Can I Ride A Bike While Pregnant

Some women have always preferred cycling to have their exercise from time to time till they get pregnant. However, most time don’t feel certain if they should continue riding the bike when pregnant so they do not harm their growing baby.

Can I Ride A Bike While Pregnant

Can I Ride A Bike While Pregnant

Having regular exercise during the pregnancy phase can be very helpful for the mind, soul, and body. So doing some physical exercise routine such as cycling indoors would help keep you strong, boost your energy and mood, make you feel fit, and add good benefits to the baby.

However, they are rules and guidelines to follow if you want to do this, and also, talking to your healthcare provider is important before you start those exercise programs during your pregnancy phase.

Trendy Post – Can I Take Mucinex While Breastfeeding

Many women continue with their prior exercise routine during pregnancy without any harm to them and the baby but adjust when the bumps keep growing. Having to ride a bike is a choice of exercise for women, but the question on the minds of many is that it is safe to do during pregnancy.

Fortunately, cycling is a form of exercise during pregnancy, most especially if there is no health complication and no disapproval from the doctor, it is safe to do. It is not a harmful exercise to do.

The fear of most people is the different complications that can happen when riding the bike, especially when you are lost in fun and forget to use precautionary guides. Cycling as an exercise is safe for pregnant women with any strenuous process.

Benefits of cycling exercise for pregnant women

Constant cycling help reduce insomnia, fatigue, varicose veins, and other possible health ailments affecting pregnant women.

It falls within the types of aerobic exercise; it helps reduce stress, lose all the toxins in the body, boost blood circulation, and release oxygen to the body, which supports the growing fetus.

Cycling during the first trimester helps reduce the chances of getting gestational diabetes during the pregnancy stage.

The constant increase in the size of the baby bump might make it difficult to continue, but this is very helpful to fight nausea and reduce pains during pregnancy.

Safe tips for cycling when pregnant

  1. To start this, you must always be free to communicate with your doctor regarding your activities. First, let them know what cycling means to you and the reason why you’d love to continue with the routine even in your pregnant phase. Then, they will notify you if there is any reason you should stop cycling for a medical reason, which you should listen to and take the advice. After all, it is only nine months for you to stay away from it.
  2. A full human is being developed inside of you; you need to take time and listen to your body well because the task you are carrying is not a child’s play. When the body signs you to slow down your phase, reduce or stop, just be obedient. So you don’t harm yourself and the baby.
  3. During pregnancy, the first trimester has a lot of things going on in the body because this is when your body creates the placenta, which can be extra tiring or stress-filled for the body. Note that you will be very much tired compared to the usual tiredness. Do not do long rides, evening bicycle training sessions, and difficult traveling. On the other hand, there are high chances that you will always feel very energetic every morning. When you move to the second and third trimesters, you can continue riding, but always stay safe and communicate to your doctor to get advice consistently.
  4.   There is a usual saying that exercise helps reduce the effect of morning sickness, but, unfortunately, this does not happen in all cases. We’ll advise you to talk to doctors to be certain if it might be helpful for you. Also, on the other part, it might turn out to be very helpful.
  5.   When you migrate to the second trimester, the bumps would have grown further, which might allow you to feel comfortable raising the handlebars on the bicycle, and you can use an upright position while sitting
  6.   In other situations, this development of the bump growing might affect their balance and makes it uncomfortable to continue paddling the bike. If you feel this way, please reduce or stop biking for a while, so you and your baby don’t tumble off, which is not good.
  7.    It is normal for women to add weight during the pregnancy journey, and it is healthy but can cause the body to feel extra loaded, which can affect you when saddling your bicycle. Try to reduce the way you paddle or the speed when you notice you are adding extra weights.
  8.    During pregnancy, your internal organs would get more cramped so the space in the uterus can accommodate your developing baby. However, the room created isn’t so spacious, so that it might bring about shortness of breath due to the internal compression. Well, this does not mean you cannot ride your bike, but this is the time you pay better attention to your body and give it your listening ear.
  9.    Pregnancy comes with different side effects that affect the body, such as pain in the rib, hip, back, and side. When you suffer from all this, riding a bike might get uncomfortable. It is advised you try Pilates, massage, or yoga to help reduce that pain and aches your body is suffering from.
  10. You don’t have to force yourself to continue with the bike riding if you feel uncomfortable or when you want to do what your other pregnant friends are doing. Don’t over-stress your body out because it might not cope well with the stress. All pregnancy journey is different and not the same.

Check This Out – Can Gripe Water Cause Constipation

If you observe these symptoms, then stop cycling;

Follow these safety recommendations while cycle if you get these signs in your body;

  • Let your OB-GYN know all your plans and the activities you want to get into, so they can advise you if it is safe. The truth is we can’t get over emphasis this enough because it is very vital.
  • plan and schedule yourself for at least 20 to 30 minutes of exercise on some particular days of the week
  • Take plenty of water from time to time; always have extra water with you to avoid getting dehydrated during exercise.
  • Avoid joining activities that make your body overheat, mostly during the first phase.
  • Do not take activities or exercise that would cause you to lie down on your back, mostly in the third phase.
  • Prevent yourself from doing high-intensity exercise or sport.

If you feel these signs in your body when exercising or cycling, stop it right away and reach out to your doctor;

  • experiencing shortness of breath before or after exercise
  • severe headache
  • on your muscle calf, you notice swellings
  • serious pain in the chest
  • a usual or different kind of pain in the body
  • usual contraction with pains
  • blood leak or bleeding from the private part
  • weakness in the muscle that affects the balance of the body
  • weakness in the body leading to dizziness and fainting

In conclusion, doing outdoor riding on the trail or road is not entirely recommended, but get advice from your doctor or healthcare provider if you are to participate. However, riding indoors is a great exercise during pregnancy.

There might be a need for adjustment for the bike riding as the pregnancy continues to grow bigger, but if there is any situation where there is discomfort or pain while riding, stop it and reach out to your doctor immediately.

%d bloggers like this: