Kayaking is an adventure everyone wants to try. Many people feel relaxed after having a trip to their favorite water body such as a river, lake, ocean, etc. when they are feeling low. Many women are concerned to know if can you kayak while pregnant, let us tell you if you are comfortable, you can go for it.
If you are experienced and confident to go kayaking without losing balance or the stability of the kayak, you can go paddling. But make sure you do not paddle for a long time because it might result in increasing the rate of your heartbeat which in turn might not be suitable for you and your kid.
Do you want to take a risk of your child’s health? Surely not! There is no wrong in enjoying your favorite sports and hobbies. There shouldn’t be any barrier to having fun when you are pregnant because no one can take this right from you.
Thus, go for it if you are comfortable and confident about kayaking when you are pregnant!
Can you go on Kayak while Pregnant?
Many people ask if can you go on a boat while pregnant to know whether it is safe for pregnant women or not. It is because safety is the most important thing to consider in this concern. We suggest you ask your doctor first before going for paddling. Your doctor will advise you according to your health and what is best for your unborn baby.
We know that there are many pregnancy cases that are complicated due to the health condition of the mother. That’s why we do not suggest every pregnant woman go kayaking without any fear. You must get a quote from your doctor according to your current health condition and then go for it!
Safety is the most important thing to consider for kayaking while pregnant which ensures your safety on the water no matter if it is a small or large water body. It might be easy for you to paddle in the first few weeks of your pregnancy but it is complicated in the last few weeks. So, we suggest you enjoy your adventures in the starting weeks of your pregnancy.
It would be best if you also wear a life jacket while paddling so that if you lose balance in any case, you could easily handle yourself without affecting yourself or the baby. For your information, whitewater paddling may be a challenge for you because extra pressure is applied to your body which means you cannot easily roll and maintain a balance. For this purpose, you might need a larger boat as well as larger gear that could make it comfortable for you to ride the kayak.
There are many benefits of exercising when you are pregnant so it might be good for your health as well. But again, the condition of every woman is not the same, you must ask your doctor first because different people have different health complications.
Benefits of Kayaking for Pregnant Women
There are some benefits of kayaking for pregnant women. We have enlisted some of them. Let’s have a look at them!
- Constipation can be reduced with the help of paddling
- Your back pain will get reduced when you paddle for some time.
- You can easily overcome perinatal depression, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes if you go for paddling when pregnant.
- If you are a pregnant woman and are stressed, going kayaking would be a good idea.
- You can improve your mood and fight fatigue by kayaking in your favorite water body.
- You can have a great adventure in your pregnancy by paddling in any water body where handling the kayak is easy.
6 Tips to follow for Kayaking when Pregnant
We know that it is safe to kayak when pregnant but still you have to take care of some things when doing so. You have to follow some important tips in this regard so we have enlisted some best tips for you to follow for this purpose. Let’s have a look at them:
1. Listen to your Body
The most important thing is to listen to your body when paddling. If you are not feeling well, never go paddling because it requires your energy and if your energy is down, it is bad for your health as well as your baby’s health. So, we suggest you do not take any risk in this regard.
Some pregnant women claimed that paddling on whitewater is not comfortable for them no matter what type of kayak they are riding. We can say that paddling when pregnant is only comfortable if you are experienced and confident, otherwise, it is not your cup of tea. So, always listen to yourself!
2. Know your Limits
You should always stay within your limits and never try to exceed them. When you are not practiced paddling in white water, we do not suggest you paddle when you are pregnant because it is not the right time to learn this skill.
There is plenty of time to push yourself as well as your limits post pregnancy. So, it would be best if you always stay within your limits especially when you are pregnant.
3. Think in a Broad Way
If you are pregnant and want to go paddling, you should not only consider physical paddling but also think in a broad way, it means you should also consider some other things like the rate of your heartbeat. You should also check the weather condition which can be cold or hot.
Are you going kayaking in the winter season? How do you feel when the cold water touches you? Are you prepared for kayaking or not? Can you easily handle the kayak paddle? Is the kayak stable or not? Will you be able to handle the kayak if the wind pressure is high? Is your diet good enough for you and your kid?
There are many things you have to consider for this purpose because it’s not only about you but also about your child’s health and life. So, we would like to advise you to use some common sense in making your decisions and choose the best thing for yourself.
