Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

General health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Original poster

My pregnant friend has just had a skiing accident...

167 replies

pavlovthecat · 07/03/2009 18:55

I am furious with her and her DP. Well, I am now I know she and baby are ok.

She has fractured her leg, skiiing in USA, while 16 weeks pg.

She has never been skiing before, thought it would be a good time to try, seeing her dp insisted she would be fine (apparantly gp said it was ok). And now she is likely to be in USA for a few weeks before she can fly home.

How could she put herself and her unborn child in danger like that?

I did not put this in AIBU, because to be honest, I don't think I am. I feel very cross.

OP posts:

dragonbutter · 08/03/2009 20:33

i assuming from your post that your brother still carries most of his weight in his enormous head

MmeLindt · 08/03/2009 20:52

A friend of my SIL was injured when skiing in Austria, 3 months pregnant. Her doc had given the go-ahead.

The doc in Austria was not complimentary about the "Flachlandaertze" (flatland docs), saying that anyone who has worked in a mountain resort hospital would NOT advise a pregnant woman to ski.

I hope your friend is ok, PC.

Haribosmummy · 08/03/2009 20:56

I skied last year at 25 weeks PG. Spent a whole week skiing.

Was far from my first time though... I have to say, I don't think it's a good time to start!!!

It's a pity if she felt she had to 'prove' skiing was OK now she's expecting a baby...

I went skiing this year too (with 7 month old DS and (unknowingly) 2 months PG with baby no 2) and I only left the nursery slopes one day.... I think my skiing days (and hopefully your friends!) are over for some time!!

AitchTwoOh · 08/03/2009 20:59

my mother talks of nothing else.

bozette · 08/03/2009 21:35

Another pregnant skier here. Went recently when 16-18 weeks. But i'm a good skier and just took extra care of the other idiots on the slope. I wouldn't recommend anyone to learn whilst pregnant though, its just too tough.

2 years ago, i went skiing when 12-14 weeks pregnant with DS. Skiing was fine, was actually doing a bit of off piste in chamonix for the first week and fell over a few times but into soft snow with a well protected uterus. One morning however, we stopped at a cash point, and i slipped on ice walking across the road and fractured my wrist, needing to have it manipulated back into shape. Sods law.

Pavlov, in terms of your freinds injuries, after a femoral nail, which sounds like what she's had, people start walking very soon. Its the knee thats going to be more of a problem. Hope she feels better soon.

brettgirl2 · 09/03/2009 09:18

"I have friends who continued to horse ride when pregnant, and i don't care how good you are, or how good your horse it, it might slip, be spooked or anything - its selfish"

Oh yawn, you could fall down the stairs, have a car crash, be run over by a bus, the possibilities are endless...... Why is an experienced rider any more likely to hurt themselves riding 'sensibly' on a horse they know (ie not taking risks such as jumping etc) than doing anything else? I am no more likely to fall off than fall over. It comes down to the decision of the individual, but it does irritate me when people judge others - you can do what they like and so can they. Round here MWs and doctors are fairly enlightened about riding thankfully, but unfortunately from about 22 weeks it aggravated my pelvic pain

Personally I wouldn't have taken up either riding or skiing, however. But really here the fact she was pregnant was irrelevant here because pg or not she would have had a nasty injury. What is funny though is that this year I've really wanted to go skiing because it's something I've never done..... How old do kids have to be to take skiing????

Haribosmummy · 09/03/2009 10:49

Brettgirl - good post!!!

I fell down stairs twice when I was heavily PG

When I skied pregnant, I stuck to runs I knew were well within my capability and just generally took it easier (well, the bottle of red at lunch was missing, which meant my afternoon skiing safer than it's probably been in years )

I took DS skiing this year at 7 months. He didn't like going up the mountain (in a backpack thingy) and, to be honest, I didn't like the feeling either. I couldn't see him easily and I was constantly worried I would need to stop etc. etc.,)

For the rest of the week, DS and I stayed on the nursery slopes, with DS using a big snowboardy type thing / a rubber ring and a sledge to get down to the slope (and there was a travelator to get back up so no stress there!) He really enjoyed it, and (at 7months) he was far from the youngest there... so i don't think there is an age kids have to be to introduce them to the concept.

it was much easier to guage how happy he was and to monitor temperature / tiredness / nappy change requirements etc,

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 09/03/2009 10:52

Oh your poor friend - that's a horrible thing to happen pregnant or not. It will certainly make being pregnant more of an ordeal. It's hard enough to get comfy sometimes anyway without having a broken leg and knackered knee.

