Pregnancy and winter horse routine

[MarvelVillis]

I'm currently 20 weeks pregnant with my first baby (due Feb) and I've been thinking about how I'll manage being heavily pregnant in the depths of winter sorting the horse out, as well as the logistics of bringing a new born to the yard with me (when I'm able to).

My gelding will be coming in overnight from beginning of Nov until end of April, and I think I'll have a couple more months of sorting him out without any extra help before I get too big. My livery yard offers a turnout/bring in service which I think I'll utilise when I need to. I found out at my 20 week scan that my placenta and cervix are too close together, which apparently can be common, but have advised not to do any heavy lifting from now on. I assume I will still be ok to muck out but will have to ask someone else to tip the muck out on the muck heap for me (not such a bad thing I guess!) I plan on (with the help of my OH) filling a weeks worth of hay nets at the weekend and he can top up his straw bedding once a week.

When I'm around my due date, the other liveries have offered to help out which is really lovely and my mum has too. It's hard to make a plan without knowing what recovery time I'll need but will just have to play it by ear.

When baby is here, I plan to have them with me in a sling, and think they would fit under my Equidry with how big it is! I've not looked into slings as yet in terms of what types are the best but if anyone has any recommendations that would be great.

Would be interested to hear from others about how they managed and if anyone has any tips for managing horses during pregnancy and with new borns too.

 

[Abacus]

Great that you are at a lovely yard where people will help. Of course you have to listen to the professionals about how much you can manage, some keep riding until very late, which is a personal decision on how you feel and how safe your horse is. I rode till 38 weeks the first time but only about 20 weeks the second, because the horses I had were very different. Although it's boring, do have a plan B in case you can't for any reason manage - whether it's your yard network or paying for extra help.

Baby Bjorn slings are good and can be used from very tiny. I used to get my son to the yard, feed him, mess about with him (sometimes in the back of my lorry) until he was tired, and then walk him in the pushchair until he slept. That bought enough time for a quick ride or lunge. You have to park it somewhere safe of course.

 

[MarvelVillis]

I really wanted to carry on riding, but had a fall from my gelding just before I found out I was pregnant, so decided not to. He's only 5 and although really well behaved on the whole, he has his moments like all youngsters do so felt it was best to stop. He's now being ridden once a week by my instructor to just keep him ticking over until I can ride again. Counting down the days though as I'm desperate to get back on!

 

[Abacus]

Much safer with a 5 year old. The quiet time won't harm him.

 

[SusieT]

If you can I'd find somewhere with 24/7 turnout e.g. retirement livery for 6-12 months to allow you to not have to do the heavy work + bond with baby without needed to trek out to muck out in wet/cold.

 

[Barton Bounty]

Sounds like you have a lot of it worked out already ? take your friends help ? I mucked out all the way through and others tipped it for me. When he was born I had a sling for walking to the field and bringing in but not for mucking out, left him in his rocking car seat for that and popped him just at the stable door. A sling for out is far too heavy on the back even though its just a teeny baby

 

[alsxx]

I carried on until the day I was admitted for an induction with my first. Own yard with no help, I had roughed them off quite a bit but was still mucking out etc and going down twice a day. And actually my daughter was born Feb 1st (but went almost 2 weeks over) so I finished working at Christmas and that was easier as I could saunter down in the mornings if I was tired, rather than rushing to cram it all in before work. I was commuting into London back then too.

I did leave mine out for about 2 or 3 weeks once baby was here... I couldn't drive and was in a lot of pain, so be aware if things are not straightforward the after baby is born can be the hardest part. Likewise a sling is the last thing you want to be wearing if you've just had a c section, even if you are up and about quite easily. I had a section with second which was a walk in the park compared to the first 'natural' delivery, and was driving at 10 days... but couldn't wear baby in a sling for a few weeks after that (and she was teeny).

I had a pram at the yard, second hand, and she went in that or in car seat, all wrapped up. Most of the time her morning nap coincided with yard time. It was when they both got older it became harder ?

 

[Palindrome]

The sling might not be safe in the first few months if you are handling a young horse (if the horse was to strike out or push you you might fall over, etc...) as the baby's head is very fragile because the bones aren't closed.
The toughest for me was after the birth, as I was exhausted and recovering/had stitches, fortunately my horse was turned out 24/7 the first time and I put him on part livery the second time.