Can/Should you ski if you're pregnant??

Tipsygypsy

Denalihighway wrote: »

If doctors (who are the hell are they anyway right?) say going skiing while pregnant is not recommended there may not be any need for further debate on the subject.

SOME doctors may say you shouldnt ski but both my Ob/gyn and my GP said I was ok to ski while pregnant.

EileenG

Doctors have certain areas of expertise. Skiing isn't one of them. Ask a doctor who actually skis about skiing while pregnant. Most doctors have no idea of what is involved in skiing, beyond a vague notion that it involves a lot of torn knee ligaments.

I know several doctors who ski while pregnant. Are they being selfish, or do they know more about the risks than you do?

EileenG

Just because I've done something doesn't mean I think it's a good idea. I've done plenty of stupid things that I would use as a good lesson in things to avoid. But having skied when pregnant, I feel I'm in a good position to judge the risk. If my daughter said she was she was pregnant and was going skiing, I wouldn't have an issue with that.

Joe10000

Whether it's skiing or walking down Grafton street there is a risk attached, pregnant or not.

Risk is managing your exposure to injury or loss, if the risk you are taking is acceptable to you and your partner versus the potential loss then off you go. As regular and experienced skiers then you are probably very aware of the risks so you are in the best place to make the decision.

Denalihighway

We'll agree to disagree I guess. i go back what i said - why bother taking unnecessary risks so you can get your ski fix? I don't get it really. but its each to their own about what calculated risks they might take. after a quick scan of the net i'd say at least 75% of the articles advise caution even if its in the very early stages of pregnancy (6-8 wks).

that would be enough for me personally. and needless to say, there is a point in the pregnancy where it clearly becomes an absolute no no. it varies on what you read.

EileenG

Denalihighway wrote: »

- why bother taking unnecessary risks so you can get your ski fix?

Because it's not you who is pregnant? For me, being pregnant was nine months of misery. If I'd had to miss skiing as well, I'd probably have hanged myself.

I would rather give birth twice a day, every day, than be pregnant.

Paddy Bateman

EileenG wrote: »

Doctors have certain areas of expertise. Skiing isn't one of them. Ask a doctor who actually skis about skiing while pregnant. Most doctors have no idea of what is involved in skiing, beyond a vague notion that it involves a lot of torn knee ligaments.

I know several doctors who ski while pregnant. Are they being selfish, or do they know more about the risks than you do?

I would consider them selfish. Putting their adrenalin rush/adfiction ahead of safety concerns for their unborn child. Threatening suicide if one doesnt get their ski fix shows a particular state of mind that might not be best suited to make such decisions

robinph

There is various risks to all of us everyday the moment you get out of bed. An experienced skier pootling down a gentle slope before stopping at the next mountain hostelry to have a sit down and hot chocolate is probably much safer and relaxing for all concerned than getting on the bus to the city centre to get to work.

We are not talking about pregnant women doing cliff jumps, mogul runs, off piste or any black runs so there is not much in terms of adrenaline rush to be worried about. It's a relaxing holiday doing something, or nothing, as much as they feel able for. Unless the GP says something about not flying or some issue with altitude it's really not that big a deal and there is nothing more dangerous in skiing than any other activity that they might do after leaving their front door at home.

EileenG

Paddy Bateman wrote: »

I would consider them selfish. Putting their adrenalin rush/adfiction ahead of safety concerns for their unborn child. Threatening suicide if one doesnt get their ski fix shows a particular state of mind that might not be best suited to make such decisions

Fortunately, it's not your decision to make.

Xcellor

EileenG wrote: »

Fortunately, it's not your decision to make.

Yeah its the decision of a responsible parent to be...

Paddy Bateman

Xcellor wrote: »

EileenG wrote: »

Fortunately, it's not your decision to make.

Yeah its the decision of a responsible parent to be...

Would be parent....all may not come to pass if the path of putting an unborn child in unnecessary danger is taken.

robinph

Where is this unnecessary danger?

Yes, people can get injured or worse whilst skiing. But you can also get run over by a bus. What other activities would you think are also unsuitable for pregnant women? Would doing some hillwalking in Ireland be out as well, just as much risk of injury doing that. Only difference being you don't have to get on a plane first to get there.

Denalihighway

I accept that this is a choice for a parent to make. Good skiers will have less risk than bad ones. My views are clear on what choice I think I'd make.

but this "there is no unnecessary risk" argument and its comparison to stuff like walking down the street or walking down a flight of stairs etc etc is weak at best.

