Snowboarding at 17 Weeks..am I dreaming?

Hi all.

I am going to be 17 weeks pregnant when we are going away for a week at the snow for a long anticipated snowboarding trip.

Am I TOTALLY dreaming thinking that I may be able to snowboard a couple of days. I am fairly conservative on the board (won't be hitting the terrain park obviously) as a bit of background.

Also .....not that I can compare but....didn't Adeene Wilson play netball at an international level at 14 weeks?

Now the baby is obviously more important than any snowboarding however
(a) how risky would it be and
(b) fitness/healthwise am I even likely to want to board and finally
(c) how many books would you take for a week on the couch in a ski hutt if boarding isn't an option?

We are going to check with the midwife but just wanted to hear some opinions.

(snowmen)

a) I guess it's only risky if you fall onto your belly, but even then bubs is fairly well protected inside. Obviously, you are upping the chances of a nasty fall because of the boarding rather than couch traveling lol. Also, remember all of your ligaments are "weaker" due to the relaxin hormone so you could risk injuring yourself!

b) some women feel like crap all through pregnancy, personally I've never felt better in my life.

c) quite a few I reckon and no "what I did on my ski holiday" arm chair travel books

a) Risk to the baby would be minimal, unless you ended up in a big bang up somehow, or fell and something hit your belly. But risk to you would be high... because pregnancy hormones soften all your ligaments and joints, and you can be exposed to a lot of twisting and impact on your joints while snowboarding (especially your knees and wrists).

b) I think it really depends on your pregnancy. I could barely walk at 17 weeks because I had low belly pain and pain in my pelvis, plus I was throwing up ten times a day... so for me it would have been a "no" to even wanting to get out of bed but for many people, they have heaps of energy and feel fine throughout the middle of their pregnancy.

c) LOTS of books! Lol. Maybe take some magazines and some baby books to read up on, or you could take up a hobby like knitting or cross stitch, LOL, in case you get sick of reading all day! And take lots of chocolate

ETA: If you really REALLY want to do it, I would say to do it... just be well protected (wrist guards etc) and be really careful about what you do and how you land, etc. so that you protect your body.

Edited by LittleBug

I haven't read all the posts so sorry if I repeat anything

a) from what I've seen on the slopes its not about you being careful - because you will - but its the other boarders / skiers crashing into you

b) You may find breathing difficult - don't forget the higher the altitude the thinner the air and less oxygen for you and baby - if I remember rightly there is a recommendation of not going higher than 6000 ft. Also when exercising your heartbeat is supposed to be kept below 140b/min.

c) depends on how quickly you read - I would take a quite a few - or some of the things that LittleBug suggested.

I ended up skiing at 5wks pregnant - didn't know I was otherwise I wouldn't have gone. Mainly because I'm not ski fit - it was my 4th time on ski's and the altitude was higher than I should have been.

There are people who ski/board through most of their pregnancy so if you really want to board I would get the ok from you're midwife / ob and just take things easy on the slope.

I didnt risk it myself.  I love snowboarding and am a bit gutted to miss a second season but I know how hard a fall can be when you catch an edge ( I have even landed so hard I wet myself once). I would call myself very competent but know that I would be super cautious and therefore more likely to screw it up and wipe out.

 

But thats me.

emz wrote: It's completely up to you but for myself I wouldn't risk it. Not because I think you would push yourself, just the fact that other boarders aren't going to go easy on you. I know I wouldn't enjoy constantly wanting to protect my baby. I was bad enough protecting my bump at that stage from kids at school with basketballs etc!

BANG on the money

sorry off topic but nzpiper i am with you on guttered on missing a second season. I diddn't ski last season due to pregnancy and now i am preggy again think i will give it a miss again. This is not so much due to myself crashing but more the other people crashing into me.

I don't know about snow boarding, but I went skiing with my dd and also played netball up till about 18 weeks (when the season finished).
Apparently if its something you have been doing before you were pregnant, its ok to continue cos your body is used to the activity (speaking of netball here).
I took my daughter skiing and it was fine. I didn't fall once and was a bit more vigilent about watching those around me...but it was fine and we had a great time.
Your decision :-)

I think skiing would be different as you dont get the massive slams that you can with snowboarding. A freind of mine skiied right up till she was due but wasnt allowed off the learner slope (in my opinion the most dangerous part of the field)

Wow lots of post.

Great to hear lots of different opinions. I didn't know your balance was affected nor did I know about your ligaments stretching and thus increasing the risk of injury to yourself. So this discussion has been really helpful.

We are going to Queenstown so Mummybecks thanks for the offer anyway. My best mate moved down there due with her second any day now. It will be cool to hang out with her as I think I will go mental in the ski hutt for a week. :-) Perhaps if anyone else wants to hire out their children for a day I could offer my services. It's funny not having much experience with children with one on the way....... VERY daunting....

I am considering looking at a couple of half days boarding but as it is 10 weeks awayI may totally feel different then than I do now and am also very concerned about other people on the slopes. My dismounts off the chairlifts were pretty questionable when I was learning so I understand the risks that others can present.

Finally, its great to know there are also lots of boarders and skiers on the site too that are also looking at the weather reports and thinking.... "dude I gotta get my board waxed"... okay you guys probably aren't saying that :-)