Changing My Pace

Okay, moms, let's be real, being motivated to hike when you’re pregnant can be really, really hard. If it’s not the terrible nausea you’re dealing with, then it’s the various aches and pains that come with pregnancy. And let’s not forget the shortness of breath and sheer exhaustion that creating life within your body brings. Then, add caring for your little(s) on top of all of that discomfort, and it might just seem like getting out is an unreachable goal. Despite the understandable temptation to give up, the truth is that you don’t have to let those two pink lines on that stick stop you from adventuring in the great outdoors. If you can find the motivation and are able to exercise caution while out on the trails, you will likely find that the payoff is ultimately greater than the struggle.   Here’s a list of ways you can keep yourself motivated to continue to get out on the trails while you’re pregnant: It’ll be good when you get there: Remind yourself that once you are out and actively hiking, you will benefit immensely from not only the breath of fresh air but also the break from all the busy day-to-day stuff you may otherwise be doing. Keep yourself fueled on the trails: Keep yourself going with lots of water and snacks on hand. There’s nothing more difficult than trying to hike not only pregnant but also hungry or thirsty. Fuel yourself and baby along the way and it will be a much more enjoyable outing all around. Make it a bonding experience: View this as a special bonding time for you and your kids, as well as the little baby on the way. If your spouse is able to join you on a hike, allow it to be some special time for you both as a couple before things get a bit busier at home with another little one to care for. Remind yourself that it’s good for you and baby: It’s widely known that exercise and activity are great for a healthy pregnancy- let the idea of taking care of yourself and your baby help to keep you motivated and active. Embrace the season you’re in: Let the joy of the current season (whichever season you’re in) drive you- whether it’s taking in the beauty of the color-changing trees in fall, the picturesque look of the snow-covered trails in winter, the allure of watching as new life begins in spring, or the myriad of different adventures that can be undertaken during those beautiful summer days. Seize the opportunity to be with family: Remind yourself that these are the last opportunities you will have to enjoy hiking with your family in its current capacity before the addition of a new member (or members) will change the dynamic a bit (ultimately for the better, of course). Pace Yourself: Don’t push yourself too hard while you’re pregnant. It’s important to listen to your body and make sure you don’t overdo it. It’s okay to dial back on the activity level a bit, after all, you are creating a human along with everything else that you are doing.  Keep in mind that a shorter hike is still a hike and getting out and enjoying yourself is the ultimate goal. Invest in really good hiking shoes: There’s nothing worse than being pregnant and being nervous about falling or slipping around in the mud on the trails. It’s so important for you to feel comfortable and secure out on the trails and a solid pair of hiking shoes will likely help you to be more confident taking on the trails in all kinds of conditions and terrain. Make sure you’re supported all around: As you get further along in your pregnancy it’s so important to make sure you have proper support for your growing baby bump. A solid pregnancy belt is a great investment to help you be fully supported and comfortable on the trails. Do it for a good night sleep later on: A nice walk will likely wear you out a bit so that, come bedtime, you will hopefully sleep like a baby (no pun intended).   If all else fails, let the stories of other pregnant mamas taking on the trails inspire you to know that it is possible and that it will benefit you immensely if/ when you do it.   Photo Credit: Deanna Curry & Michelle Craig   ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.  