If there were no unnecessary risks all doctors would recommend skiing throughout pregnancies and you'd see heavily pregnant women happily flying around the slopes.

I know we're not talking about heavily pregnant women here. But my point is that heavily pregnant women are quite happy to walk the streets - but you wouldn't catch them skiing. One can only assume its because there are unnecessary risks involved.

robinph

Denalihighway wrote: »

If there were no unnecessary risks all doctors would recommend skiing throughout pregnancies and you'd see heavily pregnant women happily flying around the slopes.

The question is not "is skiing when pregnant good for me?", it is "is skiing when pregnant excessively dangerous?"

Nobody is recommending that pregnant women go skiing, it's just if being pregnant is sufficient reason to NOT go skiing and cancel a trip.

flikflak

Paddy Bateman wrote: »

I would consider them selfish. Putting their adrenalin rush/adfiction ahead of safety concerns for their unborn child. Threatening suicide if one doesnt get their ski fix shows a particular state of mind that might not be best suited to make such decisions

Going up in a cable car then gently coming down an easy quiet blue is hardly an adrenelin rush for the experienced skier. A couple of these easy runs and some hot chocolate stops, a long lunch then a bit of a sun bathe in a deckchair in the fresh mountain air before heading back down in the cable car is about as risky as anything you would do in everyday life.

Sure I have tripped on uneven pavement many times in the last couple of weeks just walking round town coupled with cyclists on pavements and cars parked on pavements meaning I have to walk in the busy road breathing in fumes and risking getting knocked over.

I know where I would rather be. Life is full of everyday risk if we always thought the worst was to happen we would not go anywhere.

As mentioned above a few times for some people stepping into their skis is as natural as walking but for people learning then of course its maybe not such a good idea as with taking up any new sport.

Denalihighway

robinph wrote: »

The question is not "is skiing when pregnant good for me?", it is "is skiing when pregnant excessively dangerous?"

Nobody is recommending that pregnant women go skiing, it's just if being pregnant is sufficient reason to NOT go skiing and cancel a trip.

nope.

the poster actually asked, and I quote, "Is this advisable?".

whether its advisable has been roundly discussed clearly - my point on my last post was that I think the comparison being made between skiing and walking down the street as regards calculated/unnecessary risks is misguided.

Weylin

EileenG wrote: »

Because it's not you who is pregnant? For me, being pregnant was nine months of misery. If I'd had to miss skiing as well, I'd probably have hanged myself.

I would rather give birth twice a day, every day, than be pregnant.[/QUOTE]
you need professional help.go see a psychiatrist today.

EileenG

EileenG wrote: »

...........

And you didn't answer my question. What activity do you consider safe for an active pregnant woman?

I wouldn't consider skiing, cycling or walking on ice safe for a pregnant lady given the chance for accident, walking on a decent pavement I would consider safe.

EileenG

Weylin wrote: »

EileenG wrote: »

Because it's not you who is pregnant? For me, being pregnant was nine months of misery. If I'd had to miss skiing as well, I'd probably have hanged myself.

I would rather give birth twice a day, every day, than be pregnant.[/QUOTE]
you need professional help.go see a psychiatrist today.

Why? I had miserable pregnancies, with constant sickness, peeing and exhaustion. Skiing was about the only time I felt semi-human.

On the other hand, perhaps because I was physically fit, I had short labours which did not involve intense pain.

EileenG

RoverJames wrote: »

I wouldn't consider skiing, cycling or walking on ice safe for a pregnant lady given the chance for accident, walking on a decent pavement I would consider safe.

So you'd pay my wages all through my pregnancy, since you are making it impossible for me to go to work? I had to cycle from Swords to Dublin all through all my pregnancies because I couldn't sit in a car or bus without getting sick.

I'm kind of astonished at how many people are willing to lay down the law for other people on this subject. And I suspect that many of those same people would not stand up on a bus to give their seat to a pregnant woman.

Denalihighway

EileenG wrote: »

So you'd pay my wages all through my pregnancy, since you are making it impossible for me to go to work? I had to cycle from Swords to Dublin all through all my pregnancies because I couldn't sit in a car or bus without getting sick.

I'm kind of astonished at how many people are willing to lay down the law for other people on this subject. And I suspect that many of those same people would not stand up on a bus to give their seat to a pregnant woman.

are you pregnant at the moment?

ah cmon...needed to lighten the thread up a little, we're getting a bit emotional.

