Surfing through pregnancy

I'm Rimca, I found out I was pregnant in September 2018, and honestly I panicked! I was looking forward to a winter of constant surfing so I could get more fluent at shortboard riding. So, I’ve been determined to find a way to surf through my pregnancy in our cold UK waters. Here is a summary of my journey so far.

I first tried surfing in 2002 with Birmingham University Surf Society. Since then I’ve been obsessed and surfed whenever I could,get to the sea. I’ve spent most of my life living inland away from the sea. I moved to Newquay, Cornwall, South West England a year ago and have been surfing to my heart’s content since.

To give you an idea of my level of surfing, I can catch most things and go left, right, up and down on a 7’6 NSP minimal; and get the occasional good ride on a short board. I love shorter boards, and have been working to get a faster pop up, but my ride count is a bit hit and miss. Before I became pregnant, 3-4ft was my favourite wave height and I’d sometimes try to get out when it was about a gentle 6ft max. I have a long way to go before being a pro!

First Trimester

Surfing during pregnancy is a very new to challenge to me, and you don’t find much about it. Fortunately, I have a very supportive partner, but we both worried a lot about the impact of surfing on the health of our growing baby. Could it precipitate a miscarriage for example? What happens if I have tumbly wipe out? What if I fall or hit my belly?

One GP told my partner that you can do a lot of sports as you normally would in the first trimester as the uterus moves up from the pubic area from about 15 weeks of pregnancy. So the baby is still quite well protected and small.

However, I faced other challenges as I felt quite nauseous and tired from about half way through my first trimester, including feeling quite motion sick when floating about in the sea! Strangely, but not uncommon (apparently), my nipples would get very painful from the cold sea, so I had to get out as soon as that started happening. Before, it was my hands and feet that told me I was cold! I was also travelling to London for half the time for work, enduring 8 hour long coach journeys, which I found a struggle. I would get wiped from feeling nauseous on the coach and felt I was losing my surf fitness from all the time spent in London. I was given tips such as eating ginger biscuits and wearing these motion sickness bands on my wrists (in the sea too!) which did sort of help. The tiredness was likely the bigger challenge.

We thought it would be a good idea to go to Portugal for 10 days and have the nurturing warmer waters. The warm water sure was a luxury and we loved the food. Although I found myself easily tiring from the early morning car journeys to find the best surf spot. The sea would get very crowded after 10am. I would get very cautious amongst the crowds and when the waves were quite punchy, I was often too frightened to go for certain waves in case I hurt myself or our baby. So I often felt I was unable to surf, and wished I was in the familiar, mellow waves on our doorstep in Cornwall! I was craving familiarity and comfort.

We had our first scan at 12 weeks and this reassured us that baby was very healthy in there. In hindsight, perhaps I could have gone for more waves.

I did do my best to keep my fitness up through the gym and home exercises as I had done before. It was all more of an effort being tired, but definitely important to keep it up to ensure I stayed fit during pregnancy. Perhaps through staying active, the nausea was better than it could have been.

I did some internet research about surfing through pregnancy. The first thing that comes up on a google search is

"There are a number of reasons why surfing during pregnancy is a bad idea, if not dangerous. Pregnant women should avoid holding their breath, falling, taking a hit, mild abdominal trauma and waist twisting actions, all of which occur frequently when you are surfing.”

This was a bit discouraging to see at first but following that were a good few articles full of tips. One I found encouraging was a month-by month video blog of pro-surfer, Holly Beck surfing through her pregnancy. https://saltwatermama.com/tag/surfing-pregnant/ Although she was in warm waters without a wetsuit and already had the skills of a pro, it told me that it was possible. It was also important to give it my best go, and share my experiences with others through this blog.

There wasn’t much on the internet about cold water surfing through pregnancy, but a few mothers shared their experiences of cold water swimming, and some swimmers had still been doing tumble turns throughout pregnancy. So tumbling lightly after a mild wipeout in cold water should be all right!

After the internet search, I really wanted to find other women who were pregnant and surfing in Cornwall. My midwife had mentioned that she had worked with ladies that surfed through their pregnancies, even in the winter, but I hadn’t met any myself! So I searched and reached out to the Facebook Group ‘Kernow Surf Girls’ and asked if anyone had any tips. I wrote:

“Hey surfing girls! I'm about a third way through my pregnancy and still surfing. Any lovely ladies currently surfing through their pregnancies or have done? How far through did you surf? What do you do about winter wetsuits when the bump gets bigger? I'd love to hear any tips you have!!!!”

