Being pregnant is not an illness, yet people can’t help themselves saying you should not hike while pregnant. So, can you go hiking while pregnant? Is there any risk for you or your baby? Or is it a safe form of exercise when expecting? Here is all you need to know about hiking while pregnant.
When I told my pregnant friend I was going for a hike, her response was: “Where is my invite?“. I looked at her stunned: “But you can’t come with us, YOU ARE PREGNANT!”
If that encounter rings a bell, it’s because, in people’s minds, a pregnant woman should spend 9 months glue to the sofa eating chocolate. It’s time to dust off the old cliche! Following this conversation with my friend, I did my research and this is what I found.
Please note that I am no doctor and you should always seek medical advice.
Can You Go Hiking While Pregnant: 12 Things You Need To Know
1 – Speak to your Doctor
Every pregnancy is different.
You must have heard it so many times but it is true. I worked in Human Resources in the retail industry for many years and I can tell you that I had female colleagues who would have given birth on the shop floor if we did not send them on maternity leave while others were off sick from day one.
This is why it is so important to check first with your doctor. As a general rule, if you have been active and exercising before getting pregnant, it might not be a problem for you to go hiking but if you want to pick up hiking as a hobby during your pregnancy, it might not be the best time.
Once you have the green light from your GP or midwife, there are a few things you need to know before getting on the trails. Hiking while pregnant is a bit different.
2 – Hydration
When pregnant you need to drink more water to form the amniotic fluid and create more blood and tissue. Add to this the loss of water due to sweat and you understand why you need to carry more water when hiking while pregnant. Take a hydration bladder as it can contain more water (some designs can hold up to 3L). However, you should also carry extra bottles or a water purifier to ensure that you don’t run out of water.
The recommendation when hiking while pregnant is to drink 32oz (o.9 L) every hour.
Related Content: Hydration Bladder vs Water Bottle
3 – Snacks
Eating is equally as important as your muscles are depleted in glycogen. And as we all know it, when pregnant you eat more than usual. Therefore, think of taking with you more snacks than you would normally carry.
Additionally, eat throughout the hike rather than a big portion all at once for a consistent release of energy and better digestion. Take with you snacks that you know you like and don’t make you sick.
For the food, prefer protein-packed snacks such as cereal bars, energy balls, dried fruits and oatmeal. If you are not inclined to buy from the supermarket, check my homemade energy balls recipe here.
4 – Chose your Route
When hiking while pregnant you need to pay extra attention to the route you are wanting to do. There are some aspects that you need to take into consideration to avoid putting yourself in a bad situation.
Terrain
The first factor to consider is the terrain. You need to set realistic objectives. While you might have been ascending mountains before, it is time to reconsider the difficulty of the hike.
Is it safe to walk uphill while pregnant?
Yes and no. It depends on how fit you are and how your pregnancy is going. If your doctor told you it is not a problem and you are feeling comfortable climbing hills, then go ahead! Notwithstanding, remember to slow down and take a rest. This is because when exercising your heart beats faster to send oxygenated blood to your muscles, yet your baby needs oxygen too.
How far up can you hike while pregnant?
That is another common question people ask. The rule of thumb is to not go higher than 8,000 feet (2438 m). However, this depends on where you live. If you live in the mountains you might be fine going above an altitude of 8,000 feet but if you leave somewhere by the sea, for example, even 8,000 feet might be too much.
The reason why you should avoid altitude when hiking is simple: the higher you go the less oxygen you find and as explained above, your baby needs oxygen too.
Depending on your ability and how your pregnancy is going, you might want to opt for a fairly easy walk with an even path, such as the Margate to Ramsgate walk to avoid any discomfort.
Avoid Uncharted Territory
Even if hiking means going on an adventure, it is advisable to pick a route that you already know. Should anything happens to you, you know where you are and how to get back home or where to get help.
The same goes for the popularity of the path. As pregnancies are unpredictable, anything can happen at any moment, so the last thing you want is to be alone in nature. Choose a populated path so that you are never alone.
Tip: the last thing that you might want to check when choosing the route is where the nearest hospital is. We are never too careful.
Things to Avoid Doing
When hiking while pregnant, you might want to avoid doing the following:
- Steep descent: When pregnant, your centre of gravity changes, which means that you could fall or trip more easily. Therefore it is advisable to avoid steep descent. I go into more details about the balance later in this article.
- Scrambling: The same goes for scrambling. As you have a bigger belly, avoid any route involving scrambling as it could cause you to fall.
- Ice: Finally, contingent upon where you live and the season of the year, it is advisable not to hike when the ground is icy. As explained above, due to a change in your centre of gravity, you would be more inclined to fall and hurt yourself or your baby.
5 – Don’t Hike Alone
Hiking can be a moment when you reconnect with yourself, switch off from the busy world, listen to a podcast or simply lost yourself in your own thoughts. Nonetheless, hiking alone when you are expecting is not such a good idea.
The first reason is that anything can happen at any time. Having someone with you means that they can act quickly.
The second reason why you need someone with you is called the conversation rule.
Do you know what it is?
Before it was recommended that your heart rate does not go above 140 beats per minute when exercising while pregnant. Be as it may, now there are no limits imposed anymore. This is when the conversation rule becomes handy. In the event that you can’t carry on a conversation, meaning you need to take deep breaths in the middle of a sentence or your speech becomes slower, it means you need to STOP. So unless you want to talk to yourself for the duration of the hike, take your partner or a (chatty)friend with you and give the conversation rule a try.
