Too 'pregnant' to swim?!

[PlinkertyPlonk]

I wanted to post in AIBU but feared a flaming.

I'm a regular swimmer and I swim fast. Since moving out of the city, I've struggled to do my usual sports simply because the opportunities no longer exist or, in the case of running, I'm no longer comfortable doing it (too many things joggling around!). I'm 17 weeks preggers.

So I was over the moon when I found a 'swim-fit' class at the local pool. It was an opportunity to add some structure to my swimming and maintain stamina without getting in the way of other swimmers but also to meet some people locally.

I went along and the coach was very helpful and knew his stuff about risks in pregnancy. However, he seemed petrified that i was going to push myself too hard and have a baby on the spot! Consequently I got put in the slow lane but just ended up getting in everyone's way/having to stop every 20 seconds because I was having to over-take everyone, including the fastest swimmers in the other lanes. The coach was clearly nervous at having a pregnant woman in the group and worried I'd over do it, and I felt uncomfortable being mismatched with the rest of the group. I've decided not to go again.

So now I'm really despondent (and put out, if I'm honest) that 1) I've been wrapped in cotton wool 2) there are no opportunities to have a decent swim and 3) my attempt to meet people locally have been thwarted!

Has anyone had a similar experience?

i'd perservere if i were you - just go back and say 'clearly putting me in the slow group isn't working for anybody so this time i think i'll go in the next group up as that's a more natural pace for me without me pushing myself'

nobody knows how you feel and what is hard or easy for you... only you can know that.. just reassure everybody repeatedly that you're keeping within yourself and not pushing too hard.

I'm a regular swimmer and constantly get told by other swimmers that I'm going to fast, or should take a break. Normally though its by those with their hair dry, iykwim!

I'd go back to the club, tell the coach that you will take a break if you feel like you need it, but at 17 weeks, are quite capable of keeping up! He maybe never realised that you'd be able to keep up, and didn't want to pressure you?

With my first I swam a mile a day until a few days before I gave birth and used to really enjoy racing the lunchtime crowd, just to see their faces when I got out the pool!

So, you've only been once? Surely the coach was being sensible by being precautionary to begin with, until he can better assess your fitness level and ability? You seem a little impatient with him! Surely you can understand his point of view in ensuring that you don't overdo things or push yourself too hard in your first class? And not just beause you're pregnant, it's a sensible approach for anyone starting a new class. Go back, explain your fitness level and ask to move up to the next level. Allow a few weeks to settle into the 'right' level for you and stop being so impatient!

Yes I am impatient but that's because I'm speedy!!!! I know he was playing it safe, but I did tell him I'd been doing triathlons, that my GP had told me to continue with my exercise, I wasn't pushing myself and could do more quite happily.

My DP told me to go back too; he says I get too grumpy/loopy without a daily dose of exercise

I used to swim in a club with a woman who was pregnant; she was about as aerodynamic as a bumble bee but she used to effortlessly whip everyone's butts, including the fastest men, right up until the day she dropped. We were in awe!

Mumtolittlemonkey - IKWYM about the swimmers with dry hair. We call them floaters - they don't seem to actually move but somehow seem to drift into the fast lane with their makeup still intact, oblivious that they have stepped into the swimming pool's autobahn. (I should add, no association to another use for the word!).

The rules with exercise in pregnancy are that you can carry on with anything you were doing pre-pregnancy and you are careful about adding new exercise. I think you should go back and say that you'll go into the appropriate group for your fitness, regardless of pregnancy.

If the cossie fits.... As long as you dont use the jacuzzi or steam room, you'll be fine!

Just go back and put yourself into the appropriate lane. The coach will get over it soon enough, I'm sure.

Thank you for the responses MN'ers! I hear you all! I need to stop being such an impatient wimp and get myself back there.

And find a cossie that will last the full 9 months (i'll no doubt be posting about that in, ooooh, about 6 weeks time!) :)

Swim! I swam with club right up until DD was born, you know your own body. Go back and keep going back, the coach will settle down. DD (who is now 21) is also a swimmer, she's also a very chronic asthmatic. She does tend to give the coach palpations from time to time but he gets over it.

Do you need to be doing it in a club/coached environment? I swam throughout my pregnancy in a general pool, none of these daft lanes, and even did it the day I went in to be induced with her....But I did it as much for the relaxation (although I am a very fit swimmer generally), allowed me to clear my head, and I wouldn't have enjoyed feeling under any pressure (apart from my own obviously...)

I would assume that the coach put you in the slow lane because he didn't know how fast you are able to swim - but if you go back again he will have a better idea of your abilities and fitness, and will put you into the lane that best suits your swimming speed. If he doesn't, then you should have a chat with him, and tell him that pregnancy shouldn't stop you doing the exercise you were doing before you got pregnant, and that you fully intend to listen to your body and not overdo it.

Chances are he was just being cautious and not prepared for how fast you are. You may need to reassure him that you are not trying to push yourself and that your current pace is easy for you. Give it another chance, or just swim on your own so you don't need to stick to others' pace.

I would have thought a 'swimfit' class is one for pushing you to improve fitness (it is at my pool)? If it is, I'm not surprised at his concern; normally in pregnancy you're advised to maintain your fitness, but not push yourself beyond this.

do you need to have a coach at all?
i swam most days til I was 41 weeks. never had any comments about overdoing it! Its the most fabulous exercise for pregnant women

I swim for the exercise, although the rhythm is very relaxing, but whizzing up and down between general swimmers really isn't fair on the dry-hair swimmers. I'm not that mean; we all have a right to use the pool.

I wasn't expecting coaching, just a swim with people of a similar pace. Plus a chance to meet people as I don't know anyone in the area. The chap on the reception actually suggested the next class up, saying I could use it for staying fit, rather than going faster. He was right - their pace is much closer to mine, but I didn't want to swim with the triathletes - I'm too competitive and would definitely over do it!

It's just one of the perils of moving out to the sticks - the options are more limited when there's only 1 pool in the vicinity.

They're worried about liability; don't expect the coach to know anything about fitness in pregnancy. There are many unhelpful myths about it. A lot of the early research (1950s) was deeply flawed and nobody really knows the safe limits except from observation, because true rigorous experiments would obviously be unethical. Lotsa of evidence that the safe limits are pretty extreme, well more extreme than many believe, anyway. Away from contact sports or those with very high risk of falling (snowboarding), heatstroke is the only big risk (not likely in the pool...)

I remember playing footie with a woman who was 8 months pregnant and wiping the floor with the rest of us, too, she was.

Adidas do a good maternity swimsuit - although a bit booby from what I'm used to!!
Good luck going back - was speaking to DH (we re both ex-swim teachers) and he pointed out you're more likely to get kicked in a mismatched lane...