The responses I received were positive, encouraging and a mixture of experiences, including ladies who had surfed throughout their pregnancies and over winter:

“I didnt surf but I swam in the sea during pregnancy. In early winter I just stuck to my summer suit as very stretchy. It stretched over bump till I was about 6 months. After that I was a bit too fat (I had a giant bump) and wasn't sure about how cold I should be. Went for a float in the pool then lol  

“Getting a bigger suit a good idea if cheap or second hand. I didn’t see the point in getting a new one for a few months. I’m not totally sure on the cold but I was very anxious as a pregnant lady! I also had SPD in my later pregnancy and had to slow down on exercise anyway. Everyone’s different and you could well be able to surf all through”

“Hey Rimca, I was surfing up until about 35 weeks. Once I got to about 28 weeks I swapped to a foamie and surfed a little less, just in small uncrowded conditions. Really really enjoyed sharing waves with my bump and as long as you’re comfortable with doing so then carry on as long as you like. I was heavily pregnant through the summer so didn’t have the issue of thicker neoprene. But I did buy a summer suit in a size bigger. In winter suits I might even go two sizes bigger especially in second hand suits with less stretch. I paddled with my weight on my chest and knees. This makes it pretty hard to breathe in the later stages but so do most things haha. Also when I was very big and the waves were slightly larger (2 ft) I got my husband to paddle out for me and I just swam. Keeping vaguely paddle fit has helped me get back in to it too. Now, I don’t surf loads but have averaged once a week since he was 5 weeks. I’m pleased with this as his Dad works away from home during the week so no one to handover to. But once the days are longer and he’s back for after work sessions I should be surfing quite a lot.”

“My friend surfed pretty much through the whole pregnancy, just letting her wetsuits stretch with it. I wanted to do the same, but didn’t get that far”

Second Trimester

My second Trimester started in November. Luckily the nausea and tiredness passed and I started to feel more normal. Also, my work in London had come to a temporary end so I was able to spend more time surfing. I did feel I had lost a lot of surf fitness and worried I wouldn’t be able to get it back. Although after a couple of weeks of surfing, my paddle strength came back and I could catch waves again on the short board! Fortunately, our 20 week scan showed that baby was very healthy.

Just goes to show that you can increase your fitness and strength throughout pregnancy – for some reason I had it in my head it was a downward spiral! I’m still doing 2 chin-ups and 5 pressups a day as they are good for paddle strength. I’m careful to do these gently and in small amounts, as too much can cause ‘diastasis recti’. I met a lady at a friend’s gymnastics class, who specialised in pregnancy fitness. She advised to do whatever exercises felt comfortable, but to regularly check for ‘diastasis recti’ and if I noticed it, to cut out these exercises that do use a lot of core strength. Diastasis recti is when the abdominal muscles separate during pregnancy. Here is a page I found useful to know more about it, with a video showing you how to check for it. https://wellnessmama.com/60398/diastasis-recti/

Unfortunately, about 2 months into my second trimester, I started having dizzy spells about an hour after eating breakfast. It started after a bowl of porridge, but then also happened after lighter foods like a milk shake or cereal. They'd happen when I was sitting and it made morning surfs quite difficult as I was worried about fainting in the water. My doctor said it was normal for blood pressure to be at its lowest in the second trimester. I wasnt missing out on much surf as mostly it was onshore in January and February. So I decided to try timing it so I went for surfs after the dizzy spells had passed. For a morning surf, I'd set my alarm and eat an hour and a half before setting off. If the surf was better in the afternoon or late morning, it was much easier.

I started showing with noticeable bump around 20 weeks and have had to adapt my surfing somewhat.

Paddling: I’d feel a lot of discomfort and pressure if I lay too much on the bump, so adopted a paddling posture where I’d rest mainly on my breasts and knees with my bum more in the air. It did make paddling quite exhausting initially, but the more I did it, the more I got used to it. I did get quite breathless when I was paddling in this position over longer distances or through long paddle outs requiring lots of duck-diving. I’m hoping as the bump gets bigger, I too will gradually adapt with it.

Board type: Bigger boards are great for needing less paddle power to get into waves earlier, so you can pop up more slowly, but I found them more uncomfortable to lie on as they sit very horizontally on the water. I do think that board choice is a personal preference. I found shorter boards more comfortable to lie on as they sink slightly, taking the pressure off the belly. So now I use my partner’s 5’8 wide fish for the more offshore days and a 5’6 foamie for the less windy and onshore days. I am quite small at 5’2, weighing 8 stone before I got pregnant. I do love the foamie more as it feels safer being softer. Shortboarding does mean I’d get into waves a bit later than with a bigger board and I’ve been working on putting my chin down on the board when the wave comes, kicking, and being in the right spot, so that I don’t have to paddle as hard.

