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!
Karen, congrats on #4.
I was pregnant with my one and only at Savannah Nats. Only I didn't know it until I got back home. That was my 4th pregnancy but first to have all good vitals. I swam all through the pregnancy until 32 weeks when the tested him and found him not to be growing (he was 3.5 lbs then). I did try to keep my heart rate down so I didn't do hypoxic nor over head vertical kicking. I did keep up with light weights and abs until the very end. When they found he wasn't growing, I was put on limited activity (1 trip out of the house per day) and no swimming :(. He was born 2 weeks early at 4 lbs 15 oz. Now I have a healthy (but skinny) 2 year old.
I wish you the best of luck with the pregnancy and keep us posted with a blog.
Alison
Karen, I did abs until my third trimester. The doc even commented on how strong they were. I was not one to get really out there big with either baby so abs did not bother me. With my son, I even zipped my winter coat up on the way to the hospital to deliver. I had people telling me there was no way I would be able to do that. It was just the way I carried babies.
I do think the rule is to not do them for as long as you would non pregnant. And yes, Dara looks great. Just got DD's Splash last week, and we were both impressed with the way she looks.
Congrats again Karen!
We have had many pregnant swimmers on our team. All that I have know swam through their entire pregnancy--one of them even swam fly during workout (although, we thought she was crazy)! Each did what they thought was best for them, with doctor's approval, of course.
I think the main rule is not to try anything new, that is, if you did it before you were pregnant keep at it, but if you wanted to say take up hang-gliding--now is not the time.
Good luck and I look forward to reading about your progress!
Dana
First and foremost, CONGRATS!!! :cheerleader::cheerleader:
There were several woman at IL states this year that were pregnant and racing (and fast!) The one I talked to just didnt' go off the blocks and I think she didn't swim fly. She looked fantastic! I think it was #1.
Good luck and definitely keep the blog going!
the one I remember from IL States was over 7 months pregnant and did indeed do fly (she swam the 100 and 200 IM among other things). She started from in the water and, had I swam the 200 IM, she would have smoked me... would have smoked my lifetime best time in the 200 *** had I swam that one too... impressive!!
Congrats Karen!! I don't spend very much time perusing the SR section now that the NSR section has been added and so I just now read about your pregnancy.....Wow you are giving Kelly Ripa a run for her money now aren't you? LOL! ....You must be more fertile than the ancient river banks of Mesopotamia LOL! I think the blog idea is also really cool!
Bork
Maybe this should be Karen's pregnancy blog. A pregnant blog might spawn a whole bunch of other blogs.
(Sorry, I had to say it. Dobby will now punish himself. :frustrated: )
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!
