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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

skiing - would you? have you?

38 replies

skiingone · 29/10/2008 22:16

Hello girls,

I'm interested to hear if any of you who ski have done it while pregnant with your previous kids and if you have any advice.

I'm a good skier, have 2 trips booked to the mountains in December: will be about 23 and 26 weeks in. As it is my first pregnancy I'm not sure how I wlll be coping with skiing. I'm thinking of just having a few easy runs ( maybe 1,5- 2 hours each day) below my ability with my DH, who will be looking out for me on busy slopes. I also decided to leave the decision to ski or not to ski until I'm there depending on how I feel. I know the risks. Just would like to hear from others who have skied while in the second trimester.
Thanks in advance

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ohIdoliketobebesidethe · 29/10/2008 22:19

I went on a skiing holiday in 2nd trimester and didn't ski. I did do sledging with the kids a lot and found a nice pool for swimming in and had a lovely week all in. Had a friend there though who was 1st trimester and did. I would worry about lax ligaments being overstretched, even if you didn't fall and about finding ski kit you could fit into!

dinny · 29/10/2008 22:21

but however competent you are, some clown may crash into you

Dioriffic · 29/10/2008 22:23

Message withdrawn

Hux · 29/10/2008 22:24

hiya,

Not me but i was away with a Doctor who was skiing at 5 months preggers. She didn't go crazy but did what you suggested and skied for a couple of hours each day, mainly stopping because she was knackered! I think you'll know what you feel comfortable doing and should wait and see when you get there.

By the way i think it's brilliant you are considering this as so many people just stop everything and so i'm rather refreshed by your approach!

Enjoy!!

SummerLightning · 30/10/2008 08:12

Not the same thing, but I did some downhill mountain biking in the Alps at about 5-6 months. Not as bad as it sounds as I stuck to easy runs and got advice and rode within my limits. My main worry was a faster rider coming up behind me, trying to overtake and knocking me off. This is more a risk with skiing (well more incompetent skiiers than good ones, but the same principle) I think and the only thing that would put me off if I was you. If you are happy to see how you go, then I would go out there, and just do a bit and sus out the quieter slopes.
If it's Europe in Dec, it may well be quiet anyway!

Have fun, and take it easy!

bikerunski · 30/10/2008 10:16

I skiied for a weekend at 7 weeks, as it was booked and paid for. DH absolutely refused to let me have the two weeks in Canada that we had saved up for though once I got a BFP.

I also carried on mountain biking though until about 26 weeks when balancing with the bump got the better of me. I have big respect from my mtb mates for beating them round a red route at 26 weeks; I then decided to quit whilst I was ahead.

But like lots of people have said, you may be the best skiier in the world, but that doesn't stop anyone else crashing into you.

I ran to 3 months too (only stopped due to unrelated hospitalisation), and swam (did a mile the day before DS was born) and did pg pilates several times a week from about 4 months. Never had a problem with lax limbs. I was in hospital with hyperemisis for a few weeks . I was so unfit when I got out I was very scared and took up lots of long walks to build up strength - i do them now with DS in his Baby Bjorn.

I have never been one for sitting about (check out my login name!). The exercise kept me sane and fit. Got back into my fave jeans when DS was 5 weeks old - very good for the head too.

bikerunski · 30/10/2008 10:18

This article is not about skiing when pg, but skiing with a baby. So not totally relevant, but I figured if you are reading this thread then you'll probably be interested.

[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/travel/holiday_type/winter_sports/article2696566.ece skiing]]

bikerunski · 30/10/2008 10:18

I'll try that link again
skiing with a baby

Romy7 · 30/10/2008 10:28

i skiied at 14 weeks with dd2 and had one fall when i hit an unexpected lump of powder in bad vis. i flew spreadeagled and landed with a huge crash on my front and was petrified.

gp (canadian, we were living in canada so could ski every weekend) had advised that i shouldn't ski once bump was visible and baby not sheltered within pelvis etc. nothing to do with me, but everything to do any other nutter that lost control and smashed into me. he said i was ok to ski at 14 weeks.

i honestly, truly, wouldn't ski that late, just in case. it's a pita - i spent 2 1/2 years living in canada and was pregnant for two of the winters. everyone else swanned off to the slopes. there will be other ski trips!!! hundreds of them! with dcs!

dd2 was born with brain damage and has cerebral palsy. in theory nothing to do with the fall i had skiing (according to the docs the scan shows birth hypoxia), but the motherhood guilt has kicked in and subconsciously you can't help but wonder...

find a spa or swim or take a walk. enjoy the fresh air, but don't take the risk.

Romy7 · 30/10/2008 10:35

another (small) word of warning having read the link... i put ds1 (dc2) and his sis into daycare for a couple of afternoons when he was 11 weeks old so i could ski with dp instead of taking turns... ds1 caught rsv in daycare and ended up with double pneumonia and on a nebuliser five times a day... yay daycare!
sometimes you just can't win

SummerLightning · 30/10/2008 10:40

Thanks for that link bikerunski. I was worried it would recommend actually skiing with them strapped on, that might give my DH ideas!

I have to say that holiday they describe sounds like hard work and incredibly expensive but each to their own! Think I would prefer to give it a miss while the kids are tiny.

