Biking while pregnant

[Anonymous]

I just found out I'm pregnant. Yay! But right at the start of the nice biking weather. Boo! I am an avid worker-outer, and enjoy commuting to work a few days a week. It's a safe route - Mt. Vernon trail from Old Town to downtown DC. I'll talk to my doctor when I go in for my 8 week appt, but just curious about others' experiences.

[Anonymous]

I commuted in with my daughter on the back of my bike for a couple of years. I think cycling while pregnant would be fine - assuming we are talking about cycling in the northern european sense of getting from a to b by bike, rather than the american sense of cycling at 25 mph through red lights...

[Anonymous]

Not a great idea. The trails (and roads) are quite bumpy in these parts.

[Anonymous]

It's fine. I bike commuted until around 5 months in.

[Anonymous]

Go for it. Just please wear a helmet. Drives me nuts to see these idiots around town not wear one b/c of their hair.

[Anonymous]

I don't think its considered safe in mid to late pregnancy bc your center of balance is so altered that it makes biking more dangerous and more likely. That's what my OB told me, anyways... and I was super active... It was the only thing he ever discouraged

[Anonymous]

My OB was fine with it until 5-6 months.

[Anonymous]

I rode my road bike until the end of the first trimester or maybe 4 months or so and then outfitted a mountain bike with road slicks and rode until my knees had to splay out because of my belly and then I stopped. Except I did continue to ride a CaBi bike the .75 mile from the train station to my office until maybe 35 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
My OB was fine with it until 5-6 months.

This is what I was told too but your body will let you know! I workout for 1.5 hours a day through my entire pregnancies but biking is different. I hopped on a bike when I was 6.5 months pregnant just to meet my son down the street (4 houses) and was super surprised how hard it was to balance!!!!!

[Anonymous]

My OB was fine with it until:
1. I started to show since at that point the baby was not protected by my body
2. I started to lose my balance

I adore bike riding but was very conservative. Accidents happen, DH has been hit by a car and another bike and I've had a couple of near misses, so I gave up cycling fairly early on and stuck with running, walking, swimming, yoga and biked at home on the trainer until I got too big to do so comfortably.

[Anonymous]

I biked into my eighth month. It's probably fine if you're used to it. Fatigue meant I walked my bike up hills later on, but I was still on my bike. If anyone gives you grief about risking a fall in traffic, remind them that it's a bad idea when you're not pregnant as well.

-bike commuter of 20 years.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't do it, but you sound like you can make an informed decision.

[Anonymous]

I was hit by a car while pregnant. Baby was ok but I still have issues 8 years later.

[Anonymous]

I am a very experienced cyclist but I just wasn't comfortable biking when I was pregnant. I was a bit of a worrier (previous losses) and just wasn't comfortable with the idea of falling (whether it was my fault or someone else's) and how my body would react. Personally, I was far more confident in my skills than in the cycling (or dirivng)skills of others. I know too many people who were injured on bikes through no fault of their own. I figured it wasn't worth the risk.

Just so you know, I did continue to run until I was around 25 weeks (and it started to become uncomfortable). So I wasn't a total crazy person who was scared to breathe. Go with your gut (no pun intended). If you're comfortable with the risk, do it. If not, find something else enjoyable to do outside.

[Anonymous]

I'm 8 weeks pregnant and have still been biking around town. My midwife is fine with it.