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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Skiing in pregnancy?

13 replies

gruber · 27/12/2010 10:12

Hi all. Have been offered chance (me & DH) to go on cheap, nice skiing hol next New Year with friends.

Problem is, we are planning to start TTC as of June. I could be anywhere from a few weeks to nearly 6 months (depending....). It would be a week away, hotel so not slumming it, but it does involve driving to Switzerland.

Am I mad to think I could go? Would I enjoy it? Can ski ok btw. Just worried of falling with a bump.

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sotough · 27/12/2010 10:19

i wouldn't ski beyond about four months pregnant - doesn't seem worth the risk. doesn't matter how good a skier you are; there are lots of idiots and amateurs on the slopes who could crash into you and knock you over.
it's very far in advance to book a holiday and if you plan to be pregnant by then it seems quite a commitment to make. having said that, you could always go along and not ski much, if at all, - just enjoy some of the other things on offer in the resort (swimming, massages etc) if you feel that would be worth the money.

Original poster

gruber · 27/12/2010 10:21

Thank you. I am erring on the side of not going as I'd hate to be there and not ski. However we don't need to book till August (friend works for travel company) so guess we have a bit of time.

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Deliaskis · 27/12/2010 13:59

As a keen experienced skier (and currently 32 wks pg) there are a couple of things I would bear in mind:

Your ligaments and tendons etc. loosen up during pregnancy so whilst you might be a reasonable skier, there is a risk that your body just won't be able to do what you tell it, and then you risk having accidents, or in the best case scenario, just not enjoying it as it will be hard work.
Most of the way through my pregnancy, I have been pretty tired, and the thought of just getting into ski boots and walking to the lifts carrying skis etc. is exhausting, let alone skiing itself.
You can't legislate for other idiots on the slopes so even if you're a good skier, there is a risk.
Bear in mind getting insurance for skiing in pregnancy.

Having said all that, if it's early on,the foetus is pretty well protected for the first 12 weeks whilst it's still low in the pelvis.

I also would hesitate to put my life on hold indefinitely whilst TTC, you don't know how long it's going to take and I often think the feeling of waiting and waiting can be made worse by not making any plans for the coming months 'just in case'.

I guess if it were me, I would probably agree to go, book it, and then if I ended up being pregnant at the time, go and not ski, although you've said you wouldn't do that, so I guess I would book and keep an eye on when money has to be paid and the latest I could cancel etc.

JBrd · 27/12/2010 14:08

Skiing is one of the things they really advice against in pregnancy.
No matter how good a skier you are, like sotough says, there are a lot of idiots out there who are not in control and don't know what they are doing. Do you really want to risk it?

However, there's no way of telling if you really will be pregnant! It took us 8 months from stopping the pill to conceiving. Do you have to book now?

Petalouda · 27/12/2010 15:34

You'd probably have right issues getting insurance for winter sports while up the duff too!

If it was me - I'd book, and then go anyway but probably spend the holiday lounging around if I ended up pregnant! Which is my kind of holiday anyway!

Deliaskis · 27/12/2010 15:43

Re what Petalouda says about going and not skiing, I think it's still worth considering this as an option even though right now it doesn't seem an appealling one. I would have been dead against it before I was pregnant, as wouldn't want to miss out, but because of the way I felt physically, and also just how I felt generally about being pregnancy, my perspective changed and really, I couldn't imagine skiing whilst pregnant, whereas mooching around in the snow eating cake, being pampered and meeting friends up the hill for lunch would have seemed perfectly fine.

As it is it's a none issue for us as this baby is due smack in the middle of Feb which puts the kybosh on the whole season for us really.

snowmummy · 27/12/2010 16:54

I've cancelled three snowboarding holidays, one for each pregnancy. As much as I love snowboarding, I just don't think its worth taking any risks whilst pregnant. There's always next season.

Original poster

gruber · 27/12/2010 21:51

No, we don't havd to book till August- so guess we will wait and see if I am then, make a decision at that point. There is always next season. Thank you all for advice- seems best not to but will def consider going and eating cake!!

OP posts:

Coppernoddle · 09/01/2011 17:09

I've just come back from skiing and I'm 9 weeks pregnant. We booked our holiday 3 days before we found out about a unplanned peg. I was fine apart from being sick. Altitude, dead tired and pulling muscles! But there were arse holes on the slopes but fortunately never encountered one! My muscles didn't work as well and could only ski till lunch. And couldn't leave the hotel till at least 9.30 due to sickness. Was in bed by 8 so no apre ski and frustrated husband and kids! It's your decision, I enjoyed the little skiing I did with my two young girls(3&4) but the rest wasn't worth it! You gave to weigh it up, what's more important! What if you did miscarry, not due to skiing, just one of those things, would you want it to happen in another country? Being sat down for that long in your car, risk of blood clots, long ferry crossing, sea sick on top of morning sicness, you don't know what your body's going to do! Good luck x x x

Snowfalls108 · 09/01/2011 18:14

I would say I would only feel comfortable skiing up to about 8 weeks. In fact with two of my pregnancies I've got BFP in a ski resort. I am ski mad (3 ski seasons working out there) and normally the thought of being in a resort and not skiing would drive me crazy.
However from about 8 weeks the thought of a week in a hotel, not having to cook, being able to relax, have massages, go for the odd wander, meet people for lunch etc sounds perfect - speaking as someone who is currently 20 weeks.
oooo in fact DP keeps complaining about not skiing this year, maybe I need to suggest we do go!!

JintyMcGinty · 10/01/2011 08:36

don't put your life on hold - I'd book the holiday and go, but I would not ski if I was pregnant. I'm an experienced skier, but it's not worth the risk of other idiots on the slopes crashing into you no matter how good you are.

Look at it this way - if you're going to take all the other ordinary pregnancy precautions "just in case", like not eating soft cheeses to avoid the tiny risk of ingesting listeria, why would you risk the much highre possibility of a crash on the slopes? Go and enjoy the holiday, the apres ski and spa treatments etc.

I felt like you for a long time and held off having ski-fun just in case I was PG - it then it took us 3 years to conceive DC1 (male factor infertility). I still feel like I missed out on two good ski holidays for nothing while DH headed off to the slopes.

Nothing much else to add to what's already been said though - you'll have trouble getting winter sports insurance while pregnant

Pinetreeland · 10/01/2011 09:48

I really miss skiing now i am pregnant but I personally wouldn't take the risk. Even during the first trimester, any fall can result in miscarriage and going through a MC can be very emotionally painful.

lilly13 · 10/01/2011 13:13

Hi, I am 23 weeks and went skiing with my DH a couple of weeks ago except I did not ski, but did snowshowing (Nordic walking) instead. I still enjoyed being at a ski resort, though. I am an advanced cross country skier and quite fit overall, however, imho it is not worth a risk for me. I wouldn't ski if I were you, but you should definitely go on the trip and walk or snowshoe or sip on some hot chocolate at a cute ski village!

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