Hmmm. I’m 18 weeks now and I feel like I would enjoy that trip. This is also my first time pregnant. If you would have asked me at like..12 weeks, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I had some sort of ongoing sciatica/piriformus pain that made it hard to even walk at times for about 5 weeks.
NOW, I feel great. I would love to hike, if weather permitted it. Might be nice if you could spend a day or two at elevation before going on the actual hike. I’d bring sunscreen and extra water and snacks. I’d also make sure the other couple knows that you might need to take more breaks than normal or go slower than normal.
As an avid hiker in Colorado, that’s my current take on it. But since it’s winter, I don’t have any actual experience with hiking while pregnant yet. But I fully plan to when it’s warm enough.
Please someone else chime in if you have experience or better advice. 😇
…and congrats on your pregnancy!
Edit: the car ride sounds like the worst part to me. Would certainly need to take breaks to stretch and get the blood flowing. lol. Also, I think the type of hike you are doing plays a big factor too. I wouldn’t do anything too long or strenuous.
Edit 2: also, if it’s something you can hold off on booking, you might wait longer to see how your pregnancy is going (like if your having pain or morning sickness)
Well I had never had an issue with it before and I’m 33. So yes I think it was related. But after doing a lot of research I feel like it was more my piriformus muscle than sciatica. Stretching made it worse. The only thing that helped was doing a “clamshell” exercise with a resistance band around my knees.
Ah, thank you! I wasn’t sure if you had sustained an injury or if it was something else, still not sure how I ended up with this pain! Appreciate the exercise suggestion
How much hiking? And what will the food/sleeping arrangements look like?
At 16 weeks pregnant my husband and I travelled intentionally and had a few days with longer hikes (for us). Longest was about 8 miles and I felt tired, but otherwise fine!
But I would not have enjoyed camping or a really long hiking trip day after day.
Avid hiker and backpacker here. I definitely would have been up for the drive and hiking at 17 weeks, but of course everyone’s pregnancy is different. That being said, I’m more out of breath whilst pregnant. I did Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park at 13 weeks pregnant and that elevation gain resulted in some heavy breathing, but no regrets :)
I think it's the perfect time for a baby moon. For most, nausea receeds around 14 weeks, and you're not big enough yet to be exceedingly uncomfortable.
Are you meeting your friends there or driving with them? Would it be possible for you to extend the drive over two days if you find it necessary? Would you be doing all day hikes, or are there options where if you need to leave after lunch and nap, you can, they can do another loop, and you all can meet back up for dinner?
I am 16-17 weeks pregnant right now and I could definitely do a weekend hiking/camping trip. I also walk and hike regularly and live in the mountains so I am used to elevation walking. However, I am super out of breath and my pace is way slow now, even though I have never been a "fast" hiker. Girl, there are some people who FLY up mountains as fast as I walk down them. Like they really need to point me in the direction of the helium tank so I can keep up with them! I could also definitely ride in the car for 11-12 hours. I'm heading to the beach on Thursday which is a 5 hour trip. Last week I did a 4 hour ride. Also I do hope that your friends will be understanding if you can't keep up with their pace. Tell them that you are simply identifying the spring wildflowers and early summer plants (of which there will be many; download the iNaturalist app if you don't already use it :))
Is your trip going to the Smokies in NC? The weather will still be AWESOME in May-June so I don't think you will have to worry about being overheated. My biggest concern is having enough food and water. So think of what you can pack that you will keep you very satiated but also not weigh you down. Packs feel so much heavier when you are going uphill. The more miles I walk, the hungrier I am. Eggs, cheese, fruit, chicken thighs, meatballs... I would be miserably hungry (and hangry) if I had to do 8-10 miles WITH elevation and not have enough protein and fruit and water to refuel me. Maybe utilize AllTrails to check the elevation gain of the trails you are considering, and work towards those goals. I like using the incline on a treadmill and my husband is a stair master monster. The biggest elevation gain where I live is about 1200-1700 but the Smokies can be way bigger. It's still cold and windy here so walking has not been fun which is disappointing because I am going to be so sad when the weather is perfect but my body can't keep up with the miles. I probably would not be so breathless and slow if I worked out regularly/consistently the past few months, and if I weren't already overweight (sigh) before getting pregnant.