4. Change your Skillset
We know that the size of your body changes when you are pregnant, so you should also change your skillset at this time too. We can say that it can be a bad thing or a good thing! Let us tell you that the center of gravity of your body gets lowered with your bump which results in making you more stable in the kayak.
In a post-pregnancy situation, your center of gravity returns to normal and you may also feel dizzy and wobbly when you get back to the water. Your health might get upset when you get into the kayak and have a ride on any water body.
So, if you roll in this condition, you may start vomiting and feel dizzy which will surely make it difficult for you to paddle. It would be best if you do not take such a risk. But if you really want to go kayaking, you should avoid rolling.
5. Eat Well
Your diet matters a lot when you are pregnant. So, when you want to go kayaking, make sure you have eaten enough. For your information, in this condition, your body is already burning a lot of energy and when you paddle, it consumes more energy because it is a form of exercise you perform.
You need to take a proper diet and require good food intake when you are pregnant otherwise your body will burn fat. Plus the muscles will also be burnt to provide the proper amount of energy to your body which is not good for you.
6. Stay Hydrated
When you are pregnant, you have to stay hydrated all the time. For this purpose, you should drink water as much as you can. Keeping your fluids up during pregnancy is very important so having a ride to a water body would also be good for you.
Does Pregnancy Get Affected Due to a Bumpy Boat ride?
We know that when we ride in a boat or a kayak, there are many bumps in the ride. You have to put a lot of energy and the ride might be difficult for you if you are tired or not feeling well. While you can enjoy your trip to your favorite water body, very bumpy journeys are not a good idea when you are pregnant.
We know that too much turbulence is created while paddling which can put you and your baby at risk. But still, it depends upon your willpower and health condition. If your doctor thinks that riding a kayak is good for you and there wouldn’t be any harm to you and your baby, you can go paddling without having any second thought.
Research has shown that when you are three months pregnant, it is very dangerous for you to try any kind of adventure. Traveling is very dangerous for you in this time period. Any kind of bump is dangerous for a pregnant woman as well as her baby. So, in this time period, even a car hitting a speed bump on the road is dangerous along with riding a kayak.
Also Read: Best Kayak Paddles Reviews 2022
Can a Pregnant Woman swim in a Lake?
Many people wonder if is swimming good for pregnant women. Let us tell you that swimming is considered a great way of keeping yourself fit during pregnancy period but you must be aware of the risks associated with it.
The major risk is hypothermia. No matter if the weather is hot or cold, it can cause hypothermia in any condition. If you are swimming and suddenly you start feeling numb or shivering, you must get out of the water immediately and seek someone’s help out there.
You should visit your doctor straight away without wasting a single minute. You must be thinking about the reason why you start feeling numbness while swimming. Let us tell you that this water may contain germs that are not good for your health as well as your baby.
Recreational water is often a source of illness, especially for sensitive people. We know that the lakes are not cleaned like swimming pools that’s why they have more germs and other harmful microorganisms.
FAQs
Can I go kayaking while pregnant?
Yes, you can go kayaking while pregnant as it is safe but it also depends upon your health condition so you must ask your doctor first and then go kayaking.
Is it safe to go boating while pregnant and swim in the lake?
For most pregnant women boating while pregnant might be safe but not swimming in the lake because it consists of a lot of germs which results in affecting their health negatively.
Is kayaking well for pregnancy?
Kayaking is helpful in relieving stress even when you are pregnant.
What kind of activity should be avoided while pregnant?
Any kind of bouncy or bumping activity must be avoided when you are pregnant. Also, do not try any other activity where there are chances of falling down.
Can kayaking cause miscarriage?
Yes, kayaking can be a reason behind miscarriage in some cases that’s why we always say you must get your doctor’s assistance in this concern.
Conclusion
To sum up, adventure is a part of life and if you are fond of traveling and like to have a trip to your favorite water body even if you are pregnant, you should go for it. But you should also consider other things too such as your health condition which is very important to consider. Secondly, you need to check the weather also so that handling the kayak would be easy for you!
Related Articles:
- Best Fishing Kayak for Big Guys
- Best Lightweight Kayak
- Best Inflatable Kayak
- Best Inflatable Kayak for Fishing
- Best Kayak for Dogs
- Best One Person Inflatable kayak
- Best 2 Person Inflatable Kayak
- Best Stand up Fishing Kayak Review for Beginner 2022
- What happens if your kayak gets Overload
- How Much Weight Can a Kayak Hold?
