elizabethadventuresblogBeing pregnant doesn’t mean you have to put hiking on the back burner. Hiking pregnant is definitely a different and more challenging time, but worth it! I hiked my first son’s entire pregnancy and am still hiking during my current pregnancy. I did take safety measures, discussed my activity level with my OB to make sure it was okay and made sure I was listening to my body well. The difficulty, length and elevations I hiked changed throughout my pregnancy, but I made it a priority to keep moving because getting outdoors was so important to me.
Below I’ll share some tips I learned to make hiking pregnant easier on myself and how to make sure you’re being safe on trail.
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Staying Hydrated While Hiking Pregnant
This is easily one of the most important things you need to think about while hiking pregnant. Staying hydrated is so important when you aren’t hiking so throw in the physical activity and possible heat, you will need to consume more water than you would on a normal day. A normal, non-pregnant person is advised to drinks half a liter for every hour of hiking. Throw in elevation, temperature and pregnancy and it will be even more.
Because you need to consume so much more water you will want to think about your specific hike and the logistics of how to consume enough water. Do you need to carry extra water bottles? Is there a place to filter with a water filter? Can you bring a larger water bladder? Only you can answer these types of questions based on the type of hike and time of year. I personally always used this water bladder because it held 3 liters of water. I then always packed my water filter to resupply when I could or needed to.
Another thing I always packed with me were a form of electrolytes to help keep me hydrated and energized on the trail. I personally use these Clif Bloks because I prefer them over the drinks, which make me feel nauseous.
For me, I would regularly drink water but found as the temperatures drop in fall and winter I needed to remind myself to drink. Using a mental or physical timer to remind yourself to drink can be a useful tool and something I have used.
Fuel Your Body While Hiking Pregnant
Just like you need to be mindful of staying hydrated, you need to make sure you’re consuming food to keep up your energy. You do not want to put your body in a calorie deficit while pregnant and you’ll need fuel to keep you going more than normal. Pack plenty of snacks for the specific hike you’re doing and always have more than you think you’ll need.
Try to stick to nutritious snacks and meals and not feed your body excessive sugars or unhealthy items. You still want to make sure you’re getting proper nutrition for you and baby during this special time.
My go-to trail snacks:
- GoMacro protein bars
- Clif Bloks
- Trail mix
- Dried mango
- Jerky
- Fruit leather bars
- Salty pretzels
- Sandwich or bagel
Elevation Gain When Hiking Pregnant
Elevation gain may quickly become one of your biggest challenges when hiking pregnant. Elevation gain will cause your heart rate to rise and your lungs to work harder. Both are more challenging on your body during pregnancy. I was able to continue doing significant elevation hikes through 6 months pregnancy, but I did find myself needing to stop for breaks more that last month.
After I hit 6 months I slowed down my hiking greatly, which thankfully lined up perfectly with fall hiking coming to an end and winter arriving. I naturally don’t do long or overly difficult hikes in winter as they are often not as accessible. Every pregnancy will be different so listen to your body and slow it down when you feel it’s necessary. You may make it through 9 months hiking more difficult hikes or you may stop at 3 months. Neither is wrong or right over the other. If you need to slow it down, do so.
Slowing down my elevation gain meant sticking to hikes under 1,000 feet of elevation gain and under 5 miles. As my pregnancy continued I lowered my elevation gain limit even further as it became more tiring than enjoyable. But I kept walking and hiking multiple miles until the end of pregnancy.
How Much is Too Much When Hiking Pregnant??
This is truly an individual answer. Only you and your care team know what is too much for you. Listen to your body. Turn around if you need to. Take all the breaks you need. Stick to easy trails if that’s what your body is telling you. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone during this time because you are already doing such an amazing thing- growing a little human inside of you.
At the end of the day taking care of yourself and your little baby is the most important thing. You can still be hiking pregnant and taking it easy. Stick to shorter trails if that’s what suits you best. Just because someone else is hiking a certain way during their pregnancy doesn’t mean you need to as well.
