Rollerskating at 10 Weeks?

[orange_mommy]

My friend is having a rollerskating party for her daughter's bday. I don't rollerskate often so if I go I am likely to wipe out at least a few times. I'm at 10 weeks. At this point, is falling on one's butt unsafe? Would I be best not to participate, or is falling at this point not so much an issue?

[~Adorkable~]

I'm not usually a worry wart about activiities, that said I think I would skip rollerskating, I'm even semi ok at it, but when I fall it is really jarring. My niece has had a few roller skate parties and depending on how the rink is set up, I have seen many folks enjoy the group and not actually skate.

[lillymonster]

I would vote no, only because I broke my arm in 3 places roller skating. Even if the baby is safe, I would not want to deal with broken bones while pregnant or anything else that might happen. Unless you are padded, but I broke my lower arm from falling on it on my side, I doubt pads would have helped. I honestly wouldn't worry about injuries that would affect the baby, I'd worry about myself more!

[LauraN]

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[Ruthe]

Everyone is different, but for me even early on, my joints start to loosen up; so it is easier to turn my ankle if I step wrong, or sprain (and possibly break) something if I fall. So that is a consideration.
I think it is very unlikely you'd fall in such a way that the baby could be harmed, but if you injure YOURSELF and need an xray, painkillers, (or, heaven forbid, surgery) during pregnancy, THAT would be upsetting. I know it's unlikely but the possibility would probably worry me so much I'd prefer sitting it out and watching.
That said, my sister broke her foot coming down some stairs and tripping, in her last trimester, and had to cope with that, so I suppose it could be said that doing ANYTHING is a risk, but roller skating probably puts you at slightly HIGHER risk. My sister's baby was breech position and she had a c-section, which is possibly coincidental to the ijury or possibly due to walking around in her "boot" the last trimester (hips uneven.)

[rhiOrion]

This is coming from someone who put on her skates at 38 weeks pregnant: I wouldn't do it.

Well, *I* would do it, because I can't remember the last time I fell skating unless I was doing something stupid. But, if you can't skate, I wouldn't.

Just like I wouldn't have tried to ride a skateboard or snowboard or anything else like that.

So, basically my answer is that it depends on your level of ability.

[nova22]

If you were really good at rollerskating, maybe; if you haven't gone much, I'd say no. I don't know about you but my coordination goes down the drain when I'm pregnant. I spin my own yarn and when I was in my first trimester I couldn't do it at all, I kept breaking yarn and setting up the wheel wrong, etc. That wasn't a risk to the baby so it was no big deal, just frustrating but I'd be very wary to try roller skating at any point. Sorry...I know it won't be as fun to sit out! If you have other kids who can't skate maybe the owners will let you hold their hands while you walk with regular shoes; I went to a rink once that allowed that so kids wouldn't be falling all over the place.

[MegBoz]

Originally Posted by lillymonster

I would vote no, only because I broke my arm in 3 places roller skating. Even if the baby is safe, I would not want to deal with broken bones while pregnant or anything else that might happen.

Right. It's extremely unlikely that you falling would damage the baby in any way - it's more an issue of you hurting yourself (& then being faced with needing meds to fix you!)

That said, it's not that difficult to be safe skating. My DH taught me to rollerblade. First &foremost - ALWAYS BE FLEXED AT THE HIP & KNEES. ("flexed at the hip" means you lean slightly forward from your hip - 'hinging' at that hip joint so you're upper body is slightly inclined forward. This does NOT mean to "arch your back!" Keep your posture still inline. Basically, it's the start of a "dead lift" exercise, if you're familiar with that.)

This will make sure that IF you fall, you always fall forward rather than back & that's much safer. (won't smack your head or damage your tail bone.)

Wear wrist guards to protect your hands & wrists.

I think you'll be OK. Of course, if you feel your coordination is off or your joints are loosening, then don't go - but listen to your body. I NEVER had my joints or coordination adversely affected. Taught yoga as well as step & boxing aerobics up until 38 W (& then I only stopped because I wanted to sleep in!)

[MaerynPearl]

yeah... if I was skating several times a week pre-pregnancy, I would probably be very comfortable about it.

However, I havent skated in YEARS, theres no way!

[laughymama]

Nope. I wouldn't. But I'm not a great skater. I'm guaranteed to wipe out 20+ times.

I also feel my joints and hips loosening up very early on in my pregnancies so I'd be worried about rolling/spraining/breaking my ankle or getting a knee injury.

I am also uncoordinated in general. So skating while pregnant is just a disaster waiting to happen for me.

If I were more skilled and skated regularly I would not hesitate.

[orange_mommy]

Originally Posted by Ruthe

Everyone is different, but for me even early on, my joints start to loosen up; so it is easier to turn my ankle if I step wrong, or sprain (and possibly break) something if I fall. So that is a consideration.

Ha, so true! I have noticed joints cracking occasionally in the past few weeks and getting out of place really easily. I haven't rollerskated in many many years so I'm thinking I better sit this one out! Thanks for the advice everyone! I was SO paranoid about EVERYTHING through my first pregnancy, that with this one I'm trying to be more open minded about things, but I also want to be smart and safe!

[CherryBomb]

I went skating early in my pregnancy, but I was a skating junky when I was a teen and I don't fall down unless someone runs into me or something I go pretty fast, too...but if I hadn't skated in a long time or knew I'd fall a lot, I'd probably skip it. I doubt very much you could hurt the baby, but like some others said, you could hurt yourself and need xray or painkillers or something.

[rerratron]

I played roller derby right up until I got pregnant, and of course put my skates away once I got the positive test results.

I'm now 16 weeks, and after finding a wonderful, very knowledgeable midwife I thought "what the heck," and asked about some light skating. She said that at this point in my pregnancy, even on the off chance that I fell flat on my stomach, the baby and placenta would be FINE. Our bodies are more than capable of knowing what to do and what's best. When it does become riskier in a few months, my balance will be off and my body will TELL ME that it's not a good choice.

We find so much information and MISinformation when it comes to pregnancy. You really have to trust your practitioner and YOURSELF. Don't buy into the fear and guilt trips. Use your logic and resources and ask yourself what the REAL risk is in these types of situations.