Pregnancy & Outdoor Exercise

I actually wrote this post before baby #1 but never published it. Now, with baby #2 due any day, I thought I'd revise and post, as I have a different pregnancy perspective to share.

Before little K was born, it was so very important to me to continue to be outdoors and active. I was dismayed at the lack of information available about outdoor recreation while pregnant. Information I did find was often conflicting. I had heard and read in books that each pregnancy and each woman is different, but now I get it. So, below you will find some information about what is possible if you have no pregnancy issues. I will also share a completely different pregnancy experience and the decisions I chose to make in those circumstances.

My goal in sharing is to give a little information about what might be possible for women who are pregnant or are considering getting pregnant. With my first pregnancy, I scoured the internet and found a couple -truly, only two- inspirational women who reported out on their activities during pregnancy. I found it helpful to know that it can be okay to ski, climb, mountain bike, and hike while pregnant. I appreciated knowing what they encountered in their bodies as they progressed. So, here you go, sort of a 'What to Expect- Outdoor Enthusiast' version.

Pregnancy #1- normal, no issues

• Ski toured until Week 30 (would've kept going but the snow melted); noticed low-level nausea and fatigue starting in Week 5; noticed difficulty breathing by Week 9; a noticeable slow-down by week 24.
• 'Competed' in a recreational downhill ski racing league...mellow racing but still going fast-ish.
• Lots of lift-skiing with precautions such as slowing down on fast groomers, skiing defensively around other people, and skiing very in control.

Week 18?

• Jogged 2-3 times a week until Week 29; slowed down if any difficulty in breathing; noticeable slow-down by Week 24 and had to stop now & then due to Braxton Hicks.

• Mountain biked until Week 27; hopped off if the terrain looked at all tricky; no significant balance issues, but decided to be done by Week 27 because I fall a lot, even without tricky terrain. ;)

Week 20?

• Rock climbed until one week before my son was born (Week 35); used a full-body harness and stopped leading at Week 9; the major challenge was figuring out how to do certain moves without bumping the bump; noticed the lack of abs by Week 29; still managed to climb 5.10c until the end (not at full potential but not that far off either).

Week 28?

 Week 36

• Hiked trails of 8-10mile distance with 2,000-3,000 feet gain pretty regularly; by Week 34, noticed much slower pace on uphills; in Week 37, hiked a strenuous 8-mile hike one day (Snow Lake) and then another strenuous 8-mile hike (Rachel Lake) the next day, then went into labor that night...looking back, I wonder if I over-did it with those hikes and caused premature labor.

 Week 37, the day before my son was born

• In all activity, by Week 20, I noticed that I got sorer after workouts...maybe due to dehydration or lack of potassium; also noticed light-headedness if transitioning/standing too quickly; heating/cooling system changed by Week 20...overheated much quicker/easier.
• Post-Pregnancy Notes: for the first year of his life, my son was not a good sleeper; he seemed to need movement to sleep. We have often wondered if I caused this 'need' by keeping my body moving very regularly throughout pregnancy. During the first year of his life, he often required a walk/jog/ski tour to nap. The good news: I continued to get a lot of exercise postpartum. The bad news: I didn't get any sleep because nobody has figured out a way to run and sleep at the same time. :)

Pregnancy #2- less 'normal', early contractions, pelvic pain

• Felt nauseated from Week 1-14 so didn't do much exercise; standing seemed too hard.
• By the time the nausea went away, our house had sold and we were busy packing boxes and getting ready to move; by Week 16, started noticing Braxton Hicks contractions very regularly (i.e. doing anything other than sitting and sometimes even while sitting).
• I hiked a bit, nothing consistent or difficult.
• I ski toured a bit, but not much, mostly due to NO SNOW!

Hiking at a toddler's pace was just about right.

Week 20ish?

A short hike -2 miles- the toddler could do on his own.

• Although Braxton Hicks contractions are said to be 'nothing to worry about', it turns out that doctors recommend sitting and resting whenever you get one...so, since I got them all the time, I decided to cut exercise and chose instead to hold my son and help with the major house move to some degree. 
• By Week 24-ish, I got occasional stabs of pain in the sciatic/pelvic area; these were so painful that I felt the need to sit down immediately; these definitely happened more frequently if I walked any distance or stood for any length of time.

slow and easy...but nice to get outside- Week 30?

Week 33

• At Week 34, my doctors finally did a non-stress test and became highly worried about the number of contractions I was having; I tried really hard to slow it down even more (sat while preparing a meal, stopped picking up my son whenever someone else was around, opted out of activities that might require too much walking).

