pregnant surfing

One of the hardest things about pregnancy is putting things you love on hold -- sushi, alcohol, soft unpasteurized cheeses. For me, charging challenging waves is also on that list. Even so, I had fun surfing through my fourth month and probably would've kept going, if it wasn't for winter's snowstorms, freezing water temps, and top-entry 5/4 wetsuits. Since most of the stories I read on pregnant surfing came from pros like Bethany Hamilton and seasoned water-women, I thought I'd blog my experience.

Some background: I've been surfing for about four years. I have a good grasp on catching waves, going down the line, and doing some turns, but I'm by no means amazing; I still wipe out during sessions. Here are some lessons I learned and things I did while pregnant surfing:

1. Surfed the leftovers. For me, my greatest concern wasn't wiping out; it was getting hit by another board. My break is crowded Rockaway, so I always opted for the emptier beach, even if it wasn't breaking as nicely. I also avoided crowds by sitting away from the peak.

2. Swallowed my pride. To avoid wipe-outs, I only went for waves that I knew I could make for sure, which meant passing up steeper waves where I was in prime position. I trusted my instinct; my protective urges were already in high gear. Once in a while, I got a "that scared girl blew it" looks, which, if you know me, is the thing that pisses me off the most! But then I'd envision my baby, safe in sound inside, and my annoyance would immediately disappear.

3. Told people in the lineup. Even before the second trimester, I told my surf buddies that I was preggo. I'd also mention it to other surfers I'd chat with in the water -- just in cased anything happened, and also so they'd be careful around me. I joked with my friends that I wanted to write "PREGNANT" or "BABY ON BOARD" on my wetsuit to keep people from dropping in me.

4. Accounted for the extra weight. In my third and fourth months, I started to notice that I wouldn't make waves that I'd normally make - because of the extra belly weight. So I took that into account, and sat a tiny bit deeper and skipped the "maybe…" waves. I surfed my 5'10" the whole time; it has plenty of volume and my 4/3 wetsuit provided enough padding to keep it from getting uncomfortable (although I tried to spend the least amount of time on my belly).

5. Ditched my board. I can duck-dive on smaller days, but on bigger days, I'll make it about half the time. If I ever felt like I wasn't going to make it on a paddle out, I'd dive deep and let my board go -- of course, only if I knew for sure I wasn't surrounded by anyone.

6. Protected my belly. Because I was so careful, I rarely wiped out, but when I did, I'd grab my belly first to shield it from a flying board.

7. Paddled in early. Usually, I'm the queen of four-hour surf sessions. But I forced myself to call it quits before I felt ready. With pregnancy, exhaustion and dehydration can hit like a ton of bricks out of nowhere. Also I know I'm less careful when I'm tired. So I paddled in before I was tired, and made sure that I ate and drank a ton on surf days.

8. Knew when to call it quits. I've had a little FOMO since I stopped, especially during these East Coast swells and our annual girls' trip to Costa. But, much to my surprise, I don't feel bad about it. Maybe it's that mom instinct kicking in, but keeping baby safe is my number-one priority, and everything else pales in comparison. Plus, I know that the waves will always be there -- and I'm sure I'll be back on my board in no time!


Bonus: Blurry baby on a baby wave in Rincon: