Swimming with dolphins...

[JosephineClaire]

Bit of a random question - I'm off to Mauritius in a couple of weeks with work and part of the itinerary is swimming with dolphins...

I'll be 20 weeks pregnant. Is it pretty certain to say I should avoid this?

Has anyone done this kind of activity before - how physical is it??

Thanks!

Hi,

I've swum with dolphins a few times in a few different countries and it wasn't very physical activity at all...

I'm 20 weeks pregnant now and if I was on holiday I would probably do it... Its a lot of wearing a life jacket and bobbing around while a colphin splashes you or swims past for you to touch.. though at the end there is usually the option of literally 'swimming' with it, holding onto it and this I would pass on.

Ask your doctor to be sure though! x

Hi

I went to Mauritius at 20 weeks (now 39) and was keen to do this too. Stayed at a great resort and got sensible advice from the activitiies people. They advised against - they said the swimming with the dolphins itself was no problem, but the boat ride was about an hour and at that time it would have been pretty choppy; you had to get yourself in and out of a rocking boat up a ladder and they didn't think I'd manage it safely (otherwise fit and normal BMI). It was the in and out of boat thing that worried them, they said if I was welcome to just come on the boat.

So might be worth finding out how far you'd have to go and getting some local advice.

Very jealous though, Mauritius is fabulous! Hire a car and have a good look round - really friendly place. We hired from this company which was much cheaper than avis etc.

Have a fab time!

Hi there, I went to the carribean whilst 10 weeks pregnant and wasn't allowed to swim with dolphins in case they bumped into you. My husband did and watching him I'm glad I didn't because they can really jolt you when you grab hold of there fin and pull you along. Where I went they also did a 'dolphin encounter' where I could sit in the water and play with them so really didn't fel like I had missed out. Have fun.

I'd be really careful with boating generally if you're not used to it - it's very easy to fall when on boats (particularly getting on and off) and that would be bad when pregnant!

Interestingly, though, dolphins are supposed tbe able to tell when you are pregnant and treat you very gently and be very interested in you as a result - i'd be tempted to do it just to see if this is true!

it's to do with their sonar picking up the foetus and amniotic fluid.

Hey

I have no idea whether or not it's safe, but agree with Haggisfish - had a friend who did it on her honeymoon - the dolphins circled her continuously (+ gently!) - the guide asked if she was pregnant as they can tell - turns out she was, but hadn't known it yet!

Know that's not particularly helpful, but thought you might find it interesting!

Have a fantastic time! Went to Mauritius on my honeymoon and it was fabulous!

I believe most reputable organisation that offer Dolphin swims don't allow pregnant woman to swim.
I'm not certain why but I think it's something to do with how the Dolphins react to pregnant woman.

I was 22 weeks when i went to cuba, and there was no way i was not swimming with dolphins! lol! i spoke to several of the organisers and handlers over there who gave a very mixed response. In the end i knew that if things became too dangerous or rough i could easily pull out and the handler at the time knew the situation. I had a very enjoyable time!

Dolphins must know when you're pregnant as I got alot more attention from them (esp the female) but they are very well trained and incredibly friendly. If you feel confident and have had no complications I don't see why not

I went to Cuba too! at 19 weeks-

everyone told me "ooooh, the dolphins will be really interested in you!"- I got dead excited, had visions of being borne aloft by my new dolphin followers

but did they bollocks! they ignored me! Mind you, it was the post lunch shift, they'd probably had about 15 groups in already, and utterly could not be arsed

...and I've still not got over it, even though DS is 12

I hear doliphins are very advanced and know when a women is pregnanat as they can sense and hear movements in your belly.... lol however that is just a theory!! but i have seen a lady giving birth in a pool with dolphins which was pretty amazing as the dolphins swan right up to be nosey!!!

i would say get in the pool and have a touch and kiss with them but probly wouldnt ride them like most people like to do

Good luck tho!! xxxx

My personal opinion is that you shouldn't swim with dolphins ever - read advice from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society about why www.wdcs.org/connect/whale_watch/story_details.php?select=60

I'm a trained marine mammal medic, and in my training we were told never to go near a whale or dolphin while pregnant as they can carry diseases.

Also, dolphins can be unpredictable, aggressive and even sexually aggressive, and therefore I would think it unwise to get in the water with one while pregnant.

Thanks everyone for your input - I have no idea yet whether the dolphins are in a pool, or in the wild, so will ask for further details - but my gut feeling is to skip this session, and maybe read a book by the pool(!)
All the feedback is very much appreciated x

Swam with dolphins in Jamaica - they ask you if you are pregnant beforehand and if you are they don't let you do it. The dolphins pick up on the baby and will only pay attention to you - which is great but can also be dangerous.

It was a fantastic experience however - they may not let you anyway.

"everyone told me "ooooh, the dolphins will be really interested in you!"- I got dead excited, had visions of being borne aloft by my new dolphin followers"

haha, brilliant.