something did go wrong with the pg, I would always be wondering if it was my fault for doing something I could have avoided.

musicmadness · 02/07/2012 01:21

Basically what shelby said but here is a link that explains it a bit.

www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/rollercoasters.html

TheDetective · 02/07/2012 01:22

At 6 weeks the placenta has not yet formed.

localcrackpot · 02/07/2012 01:25

I wouldn't go. I cancelled my offroading session with Land Rover (still on my to do list) in 1st trimester. I bought an arm chair for the nursery with the money instead :)

lovebunny · 02/07/2012 08:15

localcrackpot, you are a wonderful woman. i can only admire you and hold you in the highest esteem.Grin Thanks

op, don't take any risks with your pregnancy!

WhiteWidow · 02/07/2012 08:30

No not at all!

I went about 3 weeks ago, my body was aching after the rides. Some of them are a bit brutal! It's bad enough puting your own body through strong g force and upsidedownness and all that but an unborn baby too?

If you do decide to, please do not go on Nemesis Sub Terra. There's a lot of pushing and shoving in the dark and I very nearly got pushed over.

WhiteWidow · 02/07/2012 08:33

Sorry only just realised you dont intend to go

AWomanCalledHorse · 02/07/2012 08:40

No idea about the science side, but I know if I went & then had a problem with the pg I would be forever blaming myself.

Although I'm sure Alton Towers is just as fun sitting on benches, eating overpriced ice cream & waving at your family on the rides Grin

WhiteWidow · 02/07/2012 08:41

I had more fun in the aquarium and gift shops (these places are my downfall) than the rides ha

kirsty75005 · 02/07/2012 08:46

I suspect there's no danger. After all, do you worry about damaging an internal organ on a rollercoaster ride ? I guess the embryo is about as well protected as (say) your liver. (And that article does mention that no studies have actually found any danger, especially as the placenta doesn't exist that such an early stage).

Most early miscarriages are caused by abnormalities with the embryo and there's nothing you can do about it, IIRC.

But I understand people wanting to play it safe to avoid wondering for the rest of their lives whether they might have been the cause of a miscarriage.

Dudeypantsmum · 02/07/2012 08:48

I personally wouldn't but I remember after my last IVF in which I actually got pg I went to my Dr's to get signed off till my first scan at 7 weeks as I worked on my feet for 10 hours a day and it can get quite stressful and he refused to sign me off. This was my last chance saloon and he knew it!

He said it would make no difference to the pregnancy as if I was going to miscarry I would and there would be nothing I could do about it. He basically said I could go bungee jumping if I wanted to as if I was going to miscarry it would happen even if I was on total bed rest.

I still miscarried but didn't blame myself at all as it was one of those things - just a bit harder to swallow when you know it will never happen again!

Trills · 02/07/2012 08:49

I understand people wanting to be as careful as they can if they want to be pregnant.

But I can't imagine how going on a rollercoaster could possibly hurt a 6 week old embryo. I don't think they can physically be "shaken loose", I really don't think it works that way.

ProfCoxWouldGetIt · 02/07/2012 08:51

I'm curious as to why so many people are saying don't do it? Surely once an egg is implanted a bit of going upside down etc isn't going to shift it?

FWIW - I did farily extreme level mountain biking until I was almost 6 months pregnant, although in all fairness I did tone it down in months 4 and 5, but mainly because I was getting to big to through myself about on the bike, but I always did a risk assesment before riding, if I felt there was a risk of falling off, then I didn't ride it

Trills · 02/07/2012 08:53

The thing about "forever blaming yourself" is the question of where it stops.

If a random lady came up to you and said "your baby will die if you wear yellow tomorrow" (and then was promptly scooped up by an ambulance and the paramedic said "ignore her, she's escaped from the dementia ward") would you be forever blaming yourself if you wore yellow and miscarried?

You should only blame yourself (or fear blaming yourself) if you do something that is known to be risky. Not if it's just a superstition that is based on no evidence at all.

Primrose123 · 02/07/2012 08:55

I don't think that a normal ride on a roller coaster could hurt an embryo, but the an emergency stop could. I was reading something about roller coasters, and apparently if there is a problem on the ride and they have to stop it suddenly, it can be a very sharp stop, and for that reason they advise pregnant women not to ride.

WhiteWidow · 02/07/2012 08:55

A question:

If physically activity wont make a difference, why are some women who have had miscarriages in the past, told to lie down a lot?

I remember one woman being on a programme and she had to stay bed bound during her pregnancy. Can't remember what it was on!

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