re: riding pregnant

["nancy wombacher" <wambo@fast.net>]

In additon to Ridecamp I lurk on another bulletin board called Snailmail,
mostly a forum for employees of the USPS. As a die-hard lurker I find it
interesting  that the only subject that has gotten me typing on both boards
is pregnancy. In the other board it was a thread about the irresponsibility
of women who work while pregnant, here it is the irresponsibility of women
who ride and compete while pregnant. And so I will express my opinion, while
trying to be respectful of yours. Pregnancy is not a disease, it is a normal
condition. So normal for women of childbearing age that we must take complex
and persistant efforts to prevent it. I do not know the statistical make up
of Ridecamp, but I suspect it is mostly white, english speaking women
financially stable enough to afford to own a horse (or 2 or 3). Most of the
pregnant women on the planet do not have the option of taking 9 months off
from their normal day to day activities. And life is full of risk.
Should you ride and compete while pregnant? You should have regular
pre-natal care. You should be totally up front with your doctor about your
activities. If you are otherwise healthy and the pregnancy is proceeding
normally and riding is a normal daily activity for you I think it is very
likely that your doctor will tell you to continue it for as long as you are
comfortable. Mine did.  I rode and competed and worked full time through two
normal pregnancies. I stopped riding when I was too tired (from work) at the
end of each day to ride. I continued to ride not out of selfish disregard
for my unborn child but because riding my horses was and is a daily part of
my life. Nancy Wombacher
wambo@fast.net
http://pages.ivillage.com/misc/wambo



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