Originally posted July 2015. I was raised in the Southern California Mountains. I had a father who instilled a love of nature and hiking into my soul. It is a part of me. It is my therapy for recovering from a tough week. The thought of simply being out in the woods, on a mountain top, by a stream, just any beautiful spot outdoors, is what gets me going each morning. So in April of 2014, when my OBGYN told me I had to remain on bedrest for the remaining 4 months of my pregnancy, it was like someone had taken a part of me and thrown it out the window. 4 months, in a bed, only being able to get up to pee (I even had to sit in the shower), it felt like death warmed up. I realize that many women have hard pregnancies, and some of those pregnancies were worse than mine was. Yet that didn't change the fact that mine was still terrible, for me. As an outdoor enthusiast who found that being outdoors was what rejuvenated my soul, I was lost. Jumping forward a few months to August of 2014, I gave birth via scheduled C-section to a beautiful and healthy baby boy. We were in the hospital for a week before we could go home, but it was OVER. And as cliche as it may sound, all of the pain, the inside hell, was WORTH IT. I had a being I had created and he was perfect. But then what. My body had been ravaged by the pregnancy and the C-section. For another 2 weeks after returning home, it was painful to move, to breastfeed, to try to get to my crying baby without my uterus feeling like it would fall out of my body, and this terrified me. Would I ever be able to hit the trails again? Of course with time, the physical healing eventually came, but I was facing another challenge. All of the turmoil that was going on in my head and heart during the pregnancy, and the shock of how hard being a new mother was took it's toll on me. I felt sad often, when I knew I should be feeling joy that my child was alive and healthy, and that my body was on a great path to recovery. But finding the energy to hike, let alone get out of the house, was a daunting task. I began seeing a therapist who specialized in pregnancy and postpartum depression. It did help, to a point. I was able to say things to her that I was even scared to voice to myself, and oh how relieving that was. But I knew deep down what my true issue was. I was inside, all the time. I felt like the outdoors was drifting away from my heart. I finally realized that the ONLY way to find ME again, was to just do it! So my husband and I went to find the best baby hiking backpack we could find and planned a hike that same weekend. That first hike post-partum changed everything. I remember waking up that morning and telling my husband that no matter how many excuses I came up with to remind me that this was my path back to myself and to not let me quit. We got to the trail head, and that was it. I was home. I was free. And to make everything even better, I had the beautiful human being I created sleeping peacefully on my back as I walked through the woods, my loving and supportive husband at my side. It was hard. My body was nowhere NEAR where it had once been. The muscles that had turned to jelly during those 4 months of bed rest were screaming at me to stop. I didn't listen. I kept going. 10 months later I am still going. I make it a point to hit the trails at LEAST twice a week. It has been the best therapy I could have hoped for. I even joined a group of other like-minded parents called "Hike it Baby." It has been a life-saver, just seeing all of these little beings outside in the wildnerness. With each breath of fresh air, each sweat drop that drips down my face, each babbling brook, and each gorgeous vista, I'm 100% back to my old self. I smile all the time. I laugh. I have energy for myself AND my child. If I could share one word of wisdom with those mothers and fathers who could be feeling the way I did, it is to GET OUTDOORS. Even if you're not a rugged hiking type, just get your sweet little ones in a stroller and go for a walk. Let the sun shine down those magical vitamin D rays onto your face. Let the wind make a mess of your hair. There is something about the outdoors that I just can't explain, but what I can explain is that it works your inner-self, far better than any pill could ever do.   Mary Beth Burgstahler was born and raised in the Southern California Mountains and attended college at Cal State University Monterey Bay where she majored in Human Communications.  Having lived her entire life in Wilderness areas, she gained an affinity for the outdoors and outdoor activities, one of the main reasons Mary Beth agreed to moved to her husband's home-state of Minnesota in June of 2013.  Outdoor adventure abounds in the Land of Ten Thousand Lakes. Shortly after their move, Mary Beth and her husband, Jacob, welcomed their first son, Jackson, in August of 2014.  They now reside in White Bear Lake, MN. ABOUT OUTGROWN OutGrown is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to create a world where everyone can enjoy the physical and mental benefits of spending time outside. We are focused on creating opportunities and removing barriers to access so families with babies and young children can take their first steps outside. We believe all families have the right to connect with nature, benefit from spending time outdoors and be inspired to a lifelong love of nature. Since its grassroots inception in 2013, OutGrown is a growing community of 280,000 families and over 300 volunteer Branch Ambassadors. More information on all of our programs can be found at WeAreOutGrown.org    EDITORS NOTE: We hope you enjoyed reading this article from OutGrown. We’re working hard to provide our community with content and resources that inform, inspire, and entertain you. But content is not free. It’s built on the hard work and dedication of writers, editors, and volunteers. We make an investment in developing premium content to make it easier for families with young children to connect with nature and each other. We do not ask this lightly, but if you can, please make a contribution and help us extend our reach.