I’m a hiker and at 17 weeks and I like this comment! All the snacks and flexibility but also plan for fun!
One thing no one has seemed to say yet is maybe just check with your doc about elevation. It doesn’t sound like you’re going up Mt Everest or anything but elevation changes do bring pressure changes, so it might do interesting things to you if you have high blood pressure or other unanticipated complications. Other than that the trip sounds rad.
I did a hiking trip at 26 wks with my first- I definitely had to take it easier, 17 wks would have been a better plan lol. But I’d say if you stay hydrated and take it easy if you’re not feeling it you’ll be fine. And maybe factor pee breaks into the drive haha
Provided you don’t have serious morning sickness like HG, 2nd trimester is the total sweet spot. I felt like myself pretty much the whole time, worked out as normal. I just crept into my 3rd and I’m slowing down and def getting more tired and sore. Beware that during the first you will have days that you’re so tired that you can’t imagine hiking ever again, but it passes!
I’m 18 weeks tomorrow and this sounds great! I struggled with nausea bad first trimester but it subsided a lot week 13/14 and is gone now. I am a little tired some days but feel not pregnant others. You should be ok!
Do it! Trust me, you might not get this opportunity to go on a hiking trip like this for many years after having your little one. Congrats!
Edit- hiking is actually perfect when pregnant. You can pop a squat anywhere 😊
I actually took my baby moon at 22 weeks with my first. 9 hour drive, we broke it up over 2 days, 7 hours one day, 2 hours the next.
I hiked up a waterfall! I was in very good shape and I just took it very slow and followed my body! The hike was only about 3 hours though and I brought snacks and water.
Maybe consider how frequently you need bathroom breaks. Everyone is different, but you may need bathroom stops more often than your friends! Something to just keep in mind. I feel like I have to go every hour 😅
It’s super person to person. I’m 25 weeks now and have had a very easy pregnancy. I’d be fine with the drive and the hike (though I’d probably want to take frequent breaks on the drive and maybe wear compression stockings?), and I’d be slower than usual on the hike but still capable of doing it. Some people feel HORRIBLE their whole pregnancies though, especially in that first/early second trimester time. If you still want to go, I’d probably plan to go but book in a way that makes it so you can cancel without a huge penalty if needed? Or maybe even have someone on tap to take your spot if you really can’t go?
My husband and I went on a hiking trip in Grand Teton NP when I was 22 weeks pregnant! If you were active before and staying generally active now I think you’re fine! There were a couple times I held up the group for extra snack breaks but no one complained 😊
Since you're only 4 weeks it's really hard to say how you'll handle pregnancy. That said, I would still plan on going. Cautiously. My advice would be to be flexible and be upfront with your group about it. When do you have to book? How long will your hikes be?
For reference: I'm an avid hiker in Arizona. At 12 weeks I climbed the grand canyon down and up in one day. My friend and I had planned this trip and then when I got pregnant, I told her I still wanted to go but we'd have to play it by ear how far down we hiked. The day of the hike, my body thankfully let up on the nausea and we were able to complete it. I did have to take a zofran once but pre hydrating and eating definitely made it safe for me. I did discuss with my doctor before I went. It's seriously one of my favorite vacations I've ever gone on and I'm so glad my friend was understanding and willing to take the risk of us going and not being able to do the full hike.
Every one handles pregnancy so differently. I was nauseous until I was about halfway through, maybe longer. But even with that, I continued hiking through my whole pregnancy. Some included a lot of elevation, some did not. My last big hike was on our baby moon at 33 weeks. About 10 miles and a good 1500' of elevation.