6 – Carry a Mobile Phone
Even if you are the type of person who leaves their phone at home when going hiking, when pregnant, you must take it with you on the trails. It is important that you are able to contact the emergency services at any time if something goes wrong.
Of course, this means that you must remain within mobile services. When searching for the routes, this is one factor to think about. Don’t go too far in the countryside and remain close to civilisation to ensure that you get a signal all the way through your walk.
Finally, don’t forget to carry a power bank with you. What is the point of having a mobile phone if it does not have any battery? Also, ensure that your power bank is fully charged to avoid any bad surprises. Alternatively, you can opt for a solar energy power bank that you can attach to your backpack to charge. To know more about the solar energy power bank, read my article about the essentials items to take with you on a hike here.
Tip: If you go hiking with a partner, you would then have a second mobile phone. Two is always better than one!
7 – Find your Balance
As you go through your pregnancy, your belly expands and you are pulling on weight. But you already knew that. However, this means that your centre of gravity changes, which can be a cause of imbalance. This can lead to trips and falls.
The best recommendation is to take with you a pair of hiking poles. They will help you stabilise yourself and find your balance. They will also take the pressure off your knees and ankles even on flat terrain.
As you are gaining weight and your body is changing, carrying your backpack can become a burden. As the weeks go by, you need to reduce the weight on your back and towards the end of your pregnancy, you should simply be carrying some snacks and your camel bag. This is also why bringing someone with you on a hike can be useful as they can carry some of your belongings for you.
Finally, remember that when you are carrying a backpack when pregnant you cannot close the hip belt. This means that you would get extra weight on your shoulder.
8 – Toilet Breaks
Pregnant women pee a lot.
This is because the foetus is pressing against your bladder. At home, it isn’t an issue, but in the great outdoors it can become a handicap.
When looking for a route, prefer trails with public toilets on the way or passing through villages where you can make a stop at the local pub. Of course, this is not always possible to hold it until you reach the bathrooms, so don’t forget to take some toilet paper or moist toilet tissue.
9 – Try Those Hiking Boots
It is something easy to forget but essential when going hiking. A pair of shoes can make or break your hike. Even though you hiked with those boots for as long as can remember and they are perfectly comfortable, your ankle and feet get swollen as you are going through the different stages of pregnancy.
During your pregnancy, you would also need extra ankle support. This is because your body releases a hormone called Relaxin which loosens the ligaments in your ankle. As hiking boots have a high collar, they will provide the ankle support you need.
Before setting foot on the trails, try your old pair of hiking boots to ensure they still fit and you are comfortable wearing them. If not, you are due for a shopping trip to your local sports shop.
Talking about shopping, let’s have a look at what you need to wear when hiking while pregnant.
Related content: Hiking boots versus hiking shoes and trail runners
10 – Dress Comfy
I am sorry to break it to you but you won’t fit for 9 months in your hiking gear! It’s time to go on a shopping spree.
But exactly do you need?
When pregnant you are more sensitive to temperatures. And with the weather in the UK changing so quickly throughout the day, this means that you need to carry more clothes than usual and layer up.
You would find that unfortunately there are not many options on the market for pregnancy hiking wear, so you would have to resort to the maternity activewear department. What you need to look for are:
- Yoga pants: They are stretch and you can roll the waistband under your belly. Chose a bigger size so that you can keep them during the whole pregnancy
- Support socks: They are far from being the most glamorous piece of clothing but they become really handy in this case. During pregnancy, the increase of hormones in your body makes your blood more likely to clot. Compression socks can help support better circulation.
- Sports Bra and Nursing Bra: You would need to invest in a decent quality pair of sports bras as your breast would grow during the pregnancy. You could even wear nursing bras when closer to the due date as they offer great support.
- Belly Belt: This is what my pregnant friend went for and it truly helped her. As your belly grows it starts falling down. Wearing a belly band helps to balance out the weight back and front to release the pressure.
Now you have your shopping list, you just need to go and get them.
11 – Stretch
Hiking is one thing, but after exercising remember to stretch. It is important to avoid muscle aches in the days following the walk but even more essential when pregnant to relax your body and feel more comfortable. You can continue to work out at home between two hikes with pregnancy stretching routine exercises.
Video: In this video, Hayley will show you some positions to help you relieve symptoms such as insomnia, back pain, and Willis-Ekbom Disease which can appear when pregnant.
12 – Hiking While Pregnant is Good for You
Finally, hiking while pregnant is good for you and your mental health.
You remain active while practising a low impact form of exercise which helps with your cardiovascular health and blood pressure.
It is also good for your mental health and keeps you socialising (because of course, you are going hiking accompanied). Being outside helps reduce stress and anxiety and increase creativity and clear your mind.
Final Thoughts About Hiking While Pregnant
Can you go hiking while pregnant?
Hell yes you can!
So take that appointment with your GP or midwife, get the green light and lace up those boots. Remember to take extra precautions such as choosing your route carefully, buying the correct gear, bring your mobile phone and a friend along and hydrate yourself. Have a lovely hike yet-to-be-mama!
Have you been hiking while pregnant? Let me know in the comment. I would love to read about your experience and your tips.
You liked the tips? Pin them!
Looking for easy route you can do while pregnant? Why not check theses walks?
Margate to Ramsgate via Broadstairs walk: The Viking Trail
Epping Forest: A Walk Accessible By Tube
Circular walks in Essex: 3 loops in Epping Green
Welsh Harp Walk: An Oasis In London
