Skiing when pregnant?

[stringbean]

I'm going skiing in a few weeks, and will be 11 weeks pregnant. The question is, do I ski or not? I skied (gently) in my last pregnancy (but I was 6/7 weeks at the time), and if the last pregnancy was anything to go by, I don't anticipate showing by the time we go (though realise 2nd pregnancies can be different in that respect). I do exercise regularly - go to the gym and run regularly (and I kept running through my last pregnancy until my back gave up in protest at 6 months) - so the exercise itself will not be a shock.

Much as I love skiing, I can live without it - don't get me wrong. The problem is that we're going with extended family, none of whom yet know about the pregnancy - nor do I want to tell them yet - and it's going to look a bit obvious if I start making excuses. There are only so many times I can use playing in the snow with ds (who's 2) as an excuse.

So, can I ski gently? If not, what excuses can I come up with so as not to arouse suspicions?

Stringbean - I love skiing, but wouldn't risk doing it when pregnant. At 11 wks things are starting to stretch and you might jerk/twist etc that'll strain muscles and damage you. Or you might fall and damge you and the baby.

IMHO.... Don't ski. Just tell them you have pulled a muscle in your groin (no questions asked ) and you don't want to aggravate it.

Congratulations BTW!

I wouldn't do it but I'm not the best skier in the world (ie wipe out at high speed regularly!)

If you are very confident and don't tend to wipe out then I can't see it would be a problem, personally I wouldn't take the risk. Can't you just tell family that you have hurt your foot or something? Or just tell them, it's only a week before the first scan!

Alternatively you could just say that you are really tired and want to rest. Or that you have glandular fever and aren't allowed to exercise

Depends how good a skier you are I would say. If you're fairly confident you won't fall, then go for it. If you're a bit shaky, then I wouldn't risk it. Having said that, I didn't dare ski when pregnant, and I've been ski-ing since I was 3, so I'm pretty confident.

The reason the books give for not ski-ing is because your balance changes later on.

Would you ride a bike? If you would, then I would ski.

I did both times - once at about 10/11 weeks and once nearer 20. Both times I came home feeling I'd got away with it rather than confident I'd done the right thing and I didn't really ever get that letting yourself go feeling you usually get with skiing. My biggest worry wasn't me falling but others crashing into me. So if you do decide to go don't just think the nursery slopes are the best option - full of crashers! I chose easyish blues when I could, took it easy (except when we got lost in a whiteout - another story) , skiied at lunchtime when it was quiet and didn't ski if itlooked at all icy (good excuse to cop out and have a hot choc). On the not telling front I did that too first time around and my biggest problem wasn't the skiing but my lack of enthusiasm for the fab food (i felt sooo sick). My advice FWIW is let them guess if they want. Main reason I didn't tell is I thought my dad and mother in law would try and stop me skiing - if that's a problem just tell them your doc says it's Ok. Good luck with whatever you decide - it has to be your decision.

Congrats stringbean.

Personally hon' I wouldn't risk it. I dodn't even want to say it but you can still fall akwardly gently skiing. I mean, even if baby is fine you wouldn't want to go through the pregnancy with a broken keg would you.

As for excuses - how about wearing a tubey grip thing and pretending to have sparained your ankle a couple of days before going away and you've been told not to ski?

oh and I meant to add to have a fab time

I would go skiing because the uterus is still well down in your abdomen and the risk of internal injuries is not high from ski-ing; even a broken leg (& how bad that can be) is not that severe to your body at this point. After 13 weeks it's gets a lot dodgier, though.

I'm just amazed you feel well enough to go!!

Err I would think a broken leg at any time would be a pain in the arse and incredibly painful and annoying etc and being pregant even more so, what if she were still in a cast 6 months down the line?

Anyway sorry stringbean - I think you should still go but personally I wouldn't be up for the actual skiing - but you'll know what feels best for you at the time. Good luck and enjoy whatever you decide, just be careful out there

I remember once seeing a 5 months preganant woman skiing a few years back. Not sure I would risk it then but prior to 12 weeks the baby is still pretty well protected by the pelvis. Having said that I think it worth considering the potential damage to softening ligaments and that, should you have the misfortune to have an injury (and it can happen to even the most confident skiers and on even the most innocuous of lifts), you could be limited as regards treatment. Also I found that even being at relatively low altitudes in the early weeks of pregnancy was exhausting in itself.

If you decide not to risk it, especially bearing in mind you could already be tired from both the pregnancy and occupying your toddler which might make you more vulnerable, perhaps a twisted knee, complete with tubigrip, could provide an excuse.

Thank you everyone for your honest advice - and excuses. I think I'd better see how I feel closer to the time - and I'll take tubigrip just in case! Certainly the prospect of a broken leg doesn't fill me with glee. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about injuries to myself - only the baby. I was encouraged though that others have skied when pregnant, but think I'd better assess myself and conditions when I get there. If I'm in any doubt I won't risk it.

We have, however, decided to tell my brother and his fiancee who are going with us about the pregnancy. They dote on ds and will be thrilled at the prospect of another niece/nephew. Hopefully they'll help us tactfully deflect any comments about my lack of skiing.

I too went skiing when I was nearly 5 months pregnant and whilst everything was ok, I felt like a beginner again as I got pretty fed up of sticking to easy runs 'just in case'. Towards the end I thought bo....ks to it and hacked down a steep off piste run which was tremendous fun. The enjoyment I get from skiing is attempting difficult challenging runs and if you need to ski cautiously then there is very little point. However, I would say go and see how you feel, even if it is just the feel of the mountains, fresh air and atmosphere. BUT check out your insurance first and make sure they will cover you.

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stringbean, I skied at 10 weeks. Had a horrific fall, dislocated my knee and tore one of my cruciate ligaments and spent the rest of a 10 day holiday in the physio centre.
Baby was absolutely fine.
A good friend of mine, who is a GP, skied with us at 5 months with no ill effects.
There is no doubt that ski-ing is a risk you don't have to take. See how you feel, see how your body feels. If the slopes are quiet and the snow conditions are good, then you may fancy a bit of gentle ski-ing.
If you decide you don't want to and you don't want to tell people why, buy some tubigrip bandage for your knee and tell people you've strained a ligament.

I went skiing for two weeks when I was 10/11 weeks pregnant. For the second week we were joined by my best friend and her husband (and two of their kids) - who are both GPs and who had no concerns about me skiing - for the reasons that others have given, that the baby is still protected by the pelvis.

It actually improved my skiing, as although I still did all our favourite runs (including blacks), I made sure to ski more "within myself" and in control.

I also was able to do the most impressive snow plough - deeper than I would normally be able to do. It was great for being "Mother Duck" to the kids (8 & 10) who were learning to ski, so would follow me doing exaggerated turns in the same way that they did in their ski lessons.

I never felt that I put my pregnancy at risk. The only thing that I did notice (apart for my great snow plough!) was that it was important that I had regular stops for a snack and drink. I got VERY grumpy if I didn't get my sugar fix! (.... although the supply of creme egges, rolo eggs and mini eggs that we take with us on skiing holidays also helped!)

Having said all of that though - you need to do what YOU feel comofortable with.

My friend is laid up at the moment after falling skiing. That was 2 months ago and she has metal plates in her legs and 13 screws. They anticipate her recovery to be about another 6-8 months. She's gutted cos she's trying to conceive and can't even 'do it'. Thing is she was a fantastic skier, so I suppose my point is you just don't know. Better to be safe than sorry, rest of your life to go skiing so look after yourself at this crucial bit. xxxx