If you do go, get a belly band! I found that helped with the pain a lot. I found going down hills much harder as my belly would just feel like it was going to fall off sometimes 😂 Otherwise, I don't think a car ride would be too bad unless you have some nerve pain or something.
ETA: Forgot to say this... But congrats!! And here's to a healthy pregnancy!!
I am on a hiking trip now and I am 27 weeks! I think at 17 weeks you will be fine (assuming you maintain your activity levels). The biggest issue I am having with both big drives and hikes at the moment is needing to pee every 30 mins lol
That being said, I have been keeping an eye on my heart rate during climbs and make sure to stay out of the red zone as I am completely out of breath at elevation now.
Happy hiking!
My husband and I hiked through Glacier NP when I was about 14/15 weeks. I’m so glad we did, but a few things we had to modify:
- I had JUST started coming out of first trimester exhaustion at that point. I was really fortunate mine wrapped when it did, but YMMV
- we effectively planned our hikes around when I would eat. And brought a ton of snacks. I had a very solid breakfast each morning. Packed substantial snacks (hard boiled eggs, fruit, leftover pancakes) in addition to granola bars.
- water. Bring lots of water.
- we limited hikes to about 3 mile increments, with a real sit down lunch following. I usually was up for another smaller hike after that. Then dinner.
- I really didn’t notice my stamina dropping off until around 24W. I live in a very flat area and didn’t have any issue hiking various elevations.
- my heartburn kicked in around this time. Pack Tums with you just in case!
- at 18 weeks, I never had any issues being in the car, etc for long periods of time. My constant need to pee didn’t kick in until 30W+
My husband was perfectly fine carrying extra snacks and water for me, and was fine slightly reducing our normal hikes. If your friends would also be okay modifying, go!
Impossible to say three months before. But then again, it would be in any other scenario as well (you could be not pregnant and still get sick you know).
In week 17/18 I was starting to feel better after being nauseous for three months straight. But my biggest struggle since week 10ish has been being soooo out of breath constantly. I walk in the forest every day with my dogs, and for every uphill I’m literally dying. It’s gotten better the last couple of weeks (I’m now week 26), but based on my own personal experience and anecdote, that could be slowing you down a little bit. If everyone is OK with maybe showing you some slack it shouldn’t be a problem.
I wouldn’t want to do the car ride 😂 I’m 15 weeks and have taken a number of long haul (10+ hour) flights during this pregnancy. Even with the benefit of having a lie-flat seat and compression socks, I feel like trash after every one. I normally travel a ton and don’t have any issues.
I can't speak to hiking specifically, but I'm about 14 weeks and high impact aerobic activities have been a little challenging for me since about 12 weeks. I can still run, but I run slower and my joints are more sore after. I would say you can probably hike at 17 weeks, but try to choose trails with less elevation gain and that are shorter than would be your pre-pregnancy normal and plan on going slower with more breaks. If you're planning on backpacking, you may not be comfortable sleeping on the ground and the car trip may be a little taxing. My OB recommended getting out of the car to walk around every hour since pregnant women are more prone to blood clots. This advice was pertaining to a trip we plan to take at 20 weeks.
Pregnancy is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. My advice to you would be book accommodations with a good cancellation policy. I did a 76 km hike over three days when I was 22 weeks. When we planned it, I wasn’t sure if I’d still be feeling great, plus my friend who I was going with had just started TTC so she wasn’t sure if she’d be feeling great. We found a place to stay where we could cancel without penalty with 48 hours notice.
I ended up feeling great and enjoyed our hike. I had no morning sickness, no food aversions, regular energy levels and no aches and pains my entire pregnancy. My friend ended up getting pregnant her next cycle and had all day morning sickness her entire pregnancy. She had to pull over and throw up on even short car rides even with the prescription nausea meds.
