A bicycle and a pregnant woman is a duet that seems normal and acceptable to some, but still horrifies most. Even doctors still have not come to a consensus as to whether or not the expectant mother can ride a bike. Therefore, as a rule, the decision is made by the woman herself. But before that, you should clearly understand what benefits such walks can bring, and what are the likely risks they may involve. Only this will help to make the right and adequate decision.
How long can you travel?
Cycling is enjoyable and rewarding at any age. Today, when bicycles have started to come back into fashion again as a great way to spend their leisure time, more and more women go cycling, and it is they who usually have a question whether it is possible to continue doing this if pregnancy occurs. For those who do not know how or do not like to ride a bicycle, such a question does not arise in principle.
Unfortunately, not a single doctor will give you an honest and accurate answer to the question of whether it is permissible for pregnant women to pedal an iron horse while waiting for a baby. Experts are careful in their statements, and according to official medicine, it is easier to impose a ban than to be responsible for possible negative consequences later.... Therefore, do not be surprised if your doctor says that women should not ride a bicycle “in position”. Just calm check if you personally have contraindications to this kind of physical activity.
In Europe and the United States, gynecologists have a more loyal approach to the issue, they are less categorical and look favorably on this kind of active hobby during pregnancy. They believe that while waiting for a child, one should not give up the activity that was familiar to the female body before it began. It is not recommended to start learning to ride a bike for pregnant women who have not previously done this and have not practiced such walks on an ongoing basis. neither in Europe nor in the USA.
The biggest risk is falling. Even if you drive two-wheeled vehicles perfectly, you have been doing this for many years, no one can predict an unexpected situation - a cat threw itself under the wheels, a stone fell, suddenly a small child ran out onto the road, etc. And now you have already fallen from a decent height , which can cause not only bruises and fractures, but also placental abruption, trauma to the child in the womb, and his death.
In a woman's body during pregnancy, the amount of circulating blood increases, and this creates the danger of fainting, an attack of dizziness. In this case, the walk can also end in a traumatic fall with extremely undesirable consequences for both the mother and her long-awaited baby. Whether to ride or not is up to you together with your doctor.
You should definitely avoid cycling during certain periods of pregnancy, which are considered "critical" in obstetrics.
Here they are:
2-3 weeks pregnancy (this is translated from obstetric weeks to the usual time calculation - the last week before the start of the delay);
8-12 weeks (the period of the beginning of independent work of the formed young placenta);
18-24 weeks (a period of increased risk of premature birth);
29-32 week (the period when preterm birth is not only likely, but the most frequent, the prognosis for the survival of the child is not very favorable).
During these periods, it is better to leave the bike alone and calmly walk in the park on foot. There are also individual critical deadlines. Obstetric practice has data that the period when there was a previous miscarriage, frozen pregnancy or premature birth, if such was the case, is very dangerous in the subsequent pregnancy.
If you have your own risky period, during this period you should also not take cycling, preferring safer types of physical activity. The rest of the time, both early and late, the decision to ride a bike is only your responsibility.
The benefits of riding
During a bike ride, the blood is actively saturated with oxygen. A woman breathes fresh air and takes quite intense breaths, and therefore the blood is enriched with oxygen, and this is - excellent prevention of hypoxia. The baby receives more oxygen through the uteroplacental blood flow, which only benefits him... It is useful for the woman herself to ride - she maintains body weight, trains the muscles of the legs, back, hips, actively strengthens the pelvic muscles, and their good condition is the key to easier, faster childbirth, in which the risk of rupture of the birth canal and perineum will be minimal.
Maintaining the muscles of the back and abdomen in good shape will help to more easily endure the physiological difficulties of late gestation, when it becomes physically difficult to carry a large child - back, legs, lower back hurt. If a woman plays sports, the pregnancy is usually easier.
Sometimes a bicycle is a real salvation for women who cannot ride in public transport due to nausea - the crowd, heat, foreign unusual and strong odors are perceived differently with the onset of pregnancy, and a trip to work or school can well be carried out on a bicycle, if, of course , there are no contraindications.
