# Pregnancy Birth and cycling



## GoldDust (20 Nov 2015)

Hi guys

Had some good news last week that I'm expecting. Does anyone know the guidelines for cycling in each trimester and how long to wait after birth before cycling again. 

Thanks all


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## Lilliburlero (20 Nov 2015)

Congratulations


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## Scoosh (20 Nov 2015)

Paging @Cathryn - come in California ...


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## jhawk (20 Nov 2015)

Congratulations!


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## summerdays (20 Nov 2015)

Congratulations, I can't really help with the guidelines but I would say listen to how you are feeling, if really tired then don't cycle just for the sake of it. I had some days when I could barely move with tiredness (I wouldn't have been safe to cycle) and others when I had loads of energy. But I hadn't rediscovered cycling at that stage, I wish I had.


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## Pat "5mph" (20 Nov 2015)

Congratulations!


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## slowmotion (20 Nov 2015)

Scoosh said:


> Paging @Cathryn - come in California ...


 I was dead impressed when @Cathryn reported on her tour of Holland when pregrant six years ago. Here's her original post...
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/bank-holiday-holland.36572/.

Congratulations @GoldDust!


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## buggi (20 Nov 2015)

Congrats. Yes as long as you cycle from the start you are OK to carry on all the way. Exercise is good. You may find it uncomfortable later on tho so listen to your body. I think swimming is the choice of exercise bcoz it supports a big tummy but again, you're supposed to do it from the start, not take it up at the last minute, so that your muscles are used to it. And moderate exercise, not Ironman LOL


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## Motobecane (21 Nov 2015)

GoldDust said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Had some good news last week that I'm expecting. Does anyone know the guidelines for cycling in each trimester and how long to wait after birth before cycling again.
> 
> Thanks all



Well, it was a long time ago for me, but I just carried on cycling. Obviously, as you get bigger you take it more slowly. I think the only problem is if you think about having a tumble. For that reason, many women wouldn't ride in the last trimester. But I did. 

As for afterwards, that isn't a problem at all. You will know when you are ready! For me it was a matter of days. If you have stitches it could be a bit longer. The main issue afterwards is what to do with the baby when you are cycling! 

Congratulations! Enjoy...


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## Scoosh (21 Nov 2015)

@GoldDust - my most grovelling apologies    I omitted to say CONGRATULATIONS !   

I did read somewhere about a woman who not only cycled all through her pregnancy … she even cycled to the delivery !


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## summerdays (21 Nov 2015)

Scoosh said:


> @GoldDust - my most grovelling apologies    I omitted to say CONGRATULATIONS !
> 
> I did read somewhere about a woman who not only cycled all through her pregnancy … she even cycled to the delivery !


My husband offered to put me in a wheelbarrow!


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## Mrs M (21 Nov 2015)

Congratulations .


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## MikeW-71 (21 Nov 2015)

GoldDust said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Had some good news last week that I'm expecting. Does anyone know the guidelines for cycling in each trimester and how long to wait after birth before cycling again.
> 
> Thanks all


Congratulations 

Sarah Storey rode throughout her pregnancy. As she went on, the handlebars came up, and she took it rather easier.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bno-5vyBg0


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## young Ed (22 Nov 2015)

congratulations! not a clue if i'm honest but if i were to be in such a position i would probably have a word with the doc and see what they say
Cheers Ed


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## summerdays (22 Nov 2015)

young Ed said:


> congratulations! not a clue if i'm honest but if i were to be in such a position i would probably have a word with the doc and see what they say
> Cheers Ed


I'd be more likely to talk to a midwife preferably a cycling one.... Doctors can be pretty conservative in my opinion especially the older ones.


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## young Ed (22 Nov 2015)

summerdays said:


> I'd be more likely to talk to a midwife preferably a cycling one.... Doctors can be pretty conservative in my opinion especially the older ones.


fair enough, i guess i midwife is a bit more specialist. 
Cheers Ed


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## Ian H (22 Nov 2015)

I've known several women who have cycled almost to term, and others who found it too uncomfortable after a time. Do what feels okay would be my advice.


