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Original poster

Has anyone skiied during first timester? Is it a no no?

31 replies

Franimal · 29/01/2013 22:24

Not sure what to do. We have a skiing holiday booked next month and I just found out I'm 5 weeks pregnant ;-) Overjoyed at news, but wondering if I should ski or not. I'm reasonably good (can do reds competently) but worried about the risk of falling/injury... what would you do?

OP posts:

stargirl1701 · 29/01/2013 22:26

I think it's a no, I'm afraid.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 29/01/2013 22:26

I did but I didn't realise that I was pregnant - was about 5 weeks.

The baby will still be safely inside your pelvis, so IMO you will be fine to ski but just hold back on the après ski!

I'm sure others will have a different opinion though.

MmeLindor · 29/01/2013 22:27

I know that a lot of people will say that you will be fine, but I wouldn't risk it.

We lived near the Alps, and the docs there were quite scathing of women who went skiing during pregnancy.

Even if you are a brilliant skier - someone else could bomb into you. You really don't want to risk a broken leg or have to worry about anaesthetic while pregnant.

mirai · 29/01/2013 22:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 29/01/2013 22:31

I wouldn't ski at 5 months pregnant to be honest.

MmeLindor · 29/01/2013 22:34

Where are you going, Franimal?

I'd take a couple of good books, search for a spa or swimming pool and have a relaxing time while the others are skiing.

sugarandspite · 29/01/2013 22:35

As your uterus will probably still be in your pelvis, the baby will probably be safe from the most likely knocks and bumps you'll get on the slope.

However, I lost a baby at 12 weeks a few months ago and I even felt guilty for wearing maternity clothes 'too early', as if I had jinxed it or something.

I can't imagine how I would ever forgive myself if I had been skiing and then lost the baby - even if logically it was unrelated.

So I would go and have a great time, sleeping, reading and meeting up for lovely piste-side lunches.

sugarandspite · 29/01/2013 22:38

Mirai - if a friend of mine told me she was planning to ski at 5months, I'd tell her I thought she was being a selfish twat tbh.

ceeveebee · 29/01/2013 22:40

I think the altitude and raised heart rate rule it out even if you don't fall. And no one plans to fall - other skiers and snowboarders are more of an issue

scaevola · 29/01/2013 22:55

I POAS in the week before we travelled. I skied. The PG was so tiny, and so well protected by the pelvis that I'd have had to impale myself on something, or completely shatter the pelvis for it to have come to any harm. It wasn't affecting my centre of gravity, nor had ligaments begun to soften.

Stay well within your capabilities (I'm a wimp skier anyhow, and restricted myself to blue and some easier red), and I only skied in the mornings. And I made sure someone I was with (DH or, when I had private lesson, instructor) knew I was PG just in case I was in an accident and needed medical attention. The instructor had no qualms about a PG pupil.

That said, had I been much further along, I probably wouldn't have done it. And I think it would be too risky once PG has grown beyond the bowl of the pelvis.

mirai · 29/01/2013 23:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Florin · 29/01/2013 23:14

I wouldn't ski while pregnant. I am a good skier however the times I have fallen over is because some bastard snowboarder has knocked me over because he wasn't looking where he was going. It is just not worth the risk.

MmeLindor · 29/01/2013 23:19

Yes, the pregnancy is well protected in the early weeks, and a normal fall would be unlikely to cause any difficulties.

The risk a some kind of injury would still put me off - something that would normally be easily treated but would be more difficult to treat when pregnant.

mummymeister · 30/01/2013 13:05

Do you have holiday skiing insurance and what does it say on your policy. speak to your gp and midwife services and see what they think. to be brutally honest you have to ask yourself can i live with it if i go skiing and miscarry either due to a fall, collison or naturally being away from home and all that that brings. loosing a baby is absolutely horrible and i wouldnt wish it on anyone. Please, just dont do it. its a holiday not a job. its a choice not a necessity. This has nothing to do with how good a skiier you are and everything to do with the new situation you find yourself in.

