We all have the best intentions at heart when we talk to our pregnant friends. But at times, the words that come out of our mouths are just not right and sound condescending. In this piece, we’ve put together a list of things that you should never say to your adventurous friend who’s pregnant.
Don’t do that!
This one the most common and it usually comes from people who have no medical qualification to support their statements. They cannot really decide which activities are safe for the mom-to-be. There are pretty good chances that an active and healthy expecting mom is working closely with her doctor to pick an activity that is suitable for her condition. Being pregnant doesn’t mean that you’re sentenced to be a couch potato. A pregnant woman can still go out and do her thing with some guidelines and tips from her doctor.
Sell your hiking gear now because you won’t get to see it for the next two decades!
Well, people think they’re being really funny when they say this to expecting mothers but take it from us, it isn’t. The same is applicable to women who are cyclists, climbers, backpackers and skiers. Basically, any woman who is athletic, sporty and has a taste for thrills. What you should understand is that just because someone is having a baby doesn’t mean that their life is over. Unless, of course, the person wants it to be that way.
As the saying goes, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’ and adventurous women will make it happen for themselves no matter what.
I’ve lost my running buddy!
Or riding, climbing, trekking and skiing buddy. The list can go on and on and while that’s happening, you can perhaps ponder over how hurtful this statement is. Of course, a mom-to-be has to take things easy, but if she’s on track with everything, she can still get out there and kick ass. And if she can’t make it, no one is as worried about missing the fun outdoors as she is.
The least you can do is be supportive of her and tag along whenever she gets the chance to go out. Or, you can simply find other activities that you can still do together.
Looks like you might just pop!
As fun it may sound to say that out loud, it isn’t for the mom-to-be who the statement is aimed at. They know how they look (at least the parts of themselves that they can see anyway). As it is, they’re already concerned with the way they look before they gain another 30 to 50 pounds, with a bunch of extra hormones, trying to get into clothes and failing miserably at it. Be considerate and just stick to saying ‘you look beautiful’ or ‘you’ve got a healthy glow about you’.
Just. Be. Nice. Period! We assure you, no pregnant woman who likes working out has ever ‘popped’.
Your baby will be so good at (climbing, cycling, running, skiing)
Scientifically speaking, this doesn’t really happen as there’s no connection between a mother’s activities during pregnancy being inherited by the child. The child will have to learn all the outdoor activities from the scratch and only that will decide how good they will be at biking, hiking, climbing, etc. Nonetheless, what’s important for a good pregnancy is a mother who is both happy and active!
So, with this we wrap our list of things that you should steer clear off when talking to a pregnant woman with an adventurous streak. Friends of expecting women should be positive and supportive and also encourage them to stay active within means of course. In fact, you can direct them to a personal trainer in London! That way, you can rest assured that they are getting their pre and post natal activities under professional guidance.
Soon enough, your friend will be back, ready to take on as many adventures as she can, now that she has to make up for all the limitations during pregnancy.