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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Tell me how dumb I am to consider a 10K walk at 39ws

56 replies

southpacificgoat · 09/02/2018 14:49

Work is doing a 10K fundraising run with option to walk it for the less fit. It's a really good cause and I would love to do it. The thing is that I will be just past 39 weeks (It's in the summer)...

This is baby number two. I was induced last time at 41 weeks and would love to have a natural start to labour this time round. I am planning to walk to work and back when I don't feel comfortable cycling any longer. This is just over 5K one way, so roughly the equivalent distance of the charity run/walk a day. Last time I got to around 37 weeks doing this and then had to stop because my shins started hurting really badly. I also got really heavy legs and water retention in the last couple of weeks of that pregnancy.

I really would love to do it though and think it might be a good way to get things going if nothing has happened by then. Obviously I can still pull out if I am not up to it at the time, but I don't want to let people down by pulling out of something I should not have considered doing in the first place. Also, I am not super fit, just average. Is this madness? Has anyone else done this in a previous pregnancy or is considering doing it this time? How did it go?

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Labradoodliedoodoo · 09/02/2018 14:52

I would be tempted also but give yourself a get out clause. So you’ll do it either at 39 weeks or with a baby of 6 months.

ThatEscalatedQuickly · 09/02/2018 14:52

I wouldn't. Only because I'd worry I'd be exhausted by the end of it and if I did kick myself into labour it wouldn't help to be tired/sore going into it.

I'd also worry you could injure or strain yourself in some way without realising. It would probably be different if your fitness levels were already high (no offence, mine aren't spectacular either).

Girlwiththearabstrap · 09/02/2018 14:53

I've never got to 39 weeks so can't say for certain but I'm a big believer in listening to your body. If you can keep well hydrated, rest if you need to etc then I can't see it doing any harm. And if you pulled out you won't let anyone down. It's not a run, or a totally insane distance so I'd be inclined to go for it!

MissCalamity · 09/02/2018 14:54

I wouldn't.
I was 36 wks with DC2 away on a weekend break & ended up walking a lot further than I should have done (maybe 2/3k) and I was in agony for the rest of the weekend & was so paranoid on the drive home about going into labour on the hard shoulder of the motorway!
The pains did die down a few days later & DC2 didn't make an appearance until 3 weeks later but it still scared me!

Doje · 09/02/2018 14:58

Oh goodness, don't do it! Even with my first (second I had PGP so couldn't walk a carpark) and I was quite fit and mobile I struggled to do 2 miles without being exhausted.

There's no reason to put yourself under the additional pressure OP. Help in other ways, go along, support them, make cakes/flapjacks if you have to, but don't commit to this. There'll always be another one next year and you can do your bit then.

PaddingtonsHat · 09/02/2018 15:05

Nearly 39 weeks pregnant sat on the sofa unable to imagine anything worse right now. If only because of constant loo breaks to empty the 5ml in my bladder.

UnderTheDesk · 09/02/2018 15:06

I think it depends how fit you are generally. I walked a LOT when I was pregnant and could have managed 10k as a one-off at 39 weeks. I didn't give birth until 42 weeks though, if that makes a difference.

brassbrass · 09/02/2018 15:09

This is a bad idea. You must already know that if this is baby #2.

caraway33 · 09/02/2018 15:13

if you have generally good stamina, it’s possible. i’d consider, even though i don’t think much of my fitness levels. that said, without any breaks, 10k is too much. would you be able to give yourself 3-3.5hours to complete it? if not, i think it’s too much stress (i walked 10k the day before giving birth at 41.2 but that was a very leisury walk, over 5hours).

TheVanguardSix · 09/02/2018 15:13

What are your reasons for really wanting to do it? Is it simply because it's a fundraiser and the proceeds are going towards a good cause/a cause close to your heart?

Personally, I think you'll have second thoughts when the time comes.
Historically, you couldn't quite hack it at 37 weeks and that was with your first pregnancy. This will be your second pregnancy and you'll be 39 weeks. Yes, two weeks later makes a difference in how you feel, in how much bigger the baby is. Baby may be engaged at 39 weeks and that adds a whole other level of discomfort. I wouldn't commit to this if I were you.

