Saturday, September 17, 2011

Look! It's a whale on a bike!

I have a confession. I'm 33 weeks pregant and I'm still commuting to work by bike. And I love it.

Saturday, Blob and I were stopped at a light on our ride back from breakfast.  Our friends drove by yelling out the window: "Look!  It's a whale on a bike!"  (They meant me)  I was thrilled.

Starting the morning commute--33 weeks pregnant

Most women probably wouldn't be too happy to be referred to as a whale (on a bike or elsewhere).  But I should explain: I've been desensitized.  Completely.  From the day the pregnancy test came out positive, Blob immediately began the baby whale jokes.  Note: I hadn't gained a pound by this point, nor would I for at least 4-6 more weeks!  I also don't have any body image issues and he knows me well enough to know that I'd find it hilarious, rather than be offended; 7.5 months in, it still cracks me up.

Anyway, I'm still commuting to and from work by bike.  I should explain that my commute is only two miles. It's pretty flat and mostly on bike paths or with protected bike lanes. I've also slowed down quite a bit, though still get excited if I manage to pass people! And also, as a child, more of my waking hours were spent on a bike than off, so I feel pretty stable and comfortable on bikes.  It's also an incredibly stable bike--kind of like a tank.

I know some nervous people may have trouble with this, but I tend to be less risk-averse than the average person. I'm not in risk-denial, but I don't sit still well and don't like the idea of being overly cautious when the risks are minimal. I'm still capable of doing quite a bit. And, I feel so much better after any small bit of exercise that I couldn't imagine denying my body or my baby that feeling.  Of course, I continuously assess the risks of riding and will be honest with myself if I start to feel wobbly, but until that point, I'm going to keep riding. And keep loving it.

I had to stop running at 22 weeks due to some issues with my feet. While I love running and hoped to be one of those people who ran through the 8th month, I gave it up when my body told me it was done. While walking also exacerbates my feet issues, I still walk quite a bit, but that doesn't provide the same effect. So I swim and do prenatal yoga and ride my bike to and from work.

Even though biking is still physically comfortable, I'm having a really hard time bending over to roll up my pants!

1 comment:

  1. Wait. You "love" running? Wow. Up until now, I totally thought you had the motherhood thing in the bag, but running? Seriously.

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