Over the past 40 weeks I’ve shared glimpses of my journey through pregnancy and my climbing life as an expectant Mum. While I’ve focused on staying active, what you don’t see are the tough decisions I’ve made around risk, as well as the quieter, less glamorous aspects of pregnancy—like hours spent in front of the TV. As pregnant climbers, we face difficult decisions around risk, level of activity and how to set ourselves up for postpartum recovery. Those challenges are compounded by a lack of understanding from health professionals, judgement for participating in an unconventional sport and advice geared toward less active lifestyles. I’ve had a huge number of climbers, and their partners reach out to me with questions, so I’m writing this article to share my experiences and what I’ve learned along the way.

You might be reading this with certain preconceptions about climbing while pregnant. Maybe you’re already familiar with the idea and have seen other women do it, or perhaps you’re surprised it’s even possible. Wherever you stand, I encourage you to do what feels right for you (or your pregnant friend/partner) and remain open-minded about what’s possible. 

Remember, many beliefs you hold may not be entirely your own. Too often, women are told what they should do, think, and feel during pregnancy—sometimes to the detriment of their well-being. Yet also be mindful that your body is going through the most extreme change a human body can experience and you have nothing to prove, so don’t try and chase being a “badass” (whatever that means) if you’re not feeling it. 

You’ll quickly realize that there are countless “rules” surrounding basic activities like eating, sleeping, drinking, medication, and exercise—let alone rock climbing. Navigating this can be challenging, and it’s unlikely that all your decisions will be free from the influence of family, friends, cultural norms, community and expectations. Also, be prepared for unsolicited advice and outdated opinions. For some reason, people feel entitled to weigh in on your choices during pregnancy, as if they have some responsibility for your unborn child—something they likely wouldn’t do if it were just you. Apparently, this trend continues into parenthood, so we all have that to look forward to!

Bringing awareness to all this, finding unbiased resources and tapping into your intuition will help you navigate this bumpy but exciting journey!  

FIRST THINGS FIRST

  • Every pregnancy is different. I think I’m well-positioned to write this article because I feel like I’ve had a very “average” pregnancy; I haven’t experienced any extremely difficult symptoms yet nor do I feel like I’ve had an easy ride. My overall impression of pregnancy, writing this at 40 weeks, is that it’s been an amazing but challenging experience. That said, it’s still unlikely that your pregnancy experience will be similar to mine, so please be mindful of that. 
  • I’m not an average climber. I have climbed at a high level since I was a child and am very experienced in all the climbing disciplines apart from ice climbing. That said, as a coach, I’ve worked with thousands of climbers in different capacities and have a good sense of what the average climber is capable of. 
  • I am not a pregnancy expert, doctor, or trainer. I’m just sharing my own experience and research. 
  • Climbing is probably not a sport you would want to start during pregnancy. When it comes to exercise, most healthcare professionals agree with this rule: do what you know. If you know hiking, continue hiking. If you’ve never been climbing before and would like to, maybe begin once you’ve recovered postpartum. 
  • There are very few studies on climbing during pregnancy and it’s unclear what conclusions we can draw from those that do exist. This means there are a lot of unknowns to navigate. If in doubt, defer to what you consider the safest option or whatever a trusted health professional advises you to do. But just be mindful that your doctor may know very little about climbing, and you may have to explain a lot to them. 
  • Pregnancy and birth can come with a lot of baggage. For example, if you’ve experienced a previous loss in pregnancy or difficulty conceiving, these experiences can affect how you think about pregnancy, certainly in terms of risk. Please honor that and give yourself the space to approach things differently if that feels right for you. 

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Over the past 40 weeks I’ve shared glimpses of my journey through pregnancy and my climbing life as an expectant Mum

Over the past 40 weeks I’ve shared glimpses of my journey through pregnancy and my climbing life as an expectant Mum. While I’ve focused on staying active, what you don’t see are the tough decisions I’ve made around risk, as well as the quieter, less glamorous aspects of pregnancy—like hours spent in front of the TV. As pregnant climbers,

Talk about your brand

taking about your brand

Share information about your brand with your customers. Describe a product, make announcements, or welcome customers to your store.

Button labelButton label 2

Talk about your brand

Talk about your brand

Button labelButton label 2
Over the past 40 weeks I’ve shared glimpses of my journey through pregnancy and my climbing life as an expectant Mum

Talk about your brand

Talk about your brand

Over the past 40 weeks I’ve shared glimpses of my journey through pregnancy and my climbing life as an expectant Mum

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