Outdoor activities during pregnancy

[lauramarymac]

Hi, I am 7 weeks gone with my first and working as a freelance outdoor activity instructor. In my job I regularly demonstrate zip wires in a sit harness, move kayaks around - both on and off the water and spend most of the summer living in a tent.

I have a fairly full calender of work booked in over the next 6 months with a variety of different companies, some of which will be able to swap me on to less physically demanding activities such as archery and orienteering.

Basically I'm after advice from people in this or a similar industry that have worked through their pregnancy and what activities to draw the line at.

Oh yeah, I'm also a swift water and mountain rescue volunteer.

Hi there,
I'm actually a manager for an outdoor centre who is also pregnant! 26 weeks gone so I know exactly what you are going through!

For the first 8 weeks I was completely unaware so still went kayaking, sailing, power boating etc! However when I told my senior management they then looked into risk assessments etc, upto 12 weeks I was pretty much allowed to do anything but if I was concerned I could mention it, from 12 wks onwards my sessions were adapted and now I'm not particularly upto much after 21wks.

My advice would be to talk to your employers, as soon as they know they have a duty of care to look after you, basically they won't want to make you do anything where there could be to blame!

I think you have to consider how mobile you will be and how tired you will get , kayaking will put pressure on your belly and rescuing is out of the question the further along you go, my work also put a stop to harnesses too due to pressure on the bump! Do also consider terrain and weather, toilet stops etc!

It's a hard industry to be pregnant in so I know how difficult it can be but it's all workable!

I don't do the same as you but I do have three horses, which i look after twice a day every day. I have stopped riding (my riding horse is unpredictable.....) but have still been mucking out, feeding, picking feet out etc. Lifting bales of straw etc. However, I am struggling due to really bad hip pain. I think without this I could carry on as normal, but DH is having to do more and more. Nearly 20wks.

Hi, I'm not in the outdoor business (dr) but do personally do a lot of outdoor sports. Up until now, I have carried on as normal: skiing, mountaineering, mountain biking. However, after this week I move into 2nd trimester and will be cutting down, as uterus moves out of the pelvis, leaving the feotus without that extra layer of protection should I fall.
I am sadly giving up climbing as I feel a sit harness will out pressure in entirely the wrong place, especially if I fall.
Having said all that, it is entirely personal choice and as you are participating as a job, maybe would be taking fewer risks/have less chance of falling anyway? However, by law your work place have to do a risk assessment, and I'm not sure how these pursuits would score!

Congratulations on your pregnancy :)

PS, definitely still plan on hill walking (and carrying rucksacks) and camping for as long as I feel comfortable to do so.