Top 5 reasons why hiking was my favorite pregnancy activity

Why hike when you're pregnant?  Here’s why I loved it and you will too.  

I’ve always loved hiking, but held no expectations for myself going into my first pregnancy. At week 9 you probably would have had to set my bed on fire to get me out of it, but moving into my second and third trimesters I found it was the perfect activity for me. Here are my top 5 reasons why hiking was my favorite pregnancy activity:

#1. You choose the trail that feels best for that day. 

Pregnancy is a total roller coaster - some days you feel exhausted, and other days you feel pretty normal and ready to conquer life (hello, second trimester glow). Think about the vertical gain (or elevation gain) and  length of a trail. If you’re feeling up to something flat that’s just a mile long, that’s great - there’s a