Farawayfromhere · 09/02/2018 15:15

I did a lot of walking when pregnant, and like a PP said it would be fine if you’re generally fit. My pregnancies varied, in a couple of them I had awful hip issues and would have really struggled to walk 10k by 39 weeks, in the other I would have been fine as long as there were loo breaks.
It’s definitely doable if you’re active and feel comfortable doing it, as long as you listen to your body. A 5k walk would be better though- you don’t want to exhaust yourself or make yourself feel unwell. Be careful and sensible, and obviously have your phone on you!

Uffishthought · 09/02/2018 15:22

After DC1 I would probably have blithely thought I could do this. However I'm currently 39 weeks with DC2 and despite being fairly fit and lots of regular walking I have found this pregnancy much much harder and am completely exhausted and have all sorts of aches and pains in legs hips and groin that I just didn't have last time. Just dont put yourself under the pressure

Tipsntoes · 09/02/2018 15:22

You'll be fine and if you're not you can drop out, people drop out of these things for all sorts of reasons.

My only concern would be the route. if "something happened" when you're 5k from a road, that might not be so fine.

shoutygirl · 09/02/2018 15:24

I walked 10k on my due date and was absolutely fine! I'm not very fit btw, didn't have any pregnancy issues though.

Original poster

southpacificgoat · 09/02/2018 15:37

Thank you all some really useful (if somewhat mixed ) answers. I think I want to do it for the good cause but definitely also because I like a challenge and it would be a nice thing to do with the team. I would give myself all the time in the world and of course this would mean I'd be a very loan walker, crossing the finish line when everyone else has long gone home - so maybe the 'team effort' benefit is a bit unrealistic. I had not considered that toilet breaks may be an issue or that I could be so exhausted that it could actually make my chances of a natural VB less likely. I can't remember finding general walking to be an issue at 40 weeks and DS would have been engaged at that stage, it really was just the shins. I ignored the pain for a few weeks so it got to the stage where I had to stop completely rather than take a few days break to let whatever it was heal. Thanks all, I have until Monday to decide so will do a bit more soul searching...

OP posts:

Sipperskipper · 09/02/2018 15:40

I walked for 7 miles the day before DD was born (I went into labour that night!). It was fine for me, but I walked miles all through my pregnancy, and before. (I’m not fit in any other way though, I couldn’t run to the end of my road if I wanted to!)

QueenAravisOfArchenland · 09/02/2018 15:43

I walked and walked right to 40 weeks with DC1, so provided you're a walker anyway and still feeling fit I don't think there's any harm as long as you are prepared to pull out and/or can stop partway if anything doesn't feel right.

blackberryfairy · 09/02/2018 15:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

WTFIsThisVirus · 09/02/2018 15:52

I wouldn't call you dumb, but very optimistic :D

I could just about waddle to the bathroom at 39 weeks lol.

Merrz · 09/02/2018 15:55

Can i ask, those of you who walked a lot through your pregnancy, how was your labour? I've heard it tends to make labour easier?!

Acorncat · 09/02/2018 15:57

I walked a lot to try to evict baby and walked just shy of that at 40+2. It was ok, but my hands were hugely swollen and i was fairly uncomfortable on the drive home. Baby didn't arrive till 3 days after though!

Sipperskipper · 09/02/2018 15:57

I walked miles everyday during my pregnancy. My labour was a fucking nightmare ending in emergency c section! (Sorry!)

Although I have pretty good memories of it - thanks to hypnobirthing I still felt very calm and in control throughout.

Microwaved111 · 09/02/2018 15:58

Absolutely no way I could have done this at 39 weeks...i was so swollen and it so much pain just getting up the stairs was tough.

Totally depends on how you feel at that point and I suppose you won't know till you get there. I wouldn't push it too much that late in pregnancy.

Can't you just donate instead?

Microwaved111 · 09/02/2018 16:02

Merzz, I walked quite a bit mainly to try to get labour going. I was incredibly swollen but made myself walk if I could. I don't drive so didn't have much choice some days. Labour was awful and ended up in emergency surgery and a long hospital stay for me and dd as we both had bad infections.

Made no difference to us I'm afraid. I think labour will just go how it goes there is nothing you can do to control it.

Thistlebelle · 09/02/2018 16:03

I think that you might want to think not just about how you will feel but how everyone else will feel.

Are the team going to be able to enjoy the walk if they are worrying about you? I’d think most of them will feel quite uncomfortable about it.

You will need someone to walk with you.

What happens if you have to stop, will someone else have to drop out to help you?

What if you need medical assistance?

Give money to the good cause and meet your team at the finish line with big cheers and bananas or something.

Walking it yourself at 39 weeks seems very foolish.

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