Every woman is different and every pregnancy is different. Dana Bidnall enjoys riding in and around Vancouver on her year-old Trek and works for a local car-sharing organization. How To. Written by: Dana Bidnall. Special Offer Fall in love with Momentum Try a free 1-year digital magazine subscription. Autumn Gear Guide Find inspiration in our Gear Guide that will keep you out on your bike through wind or rain.
Download Now. Trending Now Folding Bike. Rides should be done at a comfortable pace and you should be able to talk normally throughout. When you start getting tired, call it a day. Your body is doing a lot of extra work growing a baby and there is no shame in cutting your ride short. After the first trimester, you will start to lose some balance. This leads some to advise staying off the bike due to fall risk.
Because I was so comfortable on a bike, I personally chose to continue to ride make throughout pregnancy and never had a fall. If the risk is too high for you, move your bike to a trainer or join a spin class at the gym. Once your regular bike clothes start getting a bit tight, switch over to maternity-specific ones. I loved the Terry Maternity short when I was pregnant. A few modifications to your bike may also add to both your comfort and safety.
If your belly has become big enough that it is hard to lean over, consider switching to a mountain bike or commuter bike with a step-thru frame. You could also try swept-back handlebars or a shorter stem to allow you a more upright position. Finally, your hips get wider during pregnancy, so a wider saddle can help better support your sitbones. Switching from clipless to flat pedals is another change you may want to make if it makes you feel safer.
For me personally, I continued riding my road bike with clipless pedals right up until the end, but my belly never got that big either. When riding a bike, a helmet is the most important piece of protective gear you need, regardless of whether you're pregnant or not.
Falls while bike riding can leave you with some nasty cuts and bruises as well as a head injury. Accidental falls also may hurt your baby and can even cause miscarriage, so it is worth considering whether you feel comfortable continuing this type of exercise. The good news is, you can get the same physical benefits from a stationary bicycle while greatly reducing your risk of falling. If you do decide to ride a bike while pregnant—and your doctor gives the OK—you will want to take whatever precautions necessary to protect your developing child from a potential fall.
The main way to do that is to reduce your risk of falling, whether that is by choosing flat terrain, making sure your bike fits you properly or deciding to stop when you feel begin to feel off-balance later in pregnancy. Keller says that stationary bike riding is a suitable alternative for pregnant people.
She also says it's a "safer option that offers the same cardiovascular and low-impact benefits of cycling with essentially no risk of falling. Both the environment and your changing body add to your risk of falling on a road or mountain bike, but with a stationary bike, those factors all but disappear.
Like outdoor bike riding, stationary bike riding also can help stabilize blood sugar, improve circulation, boost energy, and prepare you to have both stamina and strength for labor. Because any fall can cause abdominal trauma, Keller generally advises against outdoor cycling during pregnancy, saying that indoor cycling is a safer choice.
Outdoor cycling presents many risks beyond our control - such as traffic, a sudden change of weather that could make familiar terrain more treacherous, unpredictable pedestrians, and other cyclists," she says. Whether you choose to hit the road or a stationary bike, remember that as with any kind of physical activity throughout your pregnancy , it is important to read your body's cues and listen to what it is telling you.
If something feels uncomfortable, stop or slow down. If this is the case, you may feel more comfortable replacing cycling with walking or swimming as alternative forms of safe, low impact aerobic activity, she says. Staying hydrated also is vital for both your health and the baby's when you are pregnant, so take extra care to drink enough fluids when biking.
Keller also suggests cycling in a well-ventilated area if you choose to stick with stationary bike riding. Instead of maximizing your efforts, Keller advises keeping your exertion intensity moderate. Being pregnant doesn't mean you can't work up a sweat, though. It's actually beneficial to get your heart pumping regularly while you're expecting.
Aerobic exercise is beneficial to your health and it is an important type of exercise to get when you are pregnant. Again, you probably don't want to push yourself on a regular bike due to the risk of falling. Mindfully increase either your speed or your resistance to boost your benefit from a stationary bike workout if you feel like you're not pushing yourself enough to get the cardiovascular exercise you need. Biking is a low-impact aerobic exercise, but external factors like rough terrain should be considered when you are expecting.
To keep your baby and yourself safe, Keller says, "Make sure you feel in control of your body at all times and avoid pedaling so fast that you bounce in the seat. Keller notes that making sure your bike fits properly and is well maintained can help keep prevent falls or muscle stiffness from riding in an awkward position.
Warming up and cooling down, as well as pacing yourself throughout the ride are also important parts of safe bike riding, but these factors are even more important to take into account during pregnancy. If you are uncomfortable when you ride or for any reason biking just doesn't feel right, you may want to stop biking. You can always start riding again when you are no longer pregnant. If you still want to get the positive physical benefits that riding a bike provides, you can switch to another form of low-impact aerobic exercise for the duration of your pregnancy.
Swimming , walking, and yoga all offer the same positive benefits as biking.
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