• Of note, caring for a toddler is actually quite physical. You are lifting a 30 lb thing around a lot more than you realize. You lift him to get up on a high bed, to go to the bathroom several times a day, to put him in his high chair, to get somewhere when he is having a fit. Also, there is a significant amount of chasing that goes on...and trying to put clothes on a kicking/squirming creature. So, when you have a toddler, just realize that you are more active than you really think. It doesn't look the same -nor have the same benefits, if you ask me- as a jog or hike, but you are probably burning significant calories and working your muscles. :)

• Emotionally, this has been a really hard experience for me. It could've been worse; I could've been put on bed-rest. For me, though, not exercising for 10 months throws off my whole balance. Exercising and outdoor recreation are how I recharge, reset, and 'get right in the head', frankly. 

• Having had my son at Week 37, I am much more cautious and would not choose to hike 8 miles into the mountains this late in pregnancy, even if I was having no issues. I would also not choose to rock climb way up a long dirt road this late in pregnancy, even if I was having no issues. If I had gone into labor in the woods, it probably would've worked out okay...but why risk having to hike a long distance with significant labor pains, worrying the whole way about whether you'll get out in time to deliver your baby at a hospital?!? It makes sense to keep activities closer to home and less 'in the wild' towards the end of the pregnancy...a short-term sacrifice for a very amazing life-changing experience. 

I hope someone out there in internet land finds this to be helpful or inspiring. I'm sure that you could do even more or be even more ambitious in your outdoor recreation endeavors while pregnant. Best of luck to you, reader, and enjoy your beautiful, pregnant body.

Who I Want to Be

It's funny how we concoct little 'realities' based on other people's Facebook posts, blog writings, and tweets. The other day, I was stunned to find that the story I had been telling myself about this female blogger -we'll call her Emma- was completely wrong.

You see, when I first stumbled upon Emma's blog, I found her to be inspirational. She was a mom that kept going and continued to do stuff outside. She posted pics of skiing, biking, and camping, both with and without her wee one.

I thought Emma was awesome. However, after some time passed, I found myself comparing my life to hers and feeling disappointed. How did she manage to mountain bike three times a week? Man, she was so fit, like 8-pack abs fit. When did she find the time for that type of body management? She won bike races and officially 'trained', while I was thrilled to make it out running twice in one week. Could going running or ski touring more than once a week be considered 'training'?

I realized that the factors in Emma's life equation weren't comparable to the factors in mine. Maybe it was that she used day-care? Maybe her husband didn't have interests and so there was more time available in the partnership? Maybe she didn't require sleep? Or, the sad thought that occurred to me, was that maybe she didn't spend that much time with her kids. After working full-time all week, Emma still got in 5 workouts a week plus major adventures on the weekend. Where would you find time for your kids with that schedule?

So I quit checking her blog. I decided that it was no longer inspirational but defeating. After about 6 months, I went back, just to see what she might be up to. It was then that I read that Emma's marriage had suddenly crumbled, her kids are apparently in her husband's custody, and she has oodles of time for bike-riding but very little time with her kids. Why should I be stunned to learn this? Why would I imagine myself to have known anything about her or her life simply from reading a blog? Of course she painted a limited and unreal view of her life...that's what the 'virtual' world allows us to do.

After reading about her life chaos, I was reminded of the mom I want to be. I may not climb very often anymore. I make it on my bike a few times a year, and those times are fun. I will probably manage only one or two ski tours this year. But this: I see my kid whenever I can. I play with him, I read to him, and we walk slowly outside. We stomp in mud puddles. We drive tractors down the driveway. He talks to me in the backpack, telling me what he sees along the trail. He slurps hot cocoa and skis a little further with his chocolate mustached face. I may not be able to brag about winning races or achieving first ascents, but I'm okay with that.

I am who I want to be. I will continue to say that to myself whenever I start that damaging comparison game. You never know what your choices will get you...or maybe you do. So I will choose time with my kid and husband, because that is clearly the most important thing.

Encounters: A Betty Interview

I decided that my thoughts and life might get a bit boring over time, and so landed on the idea of interviewing some of the Backcountry Betties.

In this post, you'll meet Dawn, mother of four grown children, avid outdoor enthusiast and adventure fan.

