Back in the saddle after pregnancy

J

JANANI

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Hi folks. I am currently 33 weeks pregnancy and have been awake since 4.30 this morning.

After reading a recent thread I was wondering how long it took fellow HHO members to get back in the saddle after being pregnant and what did it feel like? Also does it effect your confidence at all?

Thankfully dad said he will look after baby when I ride after he didn't like the idea of the baby in a pram at the side of the school.
 
2 weeks and it would have been sooner but there was loads of snow and nobody could get out. I had a natural birth and stitches but it was fine and not sore. It did not affect my confidence but I am now a bit more careful as there are greater repercussions if I come off and hurt myself.
 
About 4 weeks and hunting at 5 after a caesarian. I almost think it was easier after a C section because all your 'bits' are still in the same shape and haven't been stretched or had stitches etc.

Noone has an identical birth so you just can't tell how long its going to take!! I thought I was going to pop baby out like a pea and be riding within 48 hours!!
 
Three months, but only because my horse didn't come home to me until the baby was 3 months old. Took me that long to start to feel normal though, tbh.
 
I didn't ride for 10 months after my daughter was born - but I don't have my own horse, would have been much sooner if I did. However, once I was back in the saddle I realised how much I'd missed it and threw myself into training for my Stage 3. It hasn't knocked my confidence, but as another poster said, I'm just more aware of keeping myself safe as have a lo who relies on me. Good luck with your new baby when he/she arrives, congratulations! :)
 
My friend had a baby... 4 months on she still hasn't managed to ride and she said she doesn't want to get hurt now shes a mum. Guess self preservation may kick in more.
My other friend had a baby and was back in the saddle 2 weeks on. I asked her if she thinks its any different... she said yeah its even better to get time away from screaming baby. haha

Guess everyone is different...
 
I got back on as soon as I could bare it, however totally agree with all above comments about having a huge feeling of responsibilty, I used to take on anything but now when my horse plays up or even if I'm going for a gallop I cant help but think "what if I fall off and get hurt", it has def changed my levels of bravery.x
 
It depends. WIth my first it took longer I had a massive episiotomy, a baby who never slept and had lost a lot of blood and took about 4 months before I had the will, lack of pain, and energy to get back in the saddle. With my second I had no episiotomy, a baby that slept thru' from day one and lost no blood. I was back in the saddle backing a new pony in 3 weeks (and that was just because he took a while to long rein due to being psychotic about pigeons)... you'll just have to wait and see...
 
I suppose I will have to see how I feel. I was hoping to get on after eight weeks as I was wanting to get the baby horse home as I can't afford the livery on maternity pay.
 
With my 1st two wks as stitches needed time to heal! Ouch!
About 6wks+ with my 2nd because i had to lose enough weight so as not to squash my boy! My confidence has suffered massively 2nd time round although i like to think its more a case of heightened self preservation than a confidence crisis ;)
 
Like someone has already mentioned everyone is different as l had my horse on full livery after the birth of my 1st it was a good few weeks before l started riding again & my confidence was shot because l was scared of open space so much so l had to lead for a week hacking on a lead rein. It soon came back thankfully. After the second & third births l was back in the saddle within a couple of weeks & had no fear etc. l was lucky as l had oh or family to care for the little ones whilst l rode. l had natural births with all mine but it depends on what type of birth you have & your recovery as well as how you feel after having the baby as its a big thing. Good luck.
 
Reading these replies with interest - I really hope to be back in to the saddle in 3 months ( sooner if possible). Right now, still here feeling like I swallowed a box, I can't imagine even being about to fit in a saddle!!
 
lunarlove said:
I got back on as soon as I could bare it, however totally agree with all above comments about having a huge feeling of responsibilty, I used to take on anything but now when my horse plays up or even if I'm going for a gallop I cant help but think "what if I fall off and get hurt", it has def changed my levels of bravery.x
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i feel like this on my friends horse but been going for confident lessons at a riding school and its amazing. Rode my friends horse yesterday and felt so different and I enjoyed so much
 
I was hacking past my due date, so in reasonable shape. Back on within a few days apart from #2 when I had stitches.

#3 I went out 6 hrs after the birth - that was quite a short ride, and not something I ever tried again. Like having a half-full pail of water for a tummy :/

Having a supportive hubby was essential. Tack up, feed baby, hand to hubby and go ride for 3 hours... :o)
 
pennyturner said:
I was hacking past my due date, so in reasonable shape. Back on within a few days apart from #2 when I had stitches.

#3 I went out 6 hrs after the birth - that was quite a short ride, and not something I ever tried again. Like having a half-full pail of water for a tummy :/

Having a supportive hubby was essential. Tack up, feed baby, hand to hubby and go ride for 3 hours... :o)
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6 HOURS??? That has got to be a record??? Or does anyone know differently????

