Would you ski at 14 weeks pregnant?

[crabby]

Already booked for a 10 day ski holiday. Have just found out I am pregnant and will be 14 weeks by then. Has anyone skiied at this gestation?

[ladygrinningsoul]

Sorry to be a wet blanket, but I had a m/c while on a skiing holiday at 8 weeks (nothing to do with the skiing). If something does go wrong, you will be a long way from home and (assuming you are skiing in Europe) surrounded by people who don't speak your language. The hospital staff spoke very little English and my French was not really up to it. I definitely would not do it again - you have the rest of your life to ski.

[bozette]

I went skiing this time last year when 14 weeks, and was off piste with no problems.
Unfortunately i then slipped on some ice walking across a road and broke my wrist!!
I had to have it manipulated with a regional anaesthetic block, everything was fine, ds now 5 months, looking forwards to his first trip in a couple of weeks.

[kb101]

I didn't but 2 GPs in my family think it's fine early on (until whenever the uterus 'pops out' as until then everything is still very cushioned within the pelvis?!).

I thought the main risk was that with all the extra progesterone it makes joints and muscles more supple than normal and it is therefore much easier to strain something as your body doesn't follow it's normal limits!!

Good luck.

[lemonstartree]

I think its ok at

[Gadgy]

I have just returned from a weeks ski-ing in France. I am 10 weeks, and it was the best I have felt all pregnancy. It was a great diversion from the nausea I had been getting whilst cooped up at work. Dr and midwife both said it is fine at this early stage. Planning to go again at 16 weeks and can't wait

[Neney1]

I went snowboading at 8 weeks pg. It was my first boarding holiday and I was a complete beginner! I was told that the risks were more with people running into you than you falling. I had a nice easy week, chairlifted up with friends who went up and down whilst I sat in lovely cafe's with a good book and hot chocolates! Then took it nice and easy on the way down!! But as I was advised before I went, it has to be your decision. I wouldn't let it put me off a week's holiday in the snow though, skiiing or not!!

[LIZS]

You are more vulnerable to injury when pg due to ligaments stretching, easier to tire especially at altitude and centre of balance changing, skiing aside. Agree it may not be so much your need to just take it carefully but the risk of others'actions and perhaps having slightly slower reaction times.

[cluckyagain]

Seriously it doesn't matter how good YOU are - I have 2 friends who have been airlifted off slopes with serious injuries caused by other skiing nutters - what is the holiday worth to you?

[VoluptuaGoodshag]

Depends on your ability and how you confident you feel. I went skiing and I was only a couple of weeks gone. I'm a fairly competent skier but unfortunately I was ski-ing like a woose coz I was scared something would happen and yup, I fell. No harm to the baby but I badly damaged my knee. Beware the hormones!!!

[jenpet]

We have just cancelled our week in Feb as I will be 13 weeks by then...but it is my first time ever skiing (not been pregnant lol) I wouldn't have enjoyed it for worrying what might have happened....

[NorthernLurker]

No - but only because I never have and it's not the time to start but if you are expert and keen then I don't see why you shouldn't go for it. I was still cycling at 39 weeks though if that's any help.

[cluckyagain]

No - honestly, no matter how careful you are it only takes a mad nutter to take you out (and possibly threaten your pg) Just not worth it.

[katwith3kittens]

If you are a competent skier then I think its OK. Obviously dont take any silly risks...

but if you are a novice then possibly not.... you could just sit on the terraces and enjoy the scenery

[MrLSG]

MWs and GPs who ski almost universally say continue to ski.

MWs and GPs who don't ski almost universally say don't do it.

MrsLSG skied with ds1 until she was over 20 weeks - with the results that ds1 (now 6) is himself a very keen skier.

[LucreziaBourgeois]

Would check with your MW and GP, and follow their advice.

[lljkk]

Er, I would go if I was a competent skiier. But be cautious about it. I've had all kinds of falls in pregnancy, though, which makes me thinks the risks of falling, especially this early on, gets over-stated. I've never any had harm done from falls in pregnancy (not counting bruises on my bum, thighs, knees, elbows or ankles, of course).

[myhouseisamess]

I've just come back from Switzerland and am 9 weeks pregnant and skiied at 13/14 weeks during my first pregnancy. I'm a fairly competent skier and don't fall often but I took it easy - avoided the moguls etc and didn't ski everyday like I would normally. Most travel insurance covers you until about 26 weeks but there are a few specialist ones eg Fogg insure that don't cover you if you knew you were pregnant when you took out the policy. Oh, and I'm a midwife!

Take it easy and enjoy the mountains.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Having lost a baby after ds1 (nothing to do with skiing!) personally I found that I couldn't take any risks, and certainly I wouldn't have done this.

If you're a competent skier, and your midwife doesn't see any problems, then I would say it's up to you.

But I wouldn't.

[flowerybeanbag]

No I wouldn't do anything like that, I wouldn't want to risk it.

[QuintessentialShadow]

A woman from my hometown was out cross country skiing, when she had an accident. She had to stay the rest of her pregnancy in hospital.

[mejon]

I did some very basic cross-country skiing when I was 11-12 weeks pregnant. My midwife didn't think it was a problem as she'd been x-country-ing in the past too. I did fall over a few times, but mainly on my very well padded bottom and had no problems.

[BrownSuga]

My very stern midwife was not worried about a fall in relation to the baby, only if I broke something, as bones more brittle.

[Surr3ymummy]

I skied at 13 weeks pregnant, as we also had a holiday already booked, and I needed to be able to ski with DDs. I stuck to green and blue runs and took it fairly easy - we went in January, and kept to the quieter slopes. I also had regular, longish breaks - and it was fine - actually I found I felt much healthier and better than the previous weeks sitting at work.

At that stage your centre of balance isn't really any different, and the baby is very well protected, as it is still really tiny. I would suggest taking lots of books, that way if you find it worrying, you can find a nice cafe and read instead.

[BroccoliSpears]

I was advised to give up climbing in my first trimester. The risk is of falling and jolting which is bad when the embryo is trying to attach itself securely to your uterus. Or something. Oh god, sorry I've probably got the science bit wrong. Jolting. Bad.

Same issue with skiing I would think.

So, no I wouldn't.

[Slacker]

Yes I have done, took it easy but was still fun. Wouldn't ski once I had a bump though as would be worried about balance (also trousers wouldn't fit!)