I can see why you feel the way you do, I also think she was a little daft to try skiing for the first time while she is pregnant but it's too late for that now!

I really hope things heal well and quickly for her and she's not left in pain for too long.

alicecrail · 09/03/2009 11:43

Brettgirl I don't know if you read my post (several pages back) but i rode while pregnant, but it was somebody elses loose horse that broke my leg - nothing to do with riding. And i agree that you are more likely to fall down stairs / hit by car. I wouldn't take up a new sport either while pregnant, but like you said it is up to people to do what they want

badbadday · 09/03/2009 11:57

Personally I think it's irresponsible

I guess people have all different opinions about these things though. I know someone who is now 8 mths pg and has cycled to work in the city centre (London) every day. I personally think this is really dangerous. No matter how good a cyclist you are, a car could drive right into you and you could lose the baby.

She clearly doesn't agree though and has continued regardless

alicecrail · 09/03/2009 11:59

But she could also have an accident in a car/ bus/ train. It is impossible to eliminate risk entirely. Personally i wouldn't cycle in london at any time (or drive for that matter!) I would be terrified!

badbadday · 09/03/2009 12:05

alice agree that life in general is a risk, but cycling to work in rush hour in the city centre poses a very specific risk imo

brettgirl2 · 09/03/2009 12:16

Yes - I saw your post Alice it sounds really unlucky. I was very careful riding when pg - I didn't do anything other than potter around at the yard where I keep him but I think blanket bans on things are ridiculous.

I'm not sure about cycling, but I can't think of any particularly safe way to travel around London at rush hour. Being thrown around in packed tube trains at rush hour wouldn't be great either. Parking is probably impossible or about £50 a day so driving not really an option either.

Heylittlelady · 09/03/2009 12:22

Car/Bus/Train is more essential to living a "normal" life than horseriding or skiing though!

You can get through a nine month period perfectly well without skiing or horseriding but trying to avoid all forms of transport would be nigh on impossible.

High-risk activities are irresponsible when PG as you are risking the PG for the sake of a few hours' (high risk, unnecessary) fun. Added to the fact that a learner skiier can expect to fall many times and AFAIK, falling over is NOT conducive to a healthy pregnancy.

Haribosmummy · 09/03/2009 14:56

Heylittlelady - I think you've summed it up quite well:

LEARNING a new sport is going to be particularly risky when you are PG and need to be taking it a bit easy. For me, skiing last year was anything BUT high risk - stuck to blue and red runs well within my capability and had far more rests than usual...

Im sure cycling is the same. To any of us who don't cycle regularly, the idea of doing it while PG in rush hour London is crazy, but I am sure that this particular woman felt she wasn't taking unnecessary risks.

I have one friend who walks or cycles everywhere (in London) because she feels that taking the tube is a bigger risk to her personal safety (nothing to do with PG, by the way, it's just how she feels about it)

brettgirl2 · 09/03/2009 18:18

That is true little lady, but in which case I would have to differentiate between travel for essential and leisure purposes. Leisure purposes is no more essential than having a gentle jog around on a horse IMO. You can get through nine months without having any type of life what so ever. I did not take any significant risk at all, the riding I did was so tame.

Original poster

pavlovthecat · 09/03/2009 18:23

Wow...how many posts since my absence?!!!

Sorry for not coming back, had work etc to contend with.

She is very very lucky in many respects - she still has her life, her baby, she is insured fully, and she is currently receiving the best medical care she could hope for. So, I am much much less 'furious' about it now and much more feeling sorry for what she might have to contend with over the next few months, but will concentrate on the positives now, that she has learned a lesson without losing much much more.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7