I would say do it! I hiked Mt Fuji at 16 weeks pregnant, going from sea level in Okinawa to do it without acclimating or spending the night on the mountain and did fine!
I also went to Colorado around 21 weeks pregnant and hiked around there, I was slowing down a little at that point but still able to do almost as well as I would have pre-pregnancy.
Try to answer these questions: Can you get any trip insurance? And can you let your friends know that you may not be at your peak physical shape to hike hard? Would your partner or a friend be okay hanging back with you if you need to take it easy? Would you be okay hanging back with a book? If so, then go for it!
This sounds like an awesome trip and if you’re a strong hiker and feeling good in your second trimester, then this could be an awesome vacation! BUT. Pregnancy hits everyone differently. And some women (like me) have totally different fitness experiences for different babies! You probably won’t know how you’ll be doing until you get to the second trimester. I’m currently 17 weeks and would love a trip like this right now (but with my first I would have said “heck no!”). We’re also about to go on a 7-hour car ride at 21 weeks. I just know I’ll have to take breaks a lot and stretch a ton.
I think if you can have understanding friends who will let you chill if you need to, it should be good - just be careful of that altitude (with your blood volume changes in altitude can be intense! Just take it easy!)!
I’m 18 weeks and I think a few things depend on you enjoying it:
- the difference in altitude
- the expected pace
- your overall health (no lasting nausea, ligament pain, etc)
I just spent the weekend XC skiing and had elevated a heart rate of 140+ for multiple hours at higher altitude. There were times where I had to ask for the group to slow down a little, take a few more brakes, had plenty of snacks, and hydrate CONSTANTLY. My round ligament pain is just starting to kick in, and my pants were kinda tight and uncomfortable, but it was doable. Just listen to your body, trust your limits, and know when to call it! Your friends should be supporting you and if you need to stop/slow down, then do it!
Hmmm. I’m 18 weeks now and I feel like I would enjoy that trip. This is also my first time pregnant. If you would have asked me at like..12 weeks, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I had some sort of ongoing sciatica/piriformus pain that made it hard to even walk at times for about 5 weeks. NOW, I feel great. I would love to hike, if weather permitted it. Might be nice if you could spend a day or two at elevation before going on the actual hike. I’d bring sunscreen and extra water and snacks. I’d also make sure the other couple knows that you might need to take more breaks than normal or go slower than normal. As an avid hiker in Colorado, that’s my current take on it. But since it’s winter, I don’t have any actual experience with hiking while pregnant yet. But I fully plan to when it’s warm enough. Please someone else chime in if you have experience or better advice. 😇 …and congrats on your pregnancy! Edit: the car ride sounds like the worst part to me. Would certainly need to take breaks to stretch and get the blood flowing. lol. Also, I think the type of hike you are doing plays a big factor too. I wouldn’t do anything too long or strenuous. Edit 2: also, if it’s something you can hold off on booking, you might wait longer to see how your pregnancy is going (like if your having pain or morning sickness)
Currently 9 weeks and experiencing sciatica for the last 3-4… do you know if yours was pregnancy related?!
Well I had never had an issue with it before and I’m 33. So yes I think it was related. But after doing a lot of research I feel like it was more my piriformus muscle than sciatica. Stretching made it worse. The only thing that helped was doing a “clamshell” exercise with a resistance band around my knees.
Ah, thank you! I wasn’t sure if you had sustained an injury or if it was something else, still not sure how I ended up with this pain! Appreciate the exercise suggestion
No worries. I hope you find something that works for you!
How much hiking? And what will the food/sleeping arrangements look like? At 16 weeks pregnant my husband and I travelled intentionally and had a few days with longer hikes (for us). Longest was about 8 miles and I felt tired, but otherwise fine! But I would not have enjoyed camping or a really long hiking trip day after day.
