Riding & Pregnancy

Riding & Labour

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Chaos

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Hello, I tend to be more of a lurker then a poster as I rarely have something useful to say! But Iam in the final 2.5 weeks of being pregnant & have found that other horsey people will either tell me a) I will def be having a c-section or b) labour will be easier.

So I was wondering if you could share your experiences, I'm keen to avoid c-section but what will be will be! I have stopped riding now, thought i would be able to keep going to the end, but my groin type area proved too painful to even walk let alone after riding. I am still doing stable/field etc.

Thanks :)

P.s First time I have tried doing a poll, so hope it works!
 
Do a search on Google Scholar for some proper evidence and don't let other people freak you out!

The only significant link I could find between method of birth and being a rider is that riders (along with dancers) are more likely to need episiotomies due to their more toned pelvic muscles although keeping your pelvic muscles more toned may lead to a shorter second stage of labour.

Best of luck!
 
Booboos said:
Do a search on Google Scholar for some proper evidence and don't let other people freak you out!

The only significant link I could find between method of birth and being a rider is that riders (along with dancers) are more likely to need episiotomies due to their more toned pelvic muscles although keeping your pelvic muscles more toned may lead to a shorter second stage of labour.

Best of luck!
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I didn't want an episiotomy and resisited but should have had one straight away as no way was 30 + years of riding going to let those muscles give enough to get my first baby out, the two following in later years were a breeze :D Riding does not make it easier.
 
I dont see why anyone would actually choose a C-section especially if they are keen to get back into sport of any kind asap. It really is major abdominal surgery, they dont just cut the skin & find the baby underneath;):)

I required an episiotomy & then needed about a million stitches but it really was no big deal & all healed fine. Riding wasnt a huge problem - I think I left it a month before I re-started. I did have a smear test at 6 weeks & that was NOT ok so obviously it wasnt actually healed but riding wasnt a problem.

I know its dead easy to say & when you are expecting the first its all you think about but honestly dont dwell on labour too much. Be informed about what happens but otherwise a 'what will be, will be attitude' is really advisable. The end result is worth all the pain.

I had to be transferred 80 miles to a hospital capable of doing my episiotomy which was NOT at all fun having been fully dilated for 4 hours & they dont offer epidurals in our region. Ohh what joys & I am pregnant with number 2. Honestly some people really do need their heads examining:eek::rolleyes:
 
p.s word of advice. Do your pelvic floor muscle exercises after the birth as much as you possibly can before you start jumping, particularly XC:eek::D:o
 
Joss said:
I dont see why anyone would actually choose a C-section especially if they are keen to get back into sport of any kind asap. It really is major abdominal surgery, they dont just cut the skin & find the baby underneath;):)
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Because there are other considerations other than getting back into sport quickly?

By the way no birth method guarrantees you a quick recovery. My friend (professional rider so extra keen to get back on) couldn't ride for 5 MONTHS after an episiotomy, whereas I rode 7 WEEKS after a c-section.

Also, modern c-section cuts (unless there is some terrible emergency) are very low and hardly affect the abdominal muscles. Most are done with an epidural as well so hardly major.
 
Joss said:
I dont see why anyone would actually choose a C-section especially if they are keen to get back into sport of any kind asap. It really is major abdominal surgery, they dont just cut the skin & find the baby underneath;):)

I required an episiotomy & then needed about a million stitches but it really was no big deal & all healed fine. Riding wasnt a huge problem - I think I left it a month before I re-started. I did have a smear test at 6 weeks & that was NOT ok so obviously it wasnt actually healed but riding wasnt a problem.

I know its dead easy to say & when you are expecting the first its all you think about but honestly dont dwell on labour too much. Be informed about what happens but otherwise a 'what will be, will be attitude' is really advisable. The end result is worth all the pain.

I had to be transferred 80 miles to a hospital capable of doing my episiotomy which was NOT at all fun having been fully dilated for 4 hours & they dont offer epidurals in our region. Ohh what joys & I am pregnant with number 2. Honestly some people really do need their heads examining:eek::rolleyes:
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OMG! I did not know they had hospitals not capable of doing episotomies?! 80 miles :eek: where were you transferred too - and I didn't realise you were expecting no.2 - congratulations!
 
Booboos said:
Because there are other considerations other than getting back into sport quickly?

By the way no birth method guarrantees you a quick recovery. My friend (professional rider so extra keen to get back on) couldn't ride for 5 MONTHS after an episiotomy, whereas I rode 7 WEEKS after a c-section.

Also, modern c-section cuts (unless there is some terrible emergency) are very low and hardly affect the abdominal muscles. Most are done with an epidural as well so hardly major.
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Happy to stand corrected & bearing in mind my current predicament rather pleased to hear the C-sections are not quite as awful as all my friends tell me!! To be fair all the people I know who have had C-sections have had them as an Emergency at the end of troublesome labours. On the whole is it probably best to not focus on riding horses for a bit when new babies are concerned.

