Canoeing is a fun way to pass the time and also has the added perk of improving your health. It’s awesome for building up your endurance, but is canoeing safe during pregnancy? When it comes to activities with even the slightest amount of risk, it’s best to walk into them well-informed.
Canoeing is a physically strenuous activity, and you’ll also have to contend with stuff like heat, direct sun exposure, and how rough the waters are. You always want to canoe during ideal conditions while pregnant, as a lot of old canoeing risks end up compounded!
Remember to canoe with others, keep yourself properly hydrated, be mindful of your limit, wear a life jacket, and plan out your response – just in case the worst comes to pass.
Canoeing is pretty fun, and if you’re wondering if it’s safe to canoe while pregnant, don’t worry – we’ll try to set your mind at ease with a few simple, straightforward answers.
Things to Consider Before Canoeing While Prengant
Physical Exertion
Canoeing is a pretty strenuous activity. While it’s not explosively intensive like sprinting, you’ll have to sustain wide, repeated motions for the entirety of your outing.
Having to row all the way back will be taxing for pregnant women – especially if they’ve made a fair bit of distance, so you’d better be ready to sustain another round trip’s worth of rowing! Canoeing in a river may make it easier, though you’d mostly be at the mercy of the currents.
Pregnant women can safely canoe – they can even row with a baby bump (so long as it won’t obstruct their movement)! Prospective mothers can get some rowing in, but what they can’t do is overexert themselves during that activity.
Overexertion not only increases the risk of injury for both parties but ends up depriving the infant of the oxygen and nutrition they require – as it’s being funneled towards your needs now!
Fortunately, a lot of canoes are designed to accommodate multiple people. It might be a good idea to have your companions do the bulk of the legwork for your canoeing trip, just to be safe.
Weather and Other Elements
While canoeing is relatively safe, you also have to consider other factors here that may affect your pregnancy. Canoeing is still an outdoor activity that’ll expose you to a lot of risky elements.
You need to be wary about overheating, as pregnant women are at much higher risk of heat exhaustion or other debilitating conditions than their non-pregnant counterparts. Be sure to pack sunscreen and plenty of water to stay cool and hydrated throughout your whole journey!
Rough Waters
While going out canoeing is safe during pregnancy, you need to ensure that you’re only doing this in optimal conditions. Rough waters are bad for anyone out canoeing, as there’s a notable risk of the canoe being waterlogged, capsizing, or someone getting knocked off the boat and falling.
If your planned canoeing day is interrupted by turbulent weather (i.e. storms, heavy rains), it would be wise to consider canceling your plans altogether. Falling off a canoe while pregnant can be dangerous, potentially leading to serious bodily trauma or pregnancy complications.
If you do happen to fall off a canoe while pregnant, or were in a canoe that’s capsized, make it a point to seek out medical attention immediately after the incident. Even if you feel fine after this happens, don’t stake your pregnancy on that assumption – get yourself checked ASAP!
To enjoy canoeing safely during pregnancy, it’s recommended to meet certain criteria. These include obtaining your doctor’s approval, traveling with others, choosing calm waters, and following all safety guidelines. By hitting as many of these benchmarks as possible and being an experienced canoeist, you can have a fun and safe time canoeing while pregnant.
How Quickly Can You Get Treatment?
Even during the most ideal circumstances, with every precaution taken, things still have a chance – however slim – of going wrong. You don’t want to come up with plans to deal with stressful situations on-the-spot, so plan out your response for these less-than-ideal situations beforehand.
If you were to fall out of the canoe, what could you do to handle that situation? Do you know how to get back inside it (without putting pressure on your tummy)?
What’s the number of local emergency services? Does your area have a signal available to call them? How long would it take to reach their location from your general starting point?
These are just a few questions worth considering if you plan on canoeing while pregnant. Preventing accidents is always better, but preparing for them is never a bad idea. A calm, effective response is critical to minimize damage and stress for everyone involved.
Final Thoughts
“Is canoeing safe while pregnant?”
Yes, but you do need to take the proper precautions beforehand. It’s still a strenuous physical activity that carries some risk, even during ideal conditions.
Be aware of your body’s limits, adjust to the weather and other conditions – don’t try to power through them. Prioritize your personal safety, because that’s also your baby’s safety!
