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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Cycling to work whilst pregant

41 replies

catherinemm · 15/02/2014 23:50

I'm currently 12 weeks pg with 2nd baby. I have a short cycle commute to work (less than 2 miles), it's in london but my route is relatively quiet and I could make some adjustments to make it quieter still BUT DH is not keen and even more so since I had an accident on Monday. This was relatively serious, though non car was involved I ended up in an ambulance and spent night in hospital as I knocked myself out! Memory of crash is hazy but I think I slipped on wet patch when avoiding a pedestrian. This has shaken me up a bit and I prob won't cycle next week but I would like to continue once I get a new helmet and am feeling back to normal. I think this is because I know the accident is unlikely to happen again and I think the overall risk of cycling is unchanged. Overall I enjoy it and think the benefits outweigh the risks. Any tips to convince the worrying OH?

OP posts:

redhead78 · 17/02/2014 12:21

I don't cycle to work, but I do a lot of "leisure" cycling and specifically asked my midwife AND consultant if I should stop when pregnant and they both said no and that if it's what I would normally do then I should carry on doing it, although they don't recommend you take up a new activity you haven't been doing prior to pregnancy.

I don't think I'm being irresponsible or a bad mother, I'm trying as hard as I can to have a healthy pregnancy. Obviously I am much more cautious now and the one time I didn't feel comfortable on my bike I stopped. I am now 28+2 and still cycling regularly - whenever this hideous weather will allow, anyway!

I have the good fortune of only cycling on country lanes or very quiet roads but the sensible precautions (which you probably take anyway if you're a regular cyclist) are to ALWAYS wear high vis, even in daylight, and to always use bike lights, front and back.

Personally I'm a lot more concerned with how soon after birth I can get back on my bike and how quickly the baby can go in the trailer we'll be buying her!!!

SunnyL · 17/02/2014 14:23

Redhead I was back on my bike at 6 weeks and Ive just fitted the bike seat in preparation for her 9 month birthday next week. I cant wait to ditch the car again for the freedom of my bike.

NomDeClavier · 17/02/2014 14:29

I cycled with DS on the back to 37wks. DD was born at 38w. MW told me to keep it up and I credit it with encouraging baby to get and stay head down whereas DS was transverse until very late (I have funny hips).

mssleepyhead · 17/02/2014 15:06

catherine - i could have written your post myself, except i'm expecting baby 1. i have a very similar commute and actually also came off my bike on monday!! first time in years; i couldn't believe it. i won't be stopping until i can't get up the hill i have to manage on my commute, which i'm hoping won't happen. it's good for me, it keeps me happy and my bike is a city one with lots of space for a growing belly. keep riding!

fay144 · 17/02/2014 15:27

I'm glad to see all the people in this thread who are less of a wuss than I am!

Just to clarify, I decided against cycling my personal route to work during rush hour. I wouldn't write off cycling in pregnancy generally - I would have went out for a leisure cycle on xmas day if my breaks hadn't needed work.

I can't wait to get back on my bike, hopefully with a baby seat in place.

cupoftchai · 17/02/2014 15:52

I cycled up to 5months after then I didn't feel that comfortable, also my work pattern changed and it was winter... A few weeks off and never got started again. I felt that was right for me. But definitely changed my route and style, to a slower steadier cycle and avoided lifting the bike. Also put saddle down a bit.

oscarwilde · 17/02/2014 16:37

I didn't - 7 mile route from SE London was fairly safe as lots of bus lanes but some sections were definitely riskier than others and drivers can be really aggressive when traffic is bad in rush hour. I think it has gotten worse now that there are so many more cyclists. I was really wheezy and breathless though and wearing a pollution mask (which I usually do) seemed to make it worse.

That said, it was a personal choice for me. I skied at 20 weeks preg with my first. Doc and midwives were all fine as foetus was still within my pelvis and protected. If you fall on skis you fall sideways usually so I was comfortable with the risk. Friends we were away with were not so comfy though and though no-one said a word I always had a chaperone coming down the mountain behind me. Clearly there was an unspoken agreement.

I think it totally depends on your route and the time of day you cycle. at 12 weeks if you haven't had HG there's a reasonable chance you don't even feel pregnant and there's no bump yet. With the second you do tend to pop much more early though. 2 miles seems fine for me - easy enough to walk it too...

Bad luck on the accident - maybe reassure your DH and be more of a fair weather cyclist for a bit. Hopefully the weather will improve too.

zumm · 17/02/2014 16:42

I used to cycle an 18 miles round trip - until i told colleagues I was pg (12 weeks) and one urged me to give up. She believes one of her mc's was due to overdoing it at the gym. So I did at around 14 weeks. Looking back, I don't think the early weeks were a problem - so don't worry about what you've done to date (plus it's only 2 miles) - but I think it prob was wise to give up when I did. Alas, I haven't really been on my bike since… And that's a shame cos I was really quite fit thanks to my biking.

Plateofcrumbs · 17/02/2014 17:35

zumm - I'm sorry for your colleague's loss but there's no real evidence that miscarriage is associated with too much exercise. Medical advice is that it's generally fine to carry on with activity you're already accustomed to (and I think advice not to take up new activity is largely to do with the risk of injury to you, not to the foetus), and not to exercise to exhaustion. Within those constraints there are proven benefits to being active whilst pregnant.

5madthings · 17/02/2014 17:45

I cycled through all five of my pregnancies, including with a trailer with two toddlers in it.

Listen to your body.

The evidence is that its fine to continue with your normal exercise.

squizita · 17/02/2014 17:57

Zumm dont worry it doesn't cause miscarriage. Sadly I have had 3 and thus have researched and been inspected by specialist docs, all said moderate exercise is ok.

Original poster

catherinemm · 17/02/2014 21:02

Thanks for all the words of support. For me, cycling is no more risky than before I was pregant. I pointed this out to OH who had to agree - he used argument of what if you get hurt and you deny the (unborn) child a healthy mother, & I pointed out this applied pre pregnancy because of our son! I do still plan to get back on my bike as a means to get to work, mainly because it's so damn convenient and I get there quicker, which means I am home with son earlier. I do admit though that the negative comments from others as well as OH are hard to bear, I care too much what others think and do sometimes feel rather selfish so it's so nice to read words of support

OP posts:

livingzuid · 18/02/2014 06:49

At the risk of sounding somewhat grouchy, all these people including your dh telling you what you can and can't do with your body meh! If you are comfortable with it then go for it and keep cycling. The benefits so outweigh the risks.

This thread has inspired me to get on a bike as soon as I can so thank you :)

Cyclebump · 21/02/2014 07:02

I sympathise Catherine, while DH is supportive, I've had a few negative comments from colleagues and it's tricky. I too heed other people too much, if I had another way to get to work I might have caved on the first comment but I just have no other way of getting in.

mrsmugoo · 21/02/2014 07:45

I stopped cycling around 20 weeks because I felt vulnerable on the road. I was scared of others rather than my own ability.

blushingmare · 21/02/2014 11:49

I carried on cycling 8 miles to work in London on relatively busy roads up until about 32 weeks (stopped because I couldn't really be bothered anymore ). I liked the fact that I was staying fit in pregnancy and it helped my energy levels I think. But I haven't cycled at all since having DD, including not cycling during this pregnancy. This is more because I'm more risk adverse now I'm a mother and have someone so precious relying on me.

As others have said it's completely up to your own assessment of risk. But if your DH is very anti this may make it harder for you.

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