Week 23 - Hikes Not To Do

Last weekend, two girlfriends and I decided to hike at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park, which would have been a great idea except that we got lost driving up there. I will blame it on the fact that South Park Drive is closed* and not because none of the three of us knew where we were going. It would have been a great day for a great hike. Inspiration Point is paved and wide and very easy going for a pregnant person.

Instead, we found ourselves in the parking lot at Lake Anza with the need to be home at 10:00 am (it was 8:45am at that point). In theory there is a path that goes around Lake Anza so we decided to hike the Anza Trail. I will cut to the chase and point out that I obviously lived, unscathed, to tell about it. But it was tough going because the actual trail has either washed away or has turned into 2 inch deep mud puddles. We ended climbing/hiking on rocks or in mud patches among tree roots. It was slippery and gross.

On the map, this would appear to be a perfect pregnancy hike. It's reasonably short, pretty and even. I felt pretty surefooted most of the way, but I actually had to hold my friend's hand at a couple of points to keep from slipping. That was sort of embarassing. It wasn't until I felt as though I could easily twist an ankle or slip on rocks that I thought, "this is a hike that you shouldn't do pregnant". The obstacles were the kind that would not faze a not-pregnant hiker but present a higher degree of discomfort and lack of safety for a pregnant person. Twisting an ankle may not seem like a big deal, but the effects of being bed-ridden or on prescription pain killers (or the likelihood that you couldn't take them) are exaggerated in pregnancy. It's not a challenge worth the trouble to slog through mud and slippery rock.

This week, we thought we'd try again but it was raining like crazy this morning. We'll try again next week.

*Closed to protect the newt populations during their mating season Nov 1-April1.

Hiking in Marin

A reader was good enough to send me a link to page called Hiking with Babies in Marin County that includes five introductory hikes and hints for making a hike baby-friendly.

I have hiked in Samuel Taylor State Park, but it must not have been the hike listed here as baby-friendly, because I remember it was something of a butt-kicker, and definitely had the word "Devil" in the trail name. That's not an exaggeration (It's Devil's Gulch*). But it's a beautiful park that can be easy to blow through if you are just excited to get to Point Reyes.

*Bay Area Hiker has this review, which calls the trail easy. It's got a 1500 foot gain, which would not be easy with a toddler/baby/swelling belly. And coming down that is even harder. But I agree that for a seasoned hiker, it's probably just a 3 out of 5 or maybe even a 2.

Healthy Hiking and the Pregnant Mama

Since actual hikes have not been in the works*, I thought I should deliver on my promise to summarize what I can about the health precautions that you should consider when you decide to hike pregnant. Despite the fact that exercise is so important to pregnancy, a lot of the writing out there on pregnancy and exercise is dampened by precautions. But first the good news:

General Tips on Pregnant Hiking

Chris Stormann has this helpful article on hiking and camping at Baby Fit, and there is this article on walking at A Healthy Me. Outdoor Places has this general article on hiking equipment (probably more comprehensive than the pregnant-woman-on-a-jaunt needs). The general advice:

Water water water
Snacks
Don't carry a load (or carry a light load)
Stick to level and well-maintained trails
Stick to easy and moderate hikes
Stay cool
Wear walking/hiking shoes

Baby Center has this good article on hiking with your child that has nearly the same advice for hiking with little ones, plus bug spray and patience.

High Altitude Hiking:

Be cautious about hiking at high altitudes. If you're planning to hike at altitudes higher than 6,000 feet above sea level, prepare by starting well below your usual level of endurance for the first several days. If you haven't had a chance to acclimate to the higher elevation, you could be at risk of altitude sickness — reduced oxygen to your body tissues caused by the reduced atmospheric pressure and lower oxygen at high altitudes. Inadequate oxygen flow could endanger your health and that of your baby.

from CNN Health.

When to Stop Exercising

www.befitmom.com has the following "Warning Signs to Stop Exercise and Consult with Your Doctor" on its webpage about contraindicated exercises for pregnant women:

• Significant fatigue or muscle weakness
• Vaginal bleeding
• Leakage of amniotic fluid
• Dizziness or fainting
• Swelling of the ankles, calves, hands, or face
• Abdominal pain
• Severe headache
• Vision problems
• Fever
• Elevated heart rate or blood pressure that doesn’t return to normal within 30 minutes after completion of an exercise session.

* My excuses, and you can dismiss them as lame**, are that it has been raining constantly here this winter, it's very very very difficult to hike with a two-and-a-half year old who does not fit in a backpack anymore, we had to travel to a wedding, we are househunting every spare minute.
** And it is lame, since others manage to do it. Here's a hike review by a dad in AZ with a head cold, carrying a 2-and-a-half year old while his wife hikes 8 months' pregnant. I am so lame. Of course, I would love to hear what his wife thought about the hike.....