Listen, no one is having a go at you, maybe you feel like we are. You seem defensive about it. And as far cycling while you were preggers to avoid busses. That...is very very admirable, and I mean it.

The point of the whole thread is whether its 'advisable' to go skiing when pregnant.

Any research I did seemed fairly unequivocal on the matter. And when I say that, I mean that yes, there may by some docs/articles out there who say its OK, but for everyone one of them there's another 7 or 8 who say its not advisable. You have to expect this to be thorny subject for people.

As far as "laying down the law" is concerned, its each to their own, all we can say is how we'd feel if it were us. There's no laying down the law to be done to other people, its their business.

EDIT
ps - and yes, I would certainly give my seat up for a pregnant woman. But if she started smoking, I might have to tell the bus driver.

Paddy Bateman

EileenG wrote: »

RoverJames wrote: »

I wouldn't consider skiing, cycling or walking on ice safe for a pregnant lady given the chance for accident, walking on a decent pavement I would consider safe.

So you'd pay my wages all through my pregnancy, since you are making it impossible for me to go to work? I had to cycle from Swords to Dublin all through all my pregnancies because I couldn't sit in a car or bus without getting sick.

I'm kind of astonished at how many people are willing to lay down the law for other people on this subject. And I suspect that many of those same people would not stand up on a bus to give their seat to a pregnant woman.

How you get to work is off topic - skiing is at question here

Stark

Paddy Bateman wrote: »

How you get to work is off topic - skiing is at question here

Not off-topic at all. You'll find as many idiots screaming "cycling? How could you do something so dangerous?" as you'll find screaming "omg do you know how many people are killed skiing every year?".

Paddy Bateman

Stark wrote: »

Paddy Bateman wrote: »

How you get to work is off topic - skiing is at question here

Not off-topic at all. You'll find as many idiots screaming "cycling? How could you do something so dangerous?" as you'll find screaming "how could you even think about standing on a pair of skis?".

Well the thread title is "Can/Should you ski if you're pregnant??" - you may wish to start a "Can/Should you cycle if you're pregnant??" if you want

Stark

Well I would say it's perfectly fine for an experienced skiier if they're being careful. The baby is very well protected within the womb. And like was mentioned earlier in the thread, pregnant women fall and hurt themselves when walking quite regularly without any harm happening to the baby.

Paddy Bateman

Stark wrote: »

Well I would say it's perfectly fine for an experienced skiier if they're being careful. The baby is very well protected within the womb. And like was mentioned earlier in the thread, pregnant women fall and hurt themselves when walking quite regularly without any harm happening to the baby.

Well I would say its not perfectly fine as outlined earlier on this link



http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/toprecommendedexercises.html

Skiing is not a recommend exercise while pregnant

flikflak

^ a lot of things are not recommended but as an individual you can make your own choice. How did the human race ever thrive throughout history without such recommendations? Womens bodies are built to carry a baby while doing all kinds of so called dangerous activities.

If we refrained from doing everything that was not recommended to us we would not go anywhere or do anything.

Paddy Bateman

flikflak wrote: »

^ a lot of things are not recommended but as an individual you can make your own choice. How did the human race ever thrive throughout history without such recommendations? Womens bodies are built to carry a baby while doing all kinds of so called dangerous activities.

If we refrained from doing everything that was not recommended to us we would not go anywhere or do anything.

There is a list of recommended activities on the link above

Rew

Paddy Bateman wrote: »

Well I would say its not perfectly fine as outlined earlier on this link



http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/toprecommendedexercises.html

Skiing is not a recommend exercise while pregnant

Ill finish that sentence for you:

Skiing is not a recommend exercise while pregnant by the American Pregnancy Association, a private organisation who recommend that you don't take anything from their site as gospel and that you discuss it with your health professional.

That advice is copyright by them and should really be posted here though.... ooops

Paddy Bateman

Rew wrote: »

Paddy Bateman wrote: »

Well I would say its not perfectly fine as outlined earlier on this link



http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/toprecommendedexercises.html

Skiing is not a recommend exercise while pregnant

Ill finish that sentence for you:

Skiing is not a recommend exercise while pregnant by the American Pregnancy Association, a private organisation who recommend that you don't take anything from their site as gospel and that you discuss it with your health professional.

That advice is copyright by them and should really be posted here though.... ooops

The link HAS been posted here if that's what you are saying