Original poster

Franimal · 30/01/2013 15:30

Hi thanks for your advice. I will talk to my GP but think it unlikely I will ski now. It's only peer pressure from DH and friends... I'm quite happy to sit and read... Really couldn't bear a miscarriage or breaking a limb during pregnancy -nightmare (I have a 19 month old too)...

OP posts:

mummymeister · 30/01/2013 22:50

show dh and friends what people have written here. at the end of the day it is you that is doing the baby carrying not them and shame on them for trying to put pressure on you. hope it all goes well for you.

slalomsuki · 31/01/2013 06:32

You can all call me selfish but I skied at 5 1/2 months with my first. Was told it was fine as long as I didn't push myself too hard, insurance company were ok with it and I had skied before loads of times. To be honest it was no different.

Interestingly I hadn't told people I was pregnant and nobody noticed. Wouldn't have done it with my second though.

EMS23 · 31/01/2013 06:48

I wouldn't and haven't with either of my pregnancies. 1st was 10 weeks during holiday, 2nd was 21 weeks.

I'm a very experienced skier and was a ski instructor for many years. I could stick to blue runs all day and someone else could crash into me. My worst ever accident was when I was young and irresponsible.. I was racing some friends on a deserted blue run. Going full pelt I ski at 50mph approx. I crashed head on into a beginner. The poor guy didn't have a chance. Luckily he was uninjured - lucky for me too as I'd have been prosecuted. I learnt my lesson that day.

Imagine that man had been a pregnant woman? Even if the baby is well protected etc.. You'd just never forgive yourself if something happened and you'd always think it was your fault.

Plus altitude can make you feel rubbish when pregnant, it's much more tiring.

Wishihadabs · 31/01/2013 06:53

I skied at 6-7 weeks with my 2nd. Didn't occur to me not to TBH. I took the test before we left to know if I could have a drink. Had I lost the baby I don't think I would have blamed myself. 1st trimester miscarriages are very common after all. I also went surfing at 18 weeks, was v careful....

BikeRunSki · 31/01/2013 07:01

I found out I was pg with my first a week before skiing holiday. I went anyway and stuck (mostly ) to quieter slopes. I have also never skied so well (controlled,technique, grace) in my life!

BlueyDragon · 31/01/2013 07:02

I haven't, but I've skied with DSIL who was 10 weeks pg and a good friend who was 5 months pg on one holiday, and another good friend who was only a few weeks pg on another. Outcomes: I discovered I can run up slopes in ski boots when DSIL fell over, but she went on to have DNeice no problems. 5 month pg friend skied little and gently, again all fine. We were in a very uncrowded Canadian resort. Second friend had no falls or anything else during our holiday but still lost the baby .

So it depends. I think the risk of getting hit, particularly in a crowded European resort, would put me off and I love to ski.

Wishihadabs · 31/01/2013 07:03

A crash such as the one you describe is still very unlikely to harm a pregnancy of 6-12 weeks as still in the pelvis. It was actually having been in the alps and unable to ski at 28weeks in my first pregnancy that encouraged me to do so in my second.I can see that mine is the minority view on here. However pregnancy is not aniillness and I was told to keep doing the sports I was used to for as long as I felt able in both my pregnancies. I felt this helped me keep a base fitness level, which meant I got back in condition much more quickly after giving birth. IMO 5 weeks is very early to start restricting your activities.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 31/01/2013 07:04

I am a good skier and I wouldn't.

Your ligaments will have softened a little even then and you could really hurt yourself.

ninjasquirrel · 31/01/2013 07:14

I did at 10 weeks, my GP said that was ok. But obviously it's up to you and it's a good point about treating injuries might be more difficult if pregnant.

Wishihadabs · 31/01/2013 07:20

OP I think if you feel like you couldn't bear it then you should do what you want. For me I felt like I might not have known I was pg (only took the test the day before).

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