I've been a competitive swimmer now for 18 years (makes me feel old just to say it) and I'm pregnant with my first child. I keep reading that you don't have to modify your swimming workouts when you're pregnant, but in those same websites, I see things like "Try doing *** stroke to eliminate the strain of torso rotation" so I know they haven't the slightest clue about competitive swimming or real training.
So my question is, does anyone have any good resource for how hard you can push yourself swimming while pregnant? And don't tell me to ask my doctor because I'm guessing she knows even less about swimming than "babycenter.com". My primary concern is with becoming slightly hypoxic while swimming (during flip turns and underwater pull outs). I often come up a little breathless, but am okay within a stroke or two. If I weren't pregnant, I wouldn't think anything about this, but it's hard to know if that's "bad" for the little one.
Any thoughts or direction would be greatly appreciated.:drown:
Parents
Former Member
Congrats swimchick... the main thing that my doctor told me about being pregnant and swimming is to not do anything new or harder than what you are used to doing. Just do your flip turns/underwater pullouts like you usually do, don't push it. Listen to your body, if you feel uncomfortable - lay off a bit. Your doc may eventually tell you to do less as time goes on, but just keep up the good work. I wanted to swim throughout both my pregnancies, but I got so sick I could barely move... so hopefully you will not get sick and be able to exercise for these great 9 months!
Congrats again!
Congrats swimchick... the main thing that my doctor told me about being pregnant and swimming is to not do anything new or harder than what you are used to doing. Just do your flip turns/underwater pullouts like you usually do, don't push it. Listen to your body, if you feel uncomfortable - lay off a bit. Your doc may eventually tell you to do less as time goes on, but just keep up the good work. I wanted to swim throughout both my pregnancies, but I got so sick I could barely move... so hopefully you will not get sick and be able to exercise for these great 9 months!
Congrats again!