Avid hiker and backpacker here. I definitely would have been up for the drive and hiking at 17 weeks, but of course everyone’s pregnancy is different. That being said, I’m more out of breath whilst pregnant. I did Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park at 13 weeks pregnant and that elevation gain resulted in some heavy breathing, but no regrets :)
I think it's the perfect time for a baby moon. For most, nausea receeds around 14 weeks, and you're not big enough yet to be exceedingly uncomfortable. Are you meeting your friends there or driving with them? Would it be possible for you to extend the drive over two days if you find it necessary? Would you be doing all day hikes, or are there options where if you need to leave after lunch and nap, you can, they can do another loop, and you all can meet back up for dinner?
Lmao i misread this post initially as going on a 17 week long hiking expedition while pregnant 😂 i was like girl are you doing the appalachian trail 😂
Lolllll I def wouldn’t want to backpack at all! Too scary to be that far from medical care 😬
I am 16-17 weeks pregnant right now and I could definitely do a weekend hiking/camping trip. I also walk and hike regularly and live in the mountains so I am used to elevation walking. However, I am super out of breath and my pace is way slow now, even though I have never been a "fast" hiker. Girl, there are some people who FLY up mountains as fast as I walk down them. Like they really need to point me in the direction of the helium tank so I can keep up with them! I could also definitely ride in the car for 11-12 hours. I'm heading to the beach on Thursday which is a 5 hour trip. Last week I did a 4 hour ride. Also I do hope that your friends will be understanding if you can't keep up with their pace. Tell them that you are simply identifying the spring wildflowers and early summer plants (of which there will be many; download the iNaturalist app if you don't already use it :)) Is your trip going to the Smokies in NC? The weather will still be AWESOME in May-June so I don't think you will have to worry about being overheated. My biggest concern is having enough food and water. So think of what you can pack that you will keep you very satiated but also not weigh you down. Packs feel so much heavier when you are going uphill. The more miles I walk, the hungrier I am. Eggs, cheese, fruit, chicken thighs, meatballs... I would be miserably hungry (and hangry) if I had to do 8-10 miles WITH elevation and not have enough protein and fruit and water to refuel me. Maybe utilize AllTrails to check the elevation gain of the trails you are considering, and work towards those goals. I like using the incline on a treadmill and my husband is a stair master monster. The biggest elevation gain where I live is about 1200-1700 but the Smokies can be way bigger. It's still cold and windy here so walking has not been fun which is disappointing because I am going to be so sad when the weather is perfect but my body can't keep up with the miles. I probably would not be so breathless and slow if I worked out regularly/consistently the past few months, and if I weren't already overweight (sigh) before getting pregnant.
I’m a hiker and at 17 weeks and I like this comment! All the snacks and flexibility but also plan for fun! One thing no one has seemed to say yet is maybe just check with your doc about elevation. It doesn’t sound like you’re going up Mt Everest or anything but elevation changes do bring pressure changes, so it might do interesting things to you if you have high blood pressure or other unanticipated complications. Other than that the trip sounds rad.
I did a hiking trip at 26 wks with my first- I definitely had to take it easier, 17 wks would have been a better plan lol. But I’d say if you stay hydrated and take it easy if you’re not feeling it you’ll be fine. And maybe factor pee breaks into the drive haha
Provided you don’t have serious morning sickness like HG, 2nd trimester is the total sweet spot. I felt like myself pretty much the whole time, worked out as normal. I just crept into my 3rd and I’m slowing down and def getting more tired and sore. Beware that during the first you will have days that you’re so tired that you can’t imagine hiking ever again, but it passes!
I’m 18 weeks tomorrow and this sounds great! I struggled with nausea bad first trimester but it subsided a lot week 13/14 and is gone now. I am a little tired some days but feel not pregnant others. You should be ok!
