Rock climbing can bring so many benefits to anyone regardless of sexual orientation. However, things can be more complicated when it comes to a woman when she gets pregnant. The biggest question is: can you rock climb while pregnant? This question will be answered and tackle other related information as we discussed rock climbing while pregnant.
Rock Climbing While Pregnant is Possible
Many people think that rock climbing during pregnancy can be a challenge because of the physical changes to someone when she is pregnant. However, a normal pregnancy requires you to constantly exercise to have an easy delivery and a healthy baby.
With these situations in mind, I can say that rock climbing while pregnant can be done but with a lot of precautions for the mother’s safety. Pregnancy is a unique and unusual experience for women, but this situation should not prevent them from doing what they love, albeit in a limited capacity.
Dealing with the Physical Changes During Pregnancy
Too many women do rock climbing with so many goals in mind. All of these goals are related to improving the physical aspect and having a healthy lifestyle. However, all of the benefits of doing rock climbing activities will be threatened when pregnancy comes up.
Weight gain is always a noticeable change during pregnancy, which can affect your rock climbing activities in so many ways. It is estimated that a woman will gain around 10 to 15 kilos of weight during pregnancy.
Increased tiredness and nausea can also be a regular occurrence during pregnancy. But for rock climbing pregnant mothers, it is essential to know to rest if needed. However, when it comes to nausea, a short climbing session to your nearest climbing gym can be a solution.
Being constantly out of breath and lack of motivation can also affect the desire of a pregnant woman to do the climb. Having these swollen feet is normal for pregnant women, but this is manageable during the climb by using larger climbing shoes.
The lack of motivation can be a problem, but changing the perspective can help in so many ways. Instead of limiting yourself with your current pregnancy situation, it can be substantial if you enjoy the freedom that comes with moving on the wall and climbing on top.
The Benefits of Rock Climbing During Pregnancy
Rock climbing during pregnancy brings so many benefits to a pregnant woman. It can be likened to preparing for safety labor and delivery. All the things you do during the climb helps improve the physical aspect of the woman for her to have easy labor and successful delivery.
Rock climbers need to have excellent core strength, which will help them create tension in the body that will make them stable and stick to the wall safely. Pregnant women and expecting moms also need the core strength for an easier delivery and quick postpartum recovery.
In addition, a rock climber also developed strong arms and shoulders with all the things they were doing on the wall. This benefit will be helpful for a pregnant woman since she needs solid arms and shoulders during delivery.
Safety Precautions When Rock Climbing during Pregnancy
The most important thing when doing rock climbing during pregnancy is the safety and the protection of the expectant mother and the baby inside the womb. So, what does a pregnant woman do to protect her and the baby safely when doing rock climbing activities?
First, using a full-body harness is a must. This step is to prevent, if not eliminate, any pressure happening in the abdomen. In addition, the pregnant climber must avoid any situation which can lead to trauma, such as bouldering or lead climbing.
It is also a must for an expectant mother to set limitations when it comes to doing rock climbing on a regular basis. Depending on the trimester, the pregnant woman knows her body overall, which means setting her limitations will be dependent on her body and how she feels overall.
Adjusting your Rock Climbing Activities
When doing rock climbing activities during pregnancy, expect to have some changes in your routine. It will be beneficial to start lowering your grades to help reduce the chance of falling during the climbing activity.
Choosing a route that does not require too much strength for a climber will also be better. Doing this step will make you focus on using your technique instead of having to use your strength during the climb.
These steps are beneficial with all the physical limitations you have during pregnancy. Remember that pregnant women have loose joints, which can be injury-prone, while using too much strength with your leg and arm can also cause injuries.
It is also essential to invest in equipment that can help in protecting your baby during the climb. A pregnancy-friendly harness can definitely protect the baby since it is open in the belly area and accommodate the growing mid-section of the climber.
Conclusion
Can you rock climb while pregnant? The answer is affirmative since there are a lot of benefits in doing rock climbing during pregnancy. But the most important thing is for the expectant mothers to be safe and protected all the time during the climb. There are safety precautions and things that a pregnant woman can do to still do what she loves but still be protected during the climbing activity.