DarkHorseB said:
OMG! I did not know they had hospitals not capable of doing episotomies?! 80 miles :eek: where were you transferred too - and I didn't realise you were expecting no.2 - congratulations!
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Ha, ha yes I know. We do have a hospital with a maternity unit here in Stranraer but it is purely midwife led & cannot intervene in anyway so after many hours of being told I wasnt pushing right & I got transferred to Dumfries. This time I will try to go directly to Dumfries but the trouble is if you go too early you arent allowed a bed & get sent home & if you leave it too late.......... well you have it on the side of the A75;)
 
I opted for an elective section and still feel it was absolutely the right thing for me. I was up and about and able to lift my baby the following day. I only 2 nights in hospital, but felt like I could have gone home after the first night. I was able to drive after 10 days and ride after 4 or 5 weeks although felt a bit weak and 'jiggled' about in trot for a short time. In my opinion being a horse rider aided me with the speed of recovering from the op by having decent core and pelvic strength, and possibly having the mental attitude of 'just getting on with it' that a lot of us riders have.

Even with a natural birth you are advised not to ride/exercise straight after as your muscles are stretched to buggery regardless.
 
I had a pretty gung ho attitude to pregancy and birth didn't plan or worry too much and had a really healthy active pregancy riding for the majority and mucking out the day I was induced however I had an emergency c..... under general anesthetic ..it knocked me completely my recovery seemed so slow at the time but I did drive after a month and was pottering about on my horse after 6 weeks. My body and mind were in complete shock after the c section and I became very frustrated and ultimately depressed by my physical limitations on top of my new arrival, I too was very much about just getting on with it and beat myself up because I couldn't. Don't know what I'd do now, apart from keep my legs firmly crossed ha ha
 
Joss said:
Happy to stand corrected & bearing in mind my current predicament rather pleased to hear the C-sections are not quite as awful as all my friends tell me!! To be fair all the people I know who have had C-sections have had them as an Emergency at the end of troublesome labours. On the whole is it probably best to not focus on riding horses for a bit when new babies are concerned.
Click to expand...

I had an emergency C section after 2 days of labour and was riding the day after my 6 week check-up!

However I still would have preferred a natural birth if I'd had any choice but that obviously wasn't going to happen.
 
Chaos said:
Hello, I tend to be more of a lurker then a poster as I rarely have something useful to say! But Iam in the final 2.5 weeks of being pregnant & have found that other horsey people will either tell me a) I will def be having a c-section or b) labour will be easier.

So I was wondering if you could share your experiences, I'm keen to avoid c-section but what will be will be! I have stopped riding now, thought i would be able to keep going to the end, but my groin type area proved too painful to even walk let alone after riding. I am still doing stable/field etc.

Thanks :)

P.s First time I have tried doing a poll, so hope it works!
Click to expand...


well i asked my MW about this for you today - she said in our locality there are many many riders who continue throughout pregnancy and although she has heard people saying riders/dancers have unyielding pelvic floors/perineums she has seen no evidence to support it. The majority of births locally are in a pool and she said that tends in most cases to counteract any problems that there may be as it softens everything, also their philosophy is to intervene as little as possible, and the number of ladies who actually have to be transferred to a hospital or need any intervention, or even tear is really very very low, whereas in a hospital/medical environment you may be told you need intervention sooner;) and are more likely to tear in a dry environment and flat on your back. The MW's at the local unit to us can however do episiotomys but apparently rarely have to.

dont listen to anyone else's birth experience lol, what will be will be. Have you read the Hypnobirthing book by Marie Mongan? Might be a bit 'hippy' for some,Im not into hypnosis at all BUT a lot of the principles around positive birthing in the book are fab and well worth reading.
 
Natural with no stitches albeit a long labour and needing to be induced. This was nothing to do with being a horse rider. So in summary neither a c-section nor an easy labour. Everyone is different
 
Oh and back on after 10days :)

But I think I rushed that part. Really should have just enjoyed being a mum but put loads of pressure on myself to get back to normal assoon as possible.
 
This has put me off pregnancy for a long while! I really shouldn't read others stories as it scares the living daylight out of me to OH's displeasure when the "child" conversation arises
 
Ridden since I was born- so 31 years, went into hospital at noon, baby arrived by 2.45- would have been allowed home that day but as my first I opted to stay in for 1 night.... 2 stitches and would have been back on a horse in about 4 weeks had I still had one!
I am a firm believer in 'mind over matter' and think keeping fit during pregnancy is v important- I did a 5 mile hill walk the day before I foaled. Ran a 5k on the treadmill the day after my 6 week check up.
Jb x
 
I had an emergency C section as my little one decided to try and come out back to front! To be honest at the time I was gutted because I couldn't ride for at least six weeks - even though I felt able to at around 4 weeks my husband banned me ! She's now 4 months old and I am still struggling to regain my core stability to what it was before. It is major surgery and you have to remember that you won't just be able to pick up where you left off. I have ridden almost every day for a minimum of 1/2hr usually 1hr or more and still don't feel anything like as strong as I was.
You can't drive for 6 weeks after a C section due to insurance so thats another point to consider plus in the first week its difficult to move about.
Given a choice I'd opt for a natural birth if I was to have another purely because of lack of independance!
Good luck x
 
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