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## summerdays (22 Nov 2015)

young Ed said:


> fair enough, i guess i midwife is a bit more specialist.
> Cheers Ed


When I wanted a home birth, the doctors at my practice refused "in case something happened" and because they weren't experienced in neonatal resuscitation! (I figured that I didn't want them there anyway and if something happened when I went into the docs or just after leaving hospital that they should have training to deal with any emergency that arose.)

I changed practice.


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## cyberknight (23 Nov 2015)

Motobecane said:


> Well, it was a long time ago for me, but I just carried on cycling. Obviously, as you get bigger you take it more slowly. I think the only problem is if you think about having a tumble. For that reason, many women wouldn't ride in the last trimester. But I did.
> 
> As for afterwards, that isn't a problem at all. You will know when you are ready! For me it was a matter of days. If you have stitches it could be a bit longer. The main issue afterwards is what to do with the baby when you are cycling!
> 
> Congratulations! Enjoy...


get a tandem for the lazy mite,they want food,clothes and attention they can at least contribute to pedal turning, congrats !!!!!


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## GoldDust (24 Nov 2015)

Aww Thank you everyone @cycberknight good idea lol!!

I will speak to the midwife, I've been looking on the net for answers and it seems fine if your not a high risk pregnancy especially in the early stages! Although I am soo addicted to cycling I may cycle to the labour ward as my last goodbye journey for a while lol.

I haven't mentioned to anyone I am pregnant as I'm sure some people won't agree and feel I should be at home stuffing cakes in my face and taking it easy. I find cycling helps me with coping with life in general. I just cycle all my problems away. 
However if the midwifes gives me the go ahead I'm sure she will then I'm sure I won't start to get the looks from strangers until bumps sitting on the handlebars so to speak


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## User482 (25 Nov 2015)

GoldDust said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Had some good news last week that I'm expecting. Does anyone know the guidelines for cycling in each trimester and how long to wait after birth before cycling again.
> 
> Thanks all


Congratulations! Mrs R carried on cycling to work up to about 7 months - she started to feel uncomfortable at that point. I adjusted her bike to give a more upright riding position as the bump got bigger, which she said helped. I'd take advice from your midwife on when to start again afterwards - I imagine answers could vary considerably depending on how easy (relatively!) the birth is.


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## BrumJim (25 Nov 2015)

GoldDust said:


> Aww Thank you everyone @cycberknight good idea lol!!
> I haven't mentioned to anyone I am pregnant as I'm sure some people won't agree and feel I should be at home stuffing cakes in my face and taking it easy. I find cycling helps me with coping with life in general. I just cycle all my problems away.



Congratulations 

Don't  eat too much cake when pregnant. Apparently you only need an extra slice of toast in terms of calories. However when they are born and if you are breastfeeding, you will be eating as much as you can!

I'd agree that you should listen to your midwife rather than a GP, and if necessary, there should be a specialist physio who can advise.


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## Cathryn (29 Nov 2015)

Congratulations! SO excited for you!

I can only share my own experience but I cycled all the way through my pregnancy, notching up 15 miles (on a cycle chat ride) in November a few days before giving birth. I actually really loved it - I found walking so much harder work, cycling made me feel like I was 'normal'. I was particularly careful in traffic as you obviously don't want to fall off but apart from that, I didn't find any particular issue, you just have to accept you'll be slow and uphill will be hard work.

I cycled to all my midwife appointments, I cycled to all my hospital appointments. The only one I would recommend NOT cycling to is the blood sugar/fasting test - you've not eaten for ages and I was a bit dizzy afterwards.

Someone above linked to my tour of Holland - it was 3 days, about 150 miles and all by myself and it was one of the best things I've EVER done!!!!


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## ufkacbln (29 Nov 2015)

Google Josie Dew

She is a lifelong cyclist and cycling advocate

Her blogs, articles and books are brilliant and positive practical advice


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## ufkacbln (29 Nov 2015)

NOT to start an argument!

