Bicycle riding is excellent exercise that many people enjoy. Pregnant women often wonder if it is safe to continue riding a bicycle during pregnancy, and for the most part, it is, until her belly begins to throw her balance off. Pregnancy is not the time to begin riding a bike for exercise for the first time, however. A woman who is not already regularly riding should wait until after the baby is born to begin.
Instructions
1. Slow down. During early pregnancy, when the body's center of gravity has not changed, it is safe to keep riding the bicycle normally, but it is best to slow down a bit to keep from injuring yourself.
2. Stay closer to home when riding a bike during pregnancy. Pregnancy can cause all kinds of weird symptoms, like dizziness, fainting, muscle cramps and vomiting. You do not want to find yourself experiencing any of these symptoms when you are far from home.
3. Carry a phone, or ride with a buddy. A pregnant woman should always have a way to contact someone if something happens while out on a bike ride.
4. Pay attention to your changing center of gravity. As pregnancy progresses, the growing uterus changes your sense of balance. Make sure that you are still balancing well. If you are pulling a toddler behind you in a bike trailer, you will need to stop when your belly begins to grow. It is no longer safe to pull your child behind you.
5. Switch to a stationary bike for the third trimester. You can also buy a converter to use your regular bike indoors as a stationary bike to save space and money. Continue to ride indoors as often as you would normally ride outside for the remainder of the pregnancy to keep in shape. Biking during the third trimester will keep your legs nice and strong for delivery.
6. Ride the stationary bike for the first few weeks that you exercise after the baby's birth. Regain your strength inside before you attempt your first ride outside. Start slowly, and do not expect to be riding like you were prepregnancy right away. Remember, bike trailers are not safe for babies under the age of 1, so you will need to have someone watch baby while you bike during the first year.
Tags: stationary bike, after baby, belly begins, bike during, center gravity, during pregnancy