I confess I have never had a baby but have helped a few new mothers back into the saddle. As other posters have said it is all very personal. My personal favourite was one rider who had always been quite a cautious rider before, so for her first lesson I had planned a gentle walk around the school, maybe a half circuit of trot if she felt OK. To my surprise she was flying around, even jumped a few small fences......... I was astonished!

The rider was even more confident than before the baby, and when I asked her why she told me she had more things to worry about now than what a silly horse might or might not do. 8 years on and she is still ultra confident, not silly, but just rides what was in front of her without becoming bogged down with "what if". The horses love her, and she has a few problems.

In fact I can recollect that first ride I accused her of having been away on a riding course, rather than having a baby!

Other mothers have felt differently. One consolation, if you do find that you do not want to take such risks as before it is not necessarily a "downer". It may be because you have found something even more important.
 
3 months- horrendous stitching down below. It took me two months before I could sit down properly so I left it snkther month before riding.

Confidence wise, initially I was certainly more aware of falling off/hurting myself. Unfortunately, i ended up overhorsing myself as my own horse is being turned away for a year and this ruined me confidence wise.
Prior to this I was about the same as I was before I had my daughter but I am now awfully nervous.

I am actually getting worse not better. I'm debating looking into confidence courses as it's getting stupid now.
 
It took me quite a while, I had SPD during pregnancy and a c-section birth. I was all geared up and ready to go at 8 weeks post birth (just for a walk around the school). However my horse can be a little difficult on the ground and managed to completely blow my confidence before I got back on him. It took me around 4-5 months in the end and really it's only been 6 months since our bond is back, but I think mine was a more extreme case than most.

No one had warned me about how much more cautious you can become and it really scared me, I kept thinking that I could die and wouldn't be there for my baby. It's just nature kicking in and does eventually settle down.

Just take things slowly when you get back to it and don't push yourself too much.
 
EquestrianFairy said:
I personally would elect for c-sec if I was to have another baby.
My episiotomy was horrendous, I've never felt pain like it. It outdid the labour pain tenfold.
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Ditto. Although I dont have to elect for a section, I've been told I will have to have one. I dont by any means think a section will be easier or less painful though, but I agree completely that the episiotomy/stitching pain was far far worse than the pain of labour.
 
My first one I had a natural birth no stitches or anything else - I got on after 2 weeks, fine riding but couldn't get off! and was really sore afterwards so I left it another couple of weeks then cracked on as normal.

My daughter I had an emergancy section and after 2 weeks couldn't get off the sofa let alone on a horse !! Honestly I'm not silly about pain (I currently have broken foot and chipped knee cap that are anoying but I can live with) but the section had me beggin for morphine for days.
It was the afternoon of my 6 week check with Dr, I came home and got on for a 10 min hack - my boy had been off for 9 months by then so we both needed to take it slow and build fitness.

I wouldn't have a C section for the price of a lottery win - that's it for me kids wise now and not having another section is a big part of that, it might be easier for the few hours of actual birth but still being totally incapacitated weeks later is no joke with a small baby!.
 
My c-section was fine. Back riding fairly soon after and Dr let me drive after v. short time. Preggers again and could do without another c-section due to lifting the older one but people manage so if that's what it has to be so be it.

I have turned a youngster away for 2nd and can ride older quieties. Am aware will have to be v. careful and sensible bring youngster back. I bought an air-jacket as my safety-net which mentally ticked that box for me. I ride in it most of the time and couldn't care less if others laugh at me in it doing flatwork in the school!

Tina Cook said it took her 12 months to feel back to normal after birth so that says something!
 
My riding instructor was back on board within 2 weeks, she had a natural birth with a few stitches. The first horse she got on was her 4 y/o who had been backed approx 1 week, she then took him back to her parents for the rest of her maternity leave to bring him on.
 
The trouble with having a c section for number 2 onwards, is that you then also probably have a demanding toddler to deal with! Remember how you came home with baby no 1 and were told not to lift anything heavier than a kettle of water for how ever many weeks?

It's all a lot more tiring when you have a lively toddler who needs lifting into a high chair, car seat, bath etc, so it does take it out of you a lot more, never mind going near a horse!

That said, if the second c/s is elective rather than emergency, then the incision can be done with a little more finesse by the medics. It was all hands to the pump and whip him out ASAP for son no 1, and a relaxing easing out of son no 2 next time round. That definitely made a difference to my recovery times.
 
After the first about 4 weeks, with 2 & 3 10 and 11 days respectively.....however my biggest issue isn't how quickly I returned to riding it's just physically finding the time to juggle 4 horses and 3 kids!!!!
Don't feel pressured to return too soon, every birth is different and recovery differs person to person. You'll prob feel a bit wobbly to start with as no muscles work. I wouldn't say I'd lost confidence but I definitely look into he risks more now knowing that I've got 3 children to look after.
 
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