She has been an inspiration to me in many ways. First, in hearing her tales about raising four children to have many cherished outdoor experiences. Also, she has taken on new sports and challenged herself, both physically and mentally, in the years I have known her. A skier for her adult life, Dawn also joined me in my love for ski touring, bought a set-up and is one of my favorite partners. To be entirely frank, I don't know many people who would take up rock climbing and ski touring in their 50s, but why not?! Try something new! Challenge your fears! Work through your insecurities!

In a ski movie we recently watched together, a female skier chanted, "Conquer your fear. It's why you're here." I see this as Dawn's life mantra.

1. What were your favorite/preferred outdoor activities with your young children?

 My favorite outdoor activity with my young children was hiking. I lived in the Derbyshire Dales in England up till my kids were 8,7, 5, and 4. My best memory was hiking to Mam Tor and it was so windy we all had to hold hands and crawl. Also remember Cat Bells in The lake district. Jonathan insisted on hiking in wellies! ('wellies' are rubber boots) :)

      

2. Can you share one or more fond memories of outdoor fun with your kids?

We always camped. We went regularly with what we called the 4X4 club, 4 families with 4 children per family. The best trip was to the Lake district. Each family took kayaks and the adults set up a treasure hunt that had the kids kayak to a small island in the middle of a lake; the kids were aged 3-12 yrs old.

3. Did you have any major bloopers or silly adventures?

When we moved to Canada we took up skiing. We lived in a youth hostel for the first month of October. We went to the BC ski show and geared up all 4 kids for next to nothing. I remember walking up from the show to our youth hostel room with the kids all carrying their skis. They were so proud and excited!

4. What did you hope your children would gain from outdoor adventure?

 I hoped that my kids would enjoy a lifelong love of the outdoors. So far, just 2 of my children, now 26-21 years old, spend regular periods of time outdoors. I do feel though that being outdoors will be something they will encourage in their kids. 

[Interviewer's note: I believe there is still tremendous value in their outdoor upbringing, even if they don't spend time in the outdoors as adults. Those are experiences and memories unlike any other, which will fill a special spot in their hearts. They will all return to lessons learned in the wild, lessons of simplicity, beauty, problem-solving, enduring, achieving, and more.]

5. What, if anything, was your best piece of gear for outdoor adventure with little ones?

       

A kiddy carrier backpack!

The Outdoor Influence

Tonight, a funny, simple story about how we influence our children, intentionally or unintentionally. The other night, little guy K was playing cars and trucks, a regular occurrence in our household. 

To be entirely honest, I was just thinking that I couldn't bear one more minute of the never-changing pretend game: drive the cars around the couch, make motor noises and the occasional 'beep beep, honk honk!', drive one car up to another and say 'hi', then go driving some more. It was getting a bit dull. 

I asked K where our cars were driving. Sometimes, they go to 'North Bend'. Other times, they go to 'busy town' (aka the city). This night, however, K had something special planned for his cars and trucks. He excitedly announced that they were going skiing! Then he made gestures with his hands like snow falling and said, "Snow coming down." As our cars drove around the couch, he hollered, "Drive careful guys!" Wow, this was exciting! Pretty soon, we had arrived at the chairlift (pretend, guys) and the cars and trucks boarded the chairlift and went, "up, up, up". It was so cool to watch the cars and trucks go skiing down the back of the couch! 

Even better, when they were done skiing, the cars and trucks headed to K's house for chili and hot cocoa. The chili might've been my suggestion but the hot cocoa was definitely K's own idea. :) After warming up, they did several more ski runs.

I told this story to my sister-in-law and she laughed and said, "only your kid would imagine his cars and trucks to go skiing." It hasn't been apparent whether K likes skiing or snow, but he has spent a good deal of time on the mountain and in the fluffy, white stuff regardless. I'm hopeful that since his cars and trucks chose to ski, K will want to as well and will think it a great way to grow up. I certainly did. My dolls were excellent skiers too. :)

K in his new ski suit- 

expect a gear review this winter on the Patagonia Snow Pile Jacket, 

with grow-fit features so he can hopefully wear this for a few seasons.

Mackenzie River Mountain Bike Trip

A week has passed since our Mackenzie River mountain bike ride. My rear end is no longer bruised and my muscles have recovered. It seems, however, that I have not fully recovered from being away from my favorite guys. Taking a trip without hubby and baby gets a mixed review from me.

The drive down to the Mackenzie River area was uneventful, the conversation with Holly great. Our accommodations were perfect. The ride (53 miles in two days) was planned well, with just the right amount of mileage and technical difficulty each day, beautiful views, and physical challenge.

