When I was pregnant with Patrick (Jr.) now 7, I asked my coach, Kerry, if there was much information on competitive swimming and training while pregnant. He didn't know of any. Since then I've had two more kids (now 3 and 4) and there's still nothing really about this subject.
So I'll use myself as a guinea pig, and maybe it will help others in the future...
This will be our last, and with this one, I'd like to have goals, unlike with the other three. Obviously, my number one goal is to have a healthy baby. My nutrition is key here, for the baby and myself. Sleep is crucial for me, so that too is a goal. Other goals are lifting, and minimum weight gain (I still have 20 from last time, mostly in my stomach!) and to swim in Austin and be somewhat competitive. My due date is January 20, 2008.
I'm afraid I will be put on bed rest near the end, because Carrick (3) was born 5 weeks early, and we don't know why. He spent 2 weeks in the Intensive Care, and is fine now. I read that the odds have gone up significantly for me now to have another early delivery. (With all of my other deliveries, by C-section, I swam the day I delivered and was back in the water two weeks later.)
Tomorrow, I will be 4 weeks pregnant. And while I swam Saturday (2,000 SCM- see Rude Noodlers thread) I didn't get to do the only practice today (Memorial Day) at 8:30am because Brenna (4) was still sleeping...
I have some questions, and I hope you will all pitch in your :2cents: Sorry, I don't make change :p
How do I modify weight lifting while pregnant?
Anybody do OW swims while pregnant (water temps around 70)?
Thanks!
I think it's a great idea, Karen. My husband and I are hoping to try for our first next year, so I would love to learn from your experience. One of my teammates recently swam through her whole pregnancy, including the day she was induced! She ended up having to have a c-section (unplanned) and her doctor had her take I think 6 weeks out of the water after that. But when she came back, she came back fast. Also, she did abide by the suggestion to keep her heartrate down (not sure to what but I remember sometimes she would have to slow down or take extra rest because she was trying not to let it get too high). It seems like even though she opted not to push her heartrate during her pregnancy, just staying in the water made it easy (at least from an outside perspective!) for her to get her speed back once her beautiful baby was born.
Anyway, my real point it, yes, please share your stories with us! Thank you! And congratulations!
I think it's a great idea, Karen. My husband and I are hoping to try for our first next year, so I would love to learn from your experience. One of my teammates recently swam through her whole pregnancy, including the day she was induced! She ended up having to have a c-section (unplanned) and her doctor had her take I think 6 weeks out of the water after that. But when she came back, she came back fast. Also, she did abide by the suggestion to keep her heartrate down (not sure to what but I remember sometimes she would have to slow down or take extra rest because she was trying not to let it get too high). It seems like even though she opted not to push her heartrate during her pregnancy, just staying in the water made it easy (at least from an outside perspective!) for her to get her speed back once her beautiful baby was born.
Anyway, my real point it, yes, please share your stories with us! Thank you! And congratulations!
