So, you’re expecting a baby? Congratulations!
Pregnancy, some who have already gone through it and many who haven’t will tell you, is the most wonderful time of your life — an experience that will transform you and make you glow. That rosy picture is, of course, quickly obliterated by a long list of things you can’t do while you’re pregnant.
For 40-odd weeks, you won’t be able to drink too much coffee (if any; your morning sickness might fight you every step of the way), lift heavy boxes, clean cats’ litter boxes, or eat deli meats. And that’s just the start.
Is boating out, too? Fortunately, no.
Since boating can take countless different forms, let’s start with one obvious piece of advice — don’t pick your third trimester to do a trans-Atlantic solo sailing trip. As long as you follow that tip, along with some other important considerations, going on a boat while pregnant is completely safe.
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Tips for Boating While Pregnant
“Boating” is a broad concept. Boating can mean traveling by boat, but also captaining or powering one. Boating can involve anything from dinghies to cruise ships, and water sports like kayaking, rowing, sailing, and even water-skiing are an integral part of the boating world, too.
Not all forms of boating are safe while you are pregnant — use your judgment.
Before you head off on a wonderful trip filled with fun and safe activities, it’s important to examine how your pregnancy may impact your plans — and what you need to consider before going boating.
Boating During Early Pregnancy: Morning Sickness
More than half of all pregnant women experience morning sickness, also more accurately called pregnancy nausea (because it definitely isn’t limited to the morning!), during the first trimester of their pregnancies. It usually kicks off around the sixth week, and can last well into the second trimester.
This, unfortunately, also means that pregnant women are likely to suffer from increased motion sickness. Even if you never got seasick before your pregnancy, you might feel rather nauseous now. Morning sickness doesn’t have to top you from enjoying your life and going boating, but it helps to take some precautions:
- Larger vessels, which are more stable, reduce the risk that you’ll feel nauseous. Going boating on a larger vessel also makes your seasickness less awkward if it does strike.
- Calmer waters are another good idea.
- Take some essential supplies with you — some small plastic garbage bags in case you do have to vomit, some bland crackers, and plenty of water.
Keep Your Shifting Center of Gravity in Mind on Your Boating Trip
As your baby grows, and you begin “showing”, your center of gravity will also shift. This can make you unusually clumsy, as you are unfamiliar with your new and constantly-changing body and your sense of balance is off.
For this reason, it’s important to remain a passenger — don’t be an active part of the crew, as you would normally be, to avoid falls and slips. Stay seated while on the water, unless you are on a large and stable vessel. Even in that case, stay away from the edge.
Choosing an Appropriate Maternity Life Jacket
Life jackets are an important part of staying safe while boating — but the life jacket you depended on before you got pregnant won’t fit you anymore now, and it’s not a good idea to simply wear an XL men’s life vest, either.
Dedicated maternity life jackets are not yet on the market, but many that could pass for a maternity life jacket are. If you’re a keen boater, it won’t be a waste of money, but a ticket to many fun trips during your pregnancy. You have some good options now, and they include O’Brien Women’s Impulse Stohlquist Women’s Cruiser.
Don’t just buy your life jacket online; you will want to be able to try it on to ensure that it is a good fit for your changing body. You are aiming for a life jacket that does not compress your growing bump — which can be dangerous — but that fits well around your shoulders. Some life jackets have straps between the legs, and this can prevent a life jacket that is slightly too large from malfunctioning, should you need it.
- ENHANCED COMFORT AND SAFETY: The O'Brien Women's Impulse Life Jacket is meticulously designed to provide optimal comfort and safety for women, ensuring you can enjoy your water adventures worry-free.
- PREMIUM QUALITY: Crafted from top-quality neoprene, rugged nylon and lightweight foam, this life jacket is built to last, making it an investment in your safety and enjoyment on the water.
- TAILORED FOR WOMEN: Experience a perfect fit with its women-specific design, ensuring a snug and comfortable feel that complements your style and body shape.
- US COAST GUARD APPROVED: Rest easy knowing that this life jacket is fully approved by the US Coast Guard as a Type III PFD, meeting stringent safety standards for all your aquatic activities.
- FASHION MEETS FUNCTION: The stylish colors and patterns not only keep you safe but also make a fashion statement while you're out on the water. Elevate your water adventures with the O'Brien Women's Impulse Life Jacket for skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, PWC and boating!
Boating During Pregnancy: Preparing for Emergency Situations
Emergencies can always happen, and that’s true whether you are pregnant or not, so boating is always safer with a first-aid kit and someone who knows how to use it, or an onboard medical clinic. What additional steps do you want to take to stay safe while boating during your pregnancy, in case of an accident or early labor?
Consider:
- Always carrying not just a cellphone, but also a radio to be able to reach the emergency services.
- Staying close to shore, especially if you are boating at any point during your third trimester of pregnancy.
- Being aware of the locations of nearby hospitals, so that you know where to go if you believe you need immediate assistance or have gone into labor.
- Avoid high-speed boating during your pregnancy, for the simple reason that it increases the risk of impact injuries.
- Stay away from large waves for the same reason.
Staying Hydrated While Boating During Your Pregnancy
It is surprisingly easy to become dehydrated on a boat, particularly if you are enjoying long hours on the deck in hot and sunny weather. Dehydration is certainly never fun, and never good for your health, but the implications of suffering from dehydration during a pregnancy can be far more serious.