Possible harm and contraindications
As already mentioned, the main danger lies in the probability of falling. It is rather difficult to predict what consequences it may have, but nothing good will happen. There are also circumstances in which it is absolutely forbidden to ride a bicycle if you are expecting a child.
The absolute contraindications are as follows.
Threats of miscarriage have been diagnosed, or pregnancy has occurred after a miscarriage or abortion that has taken place within the last one and a half years.
Diagnosed with polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios - no one denies the shock-absorbing properties of the amniotic fluid. They are fully manifested only when the amount of water is normal.
Toxicosis in the early stages or gestosis from the middle of pregnancy.
Arterial hypertension or, conversely, hypotension.
The presence in a woman of acute diseases or exacerbations of previously existing chronic ailments of any organ and system.
A history of premature birth.
Incorrect position of the fetus in the uterus.
Low placentation, partial or complete placenta previa.
Isthmico-cervical insufficiency.
Large fetus more than 30 weeks pregnant.
In all these cases, the bike should be discarded.
Driving rules
If there are no absolute contraindications, the doctor has nothing against (or at least does not protest too actively and motivated), and the decision is made to continue cycling, certain safety rules should be adhered to that will help minimize possible risks. You need to choose the right one to drive. With the onset of pregnancy, not every two-wheeled vehicle is suitable for you. Your weight will increase and this is inevitable. Therefore, a woman in the saddle of a bicycle will have to look for a more comfortable and fixed position with her "fifth point", which in itself can darken the impressions of a walk and cause a loss of balance.
The optimal choice for the expectant mother will be transport with a high-positioned steering section and vertical landing... This means that road models no longer fit. Not for pregnant women and bikes designed for mountain riding. Both of these models require landing with a lean forward, otherwise balance cannot be maintained.
It is important for the expectant mother to keep her back straight, not to squeeze her stomach, to breathe with an open chest.
For a walking bike, you should buy a special women's saddle. It is wider, firmer and softer than masculine or versatile. This will eliminate the development of chafing in the perineum. When deciding on a frame, choose a female version or a transforming frame. The low position of the frame will not require extraordinary efforts from the expectant mother when trying to throw her leg during landing.
For the rest, you need to adhere to the following rules:
do not forget to make sure of technical serviceability vehicle before walking;
choose only flat roads for rolling, bumps and potholes - not for your position;
avoid routes with steep climbs and steps, think over your route in advance;
wear clothes made from natural fabrics for a walkto exclude overheating, clothes should be bright and noticeable from afar to be seen;
observe your condition while walking, and if the head starts to spin, there is a feeling of nausea, shortness of breath, palpitations, then the trip should be stopped;
choose the right weather - for a cycling trip that is useful in all respects, the expectant mother needs to choose dry and warm days when the air temperature does not exceed 25 degrees Celsius;
do not forget to bring a bottle of clean drinking water with you, since compliance with the correct drinking regime is necessary during periods of physical activity.
The pace of skiing should be low or medium, too intense load can have negative consequences. Do not go for a walk with a full stomach. After eating, wait about an hour, and only then go on a trip.
What are the alternatives?
If it's still scary to get on the bike, but there are no contraindications from the health side, you can use a home stationary bike or an exercise machine in the gym... This option is an excellent alternative if the pregnancy occurred during the cold season, if the weather is bad outside and the usual bike ride is not possible. The simulator is a convenient device that, in addition to training muscles, will automatically control the pulse and distance traveled.
What an exercise bike cannot provide is a breath of fresh air, for which many people go for a bike ride. But the risks of falling off the simulator are much lower than from a regular bike. But even if you have contraindications to pedaling in general, do not despair, there are other types of physical activity during pregnancy that can be allowed on an individual basis, for example, Pilates or water aerobics.
Be sure to check with your doctor before considering such an alternative.
You will learn about what you can and cannot do during pregnancy in the next video.