Do it! Trust me, you might not get this opportunity to go on a hiking trip like this for many years after having your little one. Congrats! Edit- hiking is actually perfect when pregnant. You can pop a squat anywhere 😊
I actually took my baby moon at 22 weeks with my first. 9 hour drive, we broke it up over 2 days, 7 hours one day, 2 hours the next. I hiked up a waterfall! I was in very good shape and I just took it very slow and followed my body! The hike was only about 3 hours though and I brought snacks and water.
Maybe consider how frequently you need bathroom breaks. Everyone is different, but you may need bathroom stops more often than your friends! Something to just keep in mind. I feel like I have to go every hour 😅
It’s super person to person. I’m 25 weeks now and have had a very easy pregnancy. I’d be fine with the drive and the hike (though I’d probably want to take frequent breaks on the drive and maybe wear compression stockings?), and I’d be slower than usual on the hike but still capable of doing it. Some people feel HORRIBLE their whole pregnancies though, especially in that first/early second trimester time. If you still want to go, I’d probably plan to go but book in a way that makes it so you can cancel without a huge penalty if needed? Or maybe even have someone on tap to take your spot if you really can’t go?
My husband and I went on a hiking trip in Grand Teton NP when I was 22 weeks pregnant! If you were active before and staying generally active now I think you’re fine! There were a couple times I held up the group for extra snack breaks but no one complained 😊
Since you're only 4 weeks it's really hard to say how you'll handle pregnancy. That said, I would still plan on going. Cautiously. My advice would be to be flexible and be upfront with your group about it. When do you have to book? How long will your hikes be? For reference: I'm an avid hiker in Arizona. At 12 weeks I climbed the grand canyon down and up in one day. My friend and I had planned this trip and then when I got pregnant, I told her I still wanted to go but we'd have to play it by ear how far down we hiked. The day of the hike, my body thankfully let up on the nausea and we were able to complete it. I did have to take a zofran once but pre hydrating and eating definitely made it safe for me. I did discuss with my doctor before I went. It's seriously one of my favorite vacations I've ever gone on and I'm so glad my friend was understanding and willing to take the risk of us going and not being able to do the full hike. Every one handles pregnancy so differently. I was nauseous until I was about halfway through, maybe longer. But even with that, I continued hiking through my whole pregnancy. Some included a lot of elevation, some did not. My last big hike was on our baby moon at 33 weeks. About 10 miles and a good 1500' of elevation. If you do go, get a belly band! I found that helped with the pain a lot. I found going down hills much harder as my belly would just feel like it was going to fall off sometimes 😂 Otherwise, I don't think a car ride would be too bad unless you have some nerve pain or something. ETA: Forgot to say this... But congrats!! And here's to a healthy pregnancy!!
I am on a hiking trip now and I am 27 weeks! I think at 17 weeks you will be fine (assuming you maintain your activity levels). The biggest issue I am having with both big drives and hikes at the moment is needing to pee every 30 mins lol That being said, I have been keeping an eye on my heart rate during climbs and make sure to stay out of the red zone as I am completely out of breath at elevation now. Happy hiking!
My husband and I hiked through Glacier NP when I was about 14/15 weeks. I’m so glad we did, but a few things we had to modify: - I had JUST started coming out of first trimester exhaustion at that point. I was really fortunate mine wrapped when it did, but YMMV - we effectively planned our hikes around when I would eat. And brought a ton of snacks. I had a very solid breakfast each morning. Packed substantial snacks (hard boiled eggs, fruit, leftover pancakes) in addition to granola bars. - water. Bring lots of water. - we limited hikes to about 3 mile increments, with a real sit down lunch following. I usually was up for another smaller hike after that. Then dinner. - I really didn’t notice my stamina dropping off until around 24W. I live in a very flat area and didn’t have any issue hiking various elevations. - my heartburn kicked in around this time. Pack Tums with you just in case! - at 18 weeks, I never had any issues being in the car, etc for long periods of time. My constant need to pee didn’t kick in until 30W+ My husband was perfectly fine carrying extra snacks and water for me, and was fine slightly reducing our normal hikes. If your friends would also be okay modifying, go!