Pop-up: It has been tough popping up, as I can’t spring up as quickly on the shortboard and have a thick winter wetsuit to contend with. My feet hang off the end of the board and I’m careful not to bounce off my belly. So I’ve gone back to crawling up the board to get to my feet, but crawling up as fast as I can! I’ve tried to adapt my pop up a bit and I'll soon share a video of the adapted version if I find it works!

Duckdiving – This hasn’t really changed much and comes as a welcome break from lying on my stomach when paddling out!

Falling – when coming off a wave or wiping out, I make sure I fall backwards when I can and roll up into a protective ball otherwise.

Wave choice and conditions: I choose mellow days, preferably around 2-3ft, 4ft at a stretch. I don’t go for closeouts, fast or hollow waves for the time being. I also tend to go at quieter times which are usually early mornings and weekdays.

Baby On Board Rash Vest – my partner had this custom made for me as a present so that people would look out for me in the water.

     In conclusion I feel our bodies in pregnancy are capable of a lot more than I had believed. Our ancestors likely hunted and gathered throughout their pregnancies and carried food and water over long distances. Babies are also in a very protective, warm fluid sack, and likely need very high impact trauma to harm them. It is important to listen to our bodies, however, and I’ve been taking each day as it comes. I may have to stop surfing earlier through my pregnancy or be able to carry on throughout. We shall see and I’ll keep you posted.

Third Trimester

I entered my third trimester in the middle of February 2019. By now, I'd had a few weeks off surfing as it was either too big or too messy. I felt I'd become an unfit blob and my bump had definitely got bigger. Still I didnt expect to be as knackered as I was when I returned to the water. It was tough - even the paddle out in 2 foot surf was an exhausting eternity where my legs and arms felt like they'd given up. When I walked back up the hill, a 5 minute trek home, I found myself so puffed I had to stop every 30seconds.  

I was perplexed and didn't know what had suddenly happened to my body. My midwife told me I was borderline anaemic and gave me some iron tablets that were playing havoc with my bowels and I would get dizzy 40 minutes after breakfast most mornings. I had to find a way round it and by trial and error I learnt that surfing soon after food or before having any food at all in the morning both made me tired. So, I decided to go 3 hours after having breakfast (so I had my predictable dizzy spell well before going for a surf) or 3 hours after lunch. I timed my eating according to the surf forecast, meaning if I wanted to get in the water at 9am, I had to eat breakfast at 6am, and luckily this worked!! I found myself having more energy for surfs. It was still tiring paddling around with my head down and bum in the air, but a lot more manageable, and I could walk back up the hill!

I learnt that my body is changing a lot during pregnancy, and it is possible to adapt around it, and likely, everyone's body will behave differently, needing their own adaptations.

7 months down the line and wow, it is getting harder. We had a couple of weeks of big onshore conditions so I took to swimming to maintain my fitness. I tried to go every other day and swim 60 lengths each time in the 25m pool. For some reason my legs weren't too keen to kick a lot, so I did many of the lengths with paddles or a pullboy. I'm happy I did as I feel my arms still have it in them.

So after a couple of weeks of swimming, I returned to the water with a bigger bump. Paddling with my bum in the air is getting more tiring. I understand why many women give up after 7 months as lying on the board is more uncomfortable. I tried an 8ft board but found it a lot more uncomfortable than my smaller boards. Still determined to keep going although the winter wetsuit does feel more arduous and walking back after a surf is even more tiring on my legs. So now I really take my time - I give myself time to paddle out, only choosing smaller more manageable conditions and give myself time to sit on the beach after a surf, before I walk back. Although I'm used to pushing myself, now really is the time to take it easy!

Another tip - make sure you are well hydrated before a surf. This was definitely related to my energy levels.

33 weeks: I was going in 2-3 ft conditions for about a week, and felt like I was getting used to it. Still hard work, but then on the 7th day of good surf, I found myself absolutely exhausted. I'd had to park a 10 minute walk (pre-pregnancy 5 minutes!) from the beach and was completely knackered that I didnt have the energy to get into the water once I'd got there. I felt very disheartened, but learnt to take the day off and rest. I realised that some days I just had more energy than others, perhaps as baby was going through a growth spurt. I just had to go with it. I really noticed the extra energy moving in a 5/4 wetsuit uses! The following day, I took an 8ft foamie into knee high conditions. I was paddling around balanced on my knees, though found it hard to have the momentum to catch waves that way. So, I did my bum in the air posture just when I wanted to catch something. Although I do find it tricky and slow to pop up, it made for a relaxed surf.