This won't be a full trip report (go here if you want that), but a focused review of taking a trip without toddler. I feel like keeping it simple with a Pro/Con list.

Pros of a solo (sans kiddo) trip:

• Can focus on your own goal (i.e. riding for 6+ hours, completing 35+ miles in a day) without consideration of someone else's eating, playing, and sleeping needs. Everything is much simpler.
• Driving is WAY easier without a toddler screaming for food, new book, water, to be out of the carseat, etc. You can just drive and drive until you need fuel or food or until you arrive at your destination.
• Waking up when you want to wake up!!!
• You have time for adult conversation, without a toddler interjecting his commentary every millisecond.

Cons of a solo trip:

• Your goal (in this case, completing the Mackenzie River trail) might not seem as cool as it did prior to kiddo.
• You might spend a good amount of time missing and talking about your hubby and kid, rather than just enjoying the trip.

It is so interesting to see how much I've changed in the process of having a little guy. My priorities changed, of course, but also my goals and dreams and their value. I have this tiny window of time to experience my sweet boy, and that is now way more important than anything else, even more so thanI realized. Yes, I'll have him for 18 years, but he is only this exact way right now, and I don't want to miss any of it. 

In my last post, I commented on how many women give up their big dreams when they have kiddos. I still believe that we should try to hold on to our dreams, but maybe I understand a little more why they (and myself too) are willing to let go a bit. I guess I was slow to realize what my heart already knew: that this time is precious and fleeting and those other dreams will wait, but my little boy growing up will not.

Big Dreams

I've noticed an interesting trend about parenthood: many fathers continue to pursue their big dreams but a lot of mothers (myself included) set theirs aside. This is not a judgment statement, just an observation.

I am quite happy with the activity level I've been able to keep up after having little K. However, I haven't done anything 'big' in the last three years really. I've done short hikes, quick ski tours, lots of jogs, little climbing outings, shorter bike rides, and lots of camping. My husband has done all of those things plus some major adventures, such as a combination summit/traverse of Mt. Baker, several randonnee races (some involving travel), and a ski mountaineering up one of the most beautiful peaks in our state.

My hubby is the most supportive partner you will ever meet, so I've been trying to figure out why I haven't managed any larger adventures. The near-year that I was pregnant, I had to slow down for obvious reasons. I did some cool stuff and remained active but didn't want to take any major risks, which ruled out a lot of my adventures. The first year of K's life, I could only be away for 2-hours at a time b/c I was nursing, so this too limited what kind of adventures could be had. Plus I was so sleep deprived that it was very hard to imagine and plan for major adventures. What about year two of K's life? Why have I not taken any major adventures?

The reason is simple and a bit complicated. Mostly, I think I have been slow to wrap my head around the fact that adventures look different now. Before K, all of my adventures were with my hubby. I didn't need to find a partner and we generally could come up with dreams we wanted to chase without problem. Now, if I am to do some major adventure, hubby is going to be home with K. And I have a shortage of women who want to do the things I want to do, my big dream ideas.

That is not the whole of it, though. I do have a few friends who would be willing to join me for an outdoor adventure, so why didn't I ask them and plan something? It was guilt, and maybe even a twinge of sadness, holding me back from even considering a day or two away from my family. I discovered this when I finally decided it was time for me to do something big on my bucket list. I was sharing all of this with my friend, Holly, and we were talking about this tendency for women to set aside their dreams entirely. I told her I had several 'big' dream ideas that I probably should pursue now, before I head into another 3 years with baby #2.

And so we landed on the idea of riding the Mackenzie River Trail in Oregon, 52 miles long and purported as the #1 trail in America. Within a few days of our talk, we booked a place to stay and had our route mapped out. As I committed to this trip, I felt an internal struggle that I couldn't name at first. It was that guilt and sadness tugging at my heart, but I'm pushing through and doing it. The time will come when I can do these big adventures with K and my hubby again. For now, though, I need a bit of adventure in my life, a bit more than can be experienced on a short day hike with minimal risk. I need to push myself physically and mentally. I need to see new places. I need to explore. And I need a serious chunk of quiet time to myself. This should do the trick...expect a trip report in 2 weeks!

Until the Snow Flies...

...I'm making the most of the sun and dry weather, getting out climbing as often as possible. Thought I'd share this article, Eight Confessions of a Climbing Mom, and some pics from our most recent family climbing outing.

Cindy and her 3 little ones with hubby on belay.

K bouldering