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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Swimming at 39 weeks?

35 replies

ratfly · 09/01/2007 10:57

Hi. I am roughly 39 weeks pregnant, on maternity leave and incredibly bored!!!

I have always been really active, and really fancy going swimming (which I have been doing on and off during pregnancy anyway).

So, is it ok for me to go swimming at this late stage? I can't bear the idea that, if baby is late, I need to stay inactive for the next few weeks...

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ledodgy · 09/01/2007 11:00

I would have thought it was fine as long as your waters aren't leaking.

Ceolas · 09/01/2007 11:00

I think so, but I have heard that breask stroke is not recommended if you have spd.

Ceolas · 09/01/2007 11:00

breast stroke, obv!

Jelley · 09/01/2007 11:01

Yes. I went at 41 weeks. It is lovely just to feel weightless and floaty....enjoy it!

Gingeme · 09/01/2007 11:03

Yes ofcourse it is. I did mainly because my belly got so big and the feeling of weightlessness was brill. It realy helped my back and with all the cardio excercise youll be doing the baby will realy benefit from it too though I did get a few looks from fellow swimmers as if to say'dont start in here will you?' Good luck with the birth too.

Original poster

ratfly · 09/01/2007 11:05

Thanks everyone! I had been talking to mum, and she said better not do any exercise, but you know what mums are like ;)

I don't have spd, and also heard breast stroke is good for getting baby engaged. So, just try to stop me!!

(I did hear that the swimming pool staff aren't very happy if your waters break in the pool tho. lol)

OP posts:

Bozza · 09/01/2007 11:05

I went "swimming" at 39+5 weeks. In quotes because I actually took DS aged 3 so didn't do any swimming. But it was so lovely to be in the water and to hold DS without bearing his weight. We went swimming at 1pm and DD was born the next morning at 7.46 am.

Go for it if you have got the opportunity.

incy · 09/01/2007 11:13

Went running and swimming throughout last pregnancy and even up to 42 weeks ! Had lots of dire warnings re bringing on early labour but I was actually 42 weeks and induced despite vigerous exerise at the end !

Obviously listen to your body - this time round I can hardly get out of bed let alone go to the gym so can't say I am doing anything in the way of exercise.

If you fancy a swim then go for it - no ill effects for me but I was really up for it and like you, very bored. I only would say don't do it if it' feels 'wrong.

Pidge · 09/01/2007 11:27

Ooh yes. I swam (and cycled) in both pregnancies. I swam every day once I was on maternity leave and both my babies were a week late. I think the pool attendants were getting a bit jumpy by the end. But it's not like your baby is going to pop out in the middle of a length of front crawl is it .

Good luck, and here's to your baby showing up soon.

Miaou · 09/01/2007 11:38

I swam every week throughout each pregancy, right up to giving birth - fantastic exercise. A bit late now for you ratfly but I did it mainly as a way of increasing my stamina ahead of labour and I swear it made a big difference to how I coped with the fatigue of labour/birth. Am pg again but live too far from the pool now to go swimming - so this time it's going to have to be as much walking as possible!

Kelly1978 · 09/01/2007 11:43

Im amazed at all these people swimming whilst pg, I jsut couldn't. I tried but I felt like a barrel and jsut sunk.

Bozza · 09/01/2007 11:48

yeah but kelly at 39 weeks just being in the water and letting it take the weight felt fantastic.

belgo · 09/01/2007 11:53

ratfly - as long as there are no problems with your pregnancy, it is best to keep as active as possible in the last few weeks of pregnancy! I went for an hour's walk each day, and if I didn't , my ankles would swell up, so I know how important exercise is. Swimming is a great form of exercise for pregnant women.

Hope you don't have to wait too much longer for your baby!

fortyplus · 09/01/2007 11:54

I did until 36 weeks - then got pre-eclampsia so wasn't allowed to move (nothing to do with the swimming of course!)
I swam on my back with bump sticking out of the water - on my front I nearly drowned!

MegaLegs · 09/01/2007 11:55

I swam alot through my pgs. Just be prepared for your centre of balance to be different. I took ds2 swimming when huge with ds3 and i kept floating off in the wrong direction.

fortyplus · 09/01/2007 11:57

Me too - and with huge bump if I tried to go on my front my legs stuck in the air so I couldn't kick properly, and it was hard to keep my head out of the water.
Backstroke was fine - and it must've given the lifeguards a good laugh!

MegaLegs · 09/01/2007 12:04

LOL - it's like trying to float on top of a beach ball.

Original poster

ratfly · 09/01/2007 12:18

Well. I just had my midwife round and she took my blood pressure, and it was 140/90.

I forgot to ask about swimming, so I will call her to ask later. Now I am concerned about if I should exercise with bp like that...

OP posts:

belgo · 09/01/2007 12:20

did she tell you not to exercise? What was her reaction to your bp?

My bp also went up to 145/90 at the end of pregnancy, but no one ever said anything about exercise.

Original poster

ratfly · 09/01/2007 12:22

She is coming back to check it again later in the week. Didn't say anything about exercise, but did tell me to kick back and take it easy.

OP posts:

belgo · 09/01/2007 12:24

I think swimming would help relax you and have a good effect on your bp.

Original poster

ratfly · 09/01/2007 12:28

I have been looking on the net, and research shows gentle exercise lowers bp, so more confident again. Also, I don't have to vigorously swim, I can just kind of waddle my way up and down the pool.

OP posts:

mawbroon · 09/01/2007 13:19

Mine is another vote for enjoying the weightlessness in the water. I did go to an aquanatal class, but the girls there were more interested in blethering than in exercising so I used to stay on for a bit afterwards and do some lengths. Go for it and enjoy the last bit of time to yourself before your wee one arrives. And good luck when he/she does!!

BigHotMama · 09/01/2007 13:22

I swam in the 41st week and did me no harm but i was doing it every week. A friend of mine went on the one occasion at 38 weeks and the next day she gave birth, so it could bring on labour if your ready, but on the other hand my ds was 2 bloody weeeks late argh! Go swim and enjoy the sensation of feeling light as a feather

belgo · 09/01/2007 13:34

I've never heard of swimming causing labour!

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