Info about Surfing
How Safe is Windsurfing during Pregnancy
• First trimester
I consider windsurfing to be a medium-risk activity during early pregnancy because it's only safe for experienced windsurfers. This is not a good time to learn to windsurf, even on placid water, because you are bound to take a lot of falls and the potential trauma (of equipment slamming on your belly or of water being forced inside your vagina) is not healthy for your pregnancy. If you're still taking the occasional catapulted dive or haven't gotten the hang of tacking wind¬ward and jibing, try practicing only on land during pregnancy. It's a great way to perfect basic skills and improve your form. Even basic maneuvers, such as uphauling, rotating the board, and controlling your movement in inconsistent conditions, require skill and sheer strength and pose risks to inexperienced wind¬surfers, especially pregnant ones.
Choose conditions conservatively and make sure the weather and water temperature are ideal. The water should be between 82°F and 86°F (28°C and 30°C). If the water is any warmer than that, then it's probably too hot outside also, and you can overheat more easily, which isn't good for your fetus. If it's chilly, you should consider wearing a wetsuit.
This trimester, you have to protect your fetus by not overexerting yourself— and by staying cool. This means taking breaks. I know this can be a challenge when you're on the water and the wind is consistent. If the conditions are good, the wind won't give you a break—but you still need to take one. Every fifteen minutes, hop off your board, cool off, and swim and stretch a little before getting going again.
If you're far from shore, float and hang onto your board for a break. And don't plan to windsurf for longer than an hour at a time; for most of us, just a half hour is a very good workout. After an hour or less, you need to come in to shore to hydrate, eat a snack, and reapply sunscreen to your sunburn-prone skin.
• Second trimester
T he unpredictability and power of the wind and water are what make wind¬surfing so challenging and addictive—and so dangerous. I don't recommend windsurfing after your first trimester, not only because of the risk of injury to windsurfing your own rapidly changing body (just consider the added strain on your lower back) but because of the risk to your fetus as well. Your growing uterus can be injured in any falls, dives, and boom accidents you may have. Plus, you can't comfortably lie on your belly to paddle to safety if you needed to. Any one of these risks is a good enough reason for you to stay off the board and swim instead. Besides, swimming will better prepare you for the rest of your preg¬nancy and delivery anyway.
• Third trimester
It would take a lot of confidence (and a potent windsurfing addiction) to tempt you on to your board this trimester. Windsurfing is just too dangerous this late in pregnancy—your fetus is just under the surface of that big belly. Even a pur¬poseful jump into the water sends a harsh jolt to your uterus. You don't have to stay out of the water, though. Keep up your upper body strength and build your stamina by swimming or doing water aerobics in preparation for labor and deliv¬ery and a quick postpartum recovery.