Romy7 · 30/10/2008 10:44

chariotcarriers sell a crosscountry ski harness for any nordic types taking a baby or toddler...

snickersnack · 30/10/2008 10:59

I didn't ski when pg with ds. Have to say it was one of the loveliest holidays ever. I went for long snowy walks, up the lifts and read my book in the sun with a hot chocolate, and met the others for long lunches, had massages etc. Blissful. I was worried about someone else skiing into me, rather than me falling (not sure I go fast enough for it to be a problem if I fell!). I was about 16 weeks - I think if I'd been pre-bump I would have done what you suggest, but once I started to show I didn't fancy it.

SummerLightning · 30/10/2008 10:59

, I shall not tell him. He is a snowboarder anyway so I don't think he'd want to do xc skiing.

Original poster

skiingone · 30/10/2008 11:25

Thanks girls,

I already have a bump now and assume it will only get bigger on a months or two. I tried and don't fit into any of my 4 ski trowsers, asked my sister to lend me hers ( she is a coupe of sizes larger), but she refused, saying that I've got to be mad thinking about skiing. The funny thing that I only ever had crashes on the mountains with my sister as she tends to follow my path and gets too close sometimes....so no I will make sure she is nowhere around if I do decide to have a run.

OP posts:

SummerLightning · 30/10/2008 11:26

TKMaxx for cheap skiing trousers!

Romy7 · 30/10/2008 13:03

dh did threaten to ski with ours in a backpack... have seen it a couple of times, but reaaaallly not recommended lol.

Romy7 · 30/10/2008 13:04

it's much more fun when they can stand up unaided and you can get ski reins and let them slide down in front of you

SummerLightning · 30/10/2008 13:10

awwwwww....

1stMrsF · 30/10/2008 13:14

I would not ski or snowboard (I snowboard myself usually). I am a very cautious boarder any way and I've still had falls that I wouldn't want to have again whilt pg. DH is planning to go for a holiday in Jan and I've decided not to board, but depending on where they go (whether there is other stuff to do in resort) I might go with them and walk/swim/eat lunch looking at the mountains etc. I hope we will go somewhere I can get the gondola up to meet them some days for lunch. If they don't go to a suitable resort, I'm going to go and stay with my parents for a week and get looked after instead! I figure it's only for a few years as I intend to get my children on skis the minute they are old enough

1stMrsF · 30/10/2008 13:15

Just thought of something else too - your centre of gravity changes once you get a bump and so even if you are usually a good skier, you might find it difficult to ski well/keep your balance as your body doesn't feel the same as it did before.

Original poster

skiingone · 30/10/2008 13:26

The first trip that we have booked is for the ski season opening, so not sure there will be much other to do, but it's only a 4 day weekend really, so if I don't ski it's not soo long of a time to get bored.
The second trip when I will be around 26 weeks will be to Bad Hofgastein in Austria, which has the largest and very modern Aqua/ wellness centre with pools and other things to do, so I think it's perfect if I decide not to ski, I can just spend my time in that water centre.
1stMrsF - recommend to your DH to go to Gastein Valey, it's oneof the best areas to ski, the top area is called Sportgastein and is reliable for snow even if lower parts of the valley don't have much. Just make sure you stay in Bad Hofgastein so you can go to the health centre and enjoy it.
www.gastein.com

OP posts:

buckles · 30/10/2008 13:26

went skiing a couple of years ago with friends who were 14 and 18 weeks PG at the time. Both excellent born on skis type people.
I am crap at skiing so would never go near a set of skis whislt pregnant.
They both managed a few days then stopped because of all the other out of control if I just point and go idiots that were flying past them.
I missed a ski trip this year due to a PG that turned into a MC and was gutted that I didn't ski anyway. On the other hand it is only 1 trip out of many years and I am not sure if it is worth the risk.
Swim, walk and read the million books that you are always planning to read- oh and buy cute baby clothes and drink gallons of hot choc.

MmeTussaudsChmberOfChocHobnobs · 30/10/2008 13:33

My friend went skiing when pregnant as he doc said that as long as she took it easy she would be ok.

She had a fall and ended up in a Austrian hospital, and was berated by the Austrian doc for even thinking aobut skiing while pregnant (she was 18wks). When she told him that she had checked with her gynae in Germany, he had a rant about the "Flachlandärzte" (Flat country docs) who have no idea of the dangers. He told her that most docs in skiing areas do not reccommend skiing when pregnant even if you are a great skiier.

I would not risk it, there will be other years.

summerbird · 30/10/2008 13:38

It is your own personal choice but i personally wont do it. My DH has booked a long weekend skiing in March when i will be 7 months PG and i am just not taking the risk. I was going to go with him and chill but by that point i wont be too good with the travelling.

We did try to book in January when i would have gone with them but our other friends couldnt make it until March which is too late for me. I have decided to let him go for it and i can stay here and get some pampering in!

As the others have said, no matter how good a skiier you are you cant avoid the nutters who crash into you.

My DH has reminded me that when our ickle one is knee high we can put them in ski school - with a little yellow helmet snaking down a nursery slope with lots of other little helmets !!! awww

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