35 weeks: A positive change seems to be happening after a few days of regular surfing...I feel 'used to' being pregant and surfing, more energetic and fitter in the water. I still wouldnt brave more than a 2-3ft surf, but I didnt expect to feel better! I was expecting a downward spiral where it got harder and harder. I suppose anything is possible.

36 - 38 weeks: The energetic days continue. Perhaps it's the nesting instinct. My bump has got considerably bigger and I'm finding it much slower to pop up, catch waves and paddle along. I think the weight of the bump further back is creating more drag in the water as I paddle and try to catch waves, so I've tried to adjust my position but find it quite hard to get it right. I feel safer with a shortboard as I can duckdive it, but don't ride waves anymore as my pop up is very slow. Still good to go and splash about in the water though. However, I did take my 8ft foamie out and it gave me lots of time to get up (a crawl up these days) and have some rides. I thought lying on it comfortably would be much harder but after a couple of sessions I got used to my bum-in-the air position but just had to make sure my head was down to make it comfortable enough. Is a bit of an effort carrying it to the beach so I only take it if I'm parked close enough, without steps to contend with or have my husband to carry the board for me!

The emotional side: I see myself as quite an ambitious surfer, although not one that picks it up very quickly. I do need lots of time in the water. So the journey through pregnancy has been challenging as I've been less able to surf in the conditions I'd like or be able to do new things. I found it sad when I couldn't pop up anymore, had to stick to safer small conditions, and had days when I was too exhausted to go in the water. I've learnt to adapt as much as I can, hopefully encouraged other pregnant ladies to continue surfing, and started really enjoying just being in the sea, duckdiving or just catching a wave without getting up! I did experience a bereavement of my former independence and know life won't be the same again. Though I know something beautiful is coming, that I am experiencing the priveledge of carrying a baby in my womb and get to experience the intimacy of childbirth. These things my husband can only experience so far. It is different for men as their bodies don't change like a woman's does. My husband has been able to surf the same as he has always done and been progressing, and we go out in different conditions now. I did envy him, though he has been very understanding and has his own challenges to face when it comes to becoming a father. Although I have no idea what to expect I remind myself of the magic and honour that comes with being a parent and that gets me through when I feel a bit down about my surfing.

Wetsuit – I found it important that I stayed warm during the winter months and got a warm Patagonia wetsuit. I probably don’t stay in the water as long as I used to and get out as soon as I start to feel a bit cold. The wetsuit should last in size for most of my second trimester. Cold car park changes are more of a no no and I drive back in my wetsuit with a thick fleece and waterproof trousers as to not get the seat wet! I went to the wetsuit makers, ‘Snugg’ and they said they’d adapt my wetsuit when I’m bigger, by inserting panels either side of the belly and will take them out after I’ve given birth – all for a reasonable price that’s way cheaper than buying a new suit!
My Patagonia is still fitting pretty well in my 7th month of pregnancy. Malcolm from Snugg advised me that they stretch a lot but as it's a good quality suit, will still retain it's original shape. He said getting into a wet wetsuit (under a hot shower!) helps it to stretch more and the time to change it would be obvious as it'd feel very uncomfortably tight.
The suit isn't too tight now but in preparation, a male friend sold me a relatively new Snugg suit. The extra length and room around the belly gives lots of leaway for my growing bump, and Snugg offered to just bring in the neck, arms and armpits as the rest fitted fine. Again for a very reasonable price! 

After Birth

Much medical advice says that you should return to more strenuous exercise from about 5-6 weeks after birth. I’m preparing myself for this, by staying as fit as I can when I can and maintaining myself with more gentle supportive exercises such as swimming and yoga when I can’t go surfing. There is a lot of pregnancy yoga about and it is a fantastic way to meet other mums.

So we will have a baby that will require all our attention...how will we fit in time for surfing? My partner and I will likely play tag-team when he’s not working. We don’t have lots of money for a babysitter, though it is an option. Another solution is setting up a babysitting club with all the mums I’m meeting through yoga and antenatal classes. We’ll all need short breaks from baby-care to do the shopping; go to the gym; surf (although I havent met many surfing pregnant ladies yet..even when wearing the rash vest!); or have an evening with our partners. Perhaps we can help each other out and look after each other’s babies from time to time. http://www.sit4sit.com/ is a free website that allows you to set up a babysitting circle and track the hours everyone in the group is spending sitting for others. That is a start and I’ll crack on to get it set up!