Trouble is that it is a bit like helmets with the medical advice contradictory and not really evidence based.

The NCT cite a risk of falling from the bicycle as being sufficient to suggest it is unsafe
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Royal College of Midwives don't go that far but both suggest taking extreme care when cycling

Other medical professionals will support you as they feel it is beneficial

Perhaps as with helmets the medical advice is unclear.

Make up your own mind as you feel is right and adjust your cycling as the pregnancy progresses

Raising handlebars to make the position more comfortable, a wider saddle and adjusting of the style or your changing CoG are some things that come to mind


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## User10119 (29 Nov 2015)

I cycled up to and beyond my due date right up to the day that I went into labour (a few days late) with the SmallestCub, because I felt perfectly fine on a bike. A mate of mine stopped riding in the first trimester because it exacerbated her shocking indigestion. I was back swimming about a month after he was born but didn't ride my bike really for ages, mainly because of not being able to ride a bike with a small baby along for the ride... It's all very individual, really!

Congratulations


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## Puddles (25 Mar 2016)

[QUOTE 4030515, member: 10119"]I cycled up to and beyond my due date right up to the day that I went into labour (a few days late) with the SmallestCub, because I felt perfectly fine on a bike. A mate of mine stopped riding in the first trimester because it exacerbated her shocking indigestion. I was back swimming about a month after he was born but didn't ride my bike really for ages, mainly because of not being able to ride a bike with a small baby along for the ride... It's all very individual, really!

Congratulations [/QUOTE]

Congratulations, even if I was into cycling when I was pg I would not have been allowed to... but if you are fit and healthy and cycle anyways I can't see why you should not unless you are advised not to because of some condition...

With baby afterwards, there is a blog somewhere where a lady rode with babies in a sling, she has a sit up and beg bike... and I think it was Oz or the USA but she did that with them from birth... and isn't there some kind of trailer that takes a car seat?? I could have imagined all of this but I don't think so...


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## steveindenmark (25 Mar 2016)

I just want to point out that riding two on a bike is illegal  Unless its a tandem.


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## hatler (31 Mar 2016)

Not necessarily illegal. If the bike has been adapted for carrying a passenger then that's fine.

Baby seats are not illegal.


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## atbman (2 Apr 2016)

Don't combine the 2nd and 3rd items on the thread heading


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## steveindenmark (3 Apr 2016)

hatler said:


> Not necessarily illegal. If the bike has been adapted for carrying a passenger then that's fine.
> 
> Baby seats are not illegal.



A babys on the way and you want to haggle construction and use laws.


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## seraphina (13 Apr 2016)

Bit late to this one but accidently cycled 200 miles in one go when pregnant (well, the cycling wasn't an accident but being pregnant at the time was accidental. And I SMASHED it). No ill effects on either me or the baby.

However by 12 weeks or so each time I was bloody knackered and was mainly concentrating on eating, so not much cycling was done. Also don't forget that your hormones have all kinds of weird effects on your ligaments (relaxin being the main one) so go easy. So basically, if you want to, cycle, if you don't, don't. 

Both my kids do love going in the trailer though.


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## hatler (13 Apr 2016)

Mrs h was still cycling a commuting couple of miles each way up to week 33 (and a week after that junior appeared).


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## e-rider (14 Apr 2016)

GoldDust said:


> Hi guys
> 
> Had some good news last week that I'm expecting. Does anyone know the guidelines for cycling in each trimester and how long to wait after birth before cycling again.
> 
> Thanks all


will you have time for cycling? the baby wont fit in a child seat until at least 9 months old - congrats though


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## Puddles (21 Apr 2016)

e-rider said:


> will you have time for cycling? the baby wont fit in a child seat until at least 9 months old - congrats though


You can fit car seats in trailers though from birth


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## e-rider (21 Apr 2016)

Puddles said:


> You can fit car seats in trailers though from birth


I would just enjoy the baby and not worry about cycling for a few months - soon they will be 8 years old and telling you they wish they hadn't been born!


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