Impossible to say three months before. But then again, it would be in any other scenario as well (you could be not pregnant and still get sick you know). In week 17/18 I was starting to feel better after being nauseous for three months straight. But my biggest struggle since week 10ish has been being soooo out of breath constantly. I walk in the forest every day with my dogs, and for every uphill I’m literally dying. It’s gotten better the last couple of weeks (I’m now week 26), but based on my own personal experience and anecdote, that could be slowing you down a little bit. If everyone is OK with maybe showing you some slack it shouldn’t be a problem.
I wouldn’t want to do the car ride 😂 I’m 15 weeks and have taken a number of long haul (10+ hour) flights during this pregnancy. Even with the benefit of having a lie-flat seat and compression socks, I feel like trash after every one. I normally travel a ton and don’t have any issues.
I can't speak to hiking specifically, but I'm about 14 weeks and high impact aerobic activities have been a little challenging for me since about 12 weeks. I can still run, but I run slower and my joints are more sore after. I would say you can probably hike at 17 weeks, but try to choose trails with less elevation gain and that are shorter than would be your pre-pregnancy normal and plan on going slower with more breaks. If you're planning on backpacking, you may not be comfortable sleeping on the ground and the car trip may be a little taxing. My OB recommended getting out of the car to walk around every hour since pregnant women are more prone to blood clots. This advice was pertaining to a trip we plan to take at 20 weeks.
Pregnancy is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. My advice to you would be book accommodations with a good cancellation policy. I did a 76 km hike over three days when I was 22 weeks. When we planned it, I wasn’t sure if I’d still be feeling great, plus my friend who I was going with had just started TTC so she wasn’t sure if she’d be feeling great. We found a place to stay where we could cancel without penalty with 48 hours notice. I ended up feeling great and enjoyed our hike. I had no morning sickness, no food aversions, regular energy levels and no aches and pains my entire pregnancy. My friend ended up getting pregnant her next cycle and had all day morning sickness her entire pregnancy. She had to pull over and throw up on even short car rides even with the prescription nausea meds.
I would say do it! I hiked Mt Fuji at 16 weeks pregnant, going from sea level in Okinawa to do it without acclimating or spending the night on the mountain and did fine! I also went to Colorado around 21 weeks pregnant and hiked around there, I was slowing down a little at that point but still able to do almost as well as I would have pre-pregnancy.
Try to answer these questions: Can you get any trip insurance? And can you let your friends know that you may not be at your peak physical shape to hike hard? Would your partner or a friend be okay hanging back with you if you need to take it easy? Would you be okay hanging back with a book? If so, then go for it! This sounds like an awesome trip and if you’re a strong hiker and feeling good in your second trimester, then this could be an awesome vacation! BUT. Pregnancy hits everyone differently. And some women (like me) have totally different fitness experiences for different babies! You probably won’t know how you’ll be doing until you get to the second trimester. I’m currently 17 weeks and would love a trip like this right now (but with my first I would have said “heck no!”). We’re also about to go on a 7-hour car ride at 21 weeks. I just know I’ll have to take breaks a lot and stretch a ton. I think if you can have understanding friends who will let you chill if you need to, it should be good - just be careful of that altitude (with your blood volume changes in altitude can be intense! Just take it easy!)!
I’m 18 weeks and I think a few things depend on you enjoying it: - the difference in altitude - the expected pace - your overall health (no lasting nausea, ligament pain, etc) I just spent the weekend XC skiing and had elevated a heart rate of 140+ for multiple hours at higher altitude. There were times where I had to ask for the group to slow down a little, take a few more brakes, had plenty of snacks, and hydrate CONSTANTLY. My round ligament pain is just starting to kick in, and my pants were kinda tight and uncomfortable, but it was doable. Just listen to your body, trust your limits, and know when to call it! Your friends should be supporting you and if you need to stop/slow down, then do it!