Pregnancy Hikes – A recap !

Trinity Alps Backpacking Trip

 
It’s been a few weeks since my little one arrived, oh those sleepless nights and what feels like a constant feeding sessions, it’s time to reflect on the year filled with pregnancy and fun hiking trips. 

I was growing a human 24 hours/7 days a week, which is a lot of work 🙂 I was determined to feel good and have a lot of fun during pregnancy, irrespective of all the discomforts. 

Oregon Coast

 

Most of my questions to the obgyn at my first appointment, at week 9, was about workouts and travel, obviously 🙂

Since there was no complication noted in the pregnancy, she approved pretty much any activity that I have already been doing prior to getting pregnant, that included running,swimming, spinning and hiking. But, the rule was not to exhaust myself or try anything new. 

Right after the appointment i attempted a spin session. Found it uncomfortable to keep the form and stopped it in 15 mins. 

If you are a pregnant woman reading this post, do get approval for pretty much everything that you do including road trips, air-travel etc., before attempting. It’s not worth risking pregnancy. That being said, my provider has email service to the doctors and I had emailed her all my plans and got approval before booking tickets. 

I was one of those lucky ones that didn’t have any morning sickness, so energy level was fairly normal to move around.

Columbia River Gorge

 

Activities:

  • Swim: I managed to swim pretty much everyday till 8th month. I obviously had slowed down, but how does that matter anyway. I really enjoyed this part of the day. Mostly 40-60 mins a day and some days more, some days less. Just purely listening to what the body wants. 

 

  • Hikes : Almost every other weekend I was out on the trails. (See below for the hikes I did during pregnancy). Pregnancy became even more enjoyable thanks to being outdoor and getting fresh air. 

 

  • Walks : Thanks to Gestational Diabetes in third-trimester, I had to incorporate walking after every meal. And in fact lost a few pounds due to increased activity level.

 

  • Yoga : I only started doing yoga towards the end of the pregnancy as I reduced swimming. Prenatal yoga was certainly relaxing to say the least.

 

Oregon Coast

 

Travels/Hikes:

 

Banff National Park

 

Tips:

  • Hiking poles were especially more useful during these months
  • I kept the altitude limit of 8500ft,as per doctor’s instructions
  • Tons of water, hydration is extremely important while pregnant
  • Having a good 500 calories accessible at any point in time. When that hunger pang hits you….
  • Usual things like sun protection, wearing wicking clothes etc.,

So pregnant women, don’t hold yourself back, it’s a perfect time to have fun just like any other time 🙂 

Looking forward to the next chapter in my life – Hiking with the baby ! Stay tuned readers 🙂