Even mild dehydration can cause the amount of amniotic fluid in your uterus to dwindle, and in more extreme cases, dehydration can even trigger preterm labor.
Keep sipping on your water bottle, and watch out for signs of dehydration like dizziness, thirst, and dry skin.
Avoid Sunburn During Pregnancy
If you are a boating enthusiast, you will already know how important it is to avoid sunburn. You may not, on the other hand, be prepared for the fact that your skin is more sensitive to the sun’s harmful UV rays during pregnancy. Another thing you can blame those pregnancy hormones for!
Yes, that does mean that you will burn faster than ever before. Not only are sunburns always risky, but they also increase your risk of dehydration even further.
How can you counteract your increased risk of sunburn while boating during your pregnancy? Use a mix of old and familiar tricks and brand new, pregnancy-related, ones:
- Buy a high-quality broad spectrum sunscreen — a sunscreen with a high SPF that will protect you against UVA and UVB rays.
- Cover as much of your skin as possible, and choose clothing made of fabric with UV protection where possible. Include a wide-brimmed hat and a good pair of sunglasses.
- Plan ahead, so that your boating trip does not take place during the day’s hottest hours. You can’t beat a nice early-evening boat trip!
- On a cruise, make sure not to stay on the deck for too long.
Where Appropriate, Seek Medical Advice Before You Go Boating
Not every pregnant woman has to ask her doctor for permission before going boating. In fact, most can safely enjoy boating without ever telling their doctors about it, but there are some exceptions.
If your pregnancy has been classed as high risk, you should always talk to your OBGYN before engaging in any type of unusual activity — including boating. Describe what you are planning to do on your boating trip, and get the green light before you do it. If your doctor tells you that it’s safe to be on a boat but it’s better not to lift anything heavy, simply adjust your plans a little.
Are you planning to go boating during your third trimester? While it’s perfectly safe to spend a few hours on a yacht close to shore right before your baby is due, longer trips further from shore do require more consideration.
Look at it this way — commercial airliners will allow pregnant women to fly up to the 36th week of their pregnancies. The longest non-stop commercial flights barely last 17 hours, however. If you’re planning to go on a cruise, you will spend far longer than that away from the safety of your home, and the risk of you going into labor will increase incrementally. That’s exactly why many cruise operators won’t accept pregnant women past their 24th week.
If you are planning a longer boating trip, ask your doctor whether your boating trip is a good idea ahead of time, just in case.
Lifting Heavy Gear While Pregnant
If you love the boating lifestyle, you’re probably used to being an active part of a crew. You will want to continue being useful now. Keep in mind, however, that pregnant women should not, ideally, lift anything heavier than 18 lbs before the 20th week of pregnancy. After 20 weeks, that limit drops to 13 lbs.
Why, you wonder? As your body gears up for labor and birth, your hip joints loosen, and your risk of injuring yourself increases. Additionally, heavy lifting may increase the risk of preterm birth, especially if you use incorrect techniques to lift objects.
The take-home message? Don’t do any heavy lifting if you’re boating during your pregnancy. Let someone else bear the load for you.
Boating During Pregnancy: Are Water Sports Safe?
Are you an active person, and are you planning to keep that up during your pregnancy? Let’s take a look at some things to keep in mind:
- Kayaking. Many women go kayaking during the first trimester of pregnancy, if they are feeling up to it. Into the second trimester, only go kayaking if your OBGYN says it’s OK, if you kayak in extremely calm waters, and if you have a buddy with you. If you are a total beginner, don’t pick up kayaking during pregnancy!
- Tubing. Tubing, or floating the river, is one of the safer water sports you can engage in while you are expecting a baby — but only so long as you stick to calmer waters.
- Water-skiing. Water-skiing is not safe during pregnancy, and in fact strongly discouraged by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists due to the potential risk of a vaginal air embolism as well as due to fall risk. Don’t do it.
- Fishing. Fishing while pregnant is a safe activity, so long as you have a comfortable and safe seat.
Boating During Pregnancy: Safe and Fun, as Long as You Take the Right Precautions
As soon as you become pregnant and share your happy news with the world, people start treating you like you’re made out of glass. That fact becomes immediately apparent if you’re planning to continue leading an active and outdoorsy lifestyle during your pregnancy. Everyone and their dog will raise eyebrows if you mention that you are hoping to go hiking, cycling, hunting, or boating.
Soon enough, your own paranoia sets in — and if you are a first-time parent-to-be, you’ll be wondering if it would be better to stay home and watch TV. The answer is usually “no”. Are you a healthy mom enjoying a healthy pregnancy? Are you not due to give birth any minute now?
Active hobbies that are generally considered safe for non-pregnant people will usually be safe for you, too, often with a few adaptations and precautions. That very much includes boating.
As a pregnant woman, you can safely go on a boat, as long as:
- You’re not doing anything dangerous, like white-water rafting.
- You apply common sense and listen to your body.
- You stay close to shore.
- You don’t get yourself stuck on an ocean for weeks on end (see also: cruise) toward the end of your pregnancy.
- You come prepare with a first-aid kit. Yes, communications equipment that allows you to reach the emergency services is an essential part of that.
Got all that down? Great. Have fun! Boating is awesome, and pregnancy doesn’t change that!