Pregnancy Friendly Clothing
For the most part I didn’t purchase much clothing for pregnancy unless it was regular clothes I could fit into while pregnant. Don’t feel like you have to purchase a ton of maternity clothes to continue hiking. I purchased a few pants and tanks to wear as a base and nothing else. I wore clothes I already had that would still fit as well as my husband’s outerwear as I had a January baby and was large by the colder months. With that said, there were a few pieces I bought and loved.
Maternity leggings
These were a must for me as I didn’t want to ruin my normal leggings once my belly really grew after 6 months and I wanted comfortable pants for winter. I purchased two brands to try and these Zella maternity leggings. Having comfortable pants that fit you while hiking is truly so nice when you’re pregnant and these ones are amazing!
Support belt
I was able to get a support belt for free through my insurance, so be sure to check what benefits yours offers! I didn’t use this until the last month or two of my pregnancy, but it really made hiking more comfortable. It provided support to your back as your belly continues to grow.
Tops
I have two tops that I love wearing when I go hiking pregnant. The first is my nursing friendly wool base layer by Iksplor. It is not technically a maternity shirt, but I have been able to fit into it just fine throughout pregnancy and love that it is something I can continue to use when I am breastfeeding on trail. They also have a sun shirt in long sleeve and short sleeve. You can use my code Elizabethadventures for an additional 10% off all regular and sale prices. And a bonus is they carry base layers for kids, so you can snag some base layers for your baby too!
Another piece I love and have in two colors in my All Phase Fleece by Explore Wildelore. This fleece is hands down the warmest one I own and easily the most beautiful piece. It is designed to be worn throughout pregnancy with side zippers to fit your growing belly. It is then nursing friendly so you can continue to use it postpartum too! Elizabeth10 for 10% off your order. They don’t offer sales or discounts often, so use this code to be sure to snag a little discount!
Things to pack for Hiking Pregnant
- For the most park, you don’t necessarily need to pack anything different than you would prior to being pregnant. You do need to make sure you have the appropriate amount of water as well as fuel. Always carry the 10 essentials so you are safe on trail, which you can learn more about here. Another piece I always bring on trail that can be extremely helpful when pregnant is a satellite communication device. If you were to get in trouble or need help off trail, it would allow you to communicate out of cell service. I use this Garmin InReach Mini and cannot recommend splurging on it for your safety enough.
- Plenty of snacks for keep you well fueled. It’s important to keep consuming calories so you aren’t going into a deficit. Your baby still need you to consume food so they can continue to grow healthy. Pack calorie dense foods since you will be burning extra calories than a normal day.
- Water! You need to make sure you are consuming enough water on your hike. It is recommended to drink at least 64 ounces of water a day. While you are out hiking you need ot make sure you are drinking well above the minimum recommendation. This means carrying extra water or using a water filter to resupply throughout the hike.
Hiking Pregnant Reminders
- Always discuss your physical activity levels and desires to hike with your OB. They know your medical background and pregnancy risks. You can always seek a second opinion, but be sure to listen to their advice as they know what risks you would impose with certain activities.
- Hiking pregnant is very much doable but that doesn’t mean it’s not difficult or challenging. Hikes you may cruise through may feel more challenging. You may need more breaks as your lungs have less space to expand and your heart is working extra hard pumping extra blood through your body. This is normal! The farther into pregnancy you get the more challenging hiking can be as well.
- Make sure to properly fuel your body with food and water. Staying on top of calories consumed and your water intake is so important no matter what, but especially while pregnant. Take care of your body and your growing baby.
I hope this guide helps you feel confident getting out there and hiking pregnant! No matter the difficulty or length of your hike you should feel proud for getting out there because being pregnant throws a new level of challenge and exhaustion to hiking. If you have any further questions or want to share your experience after, please leave a comment below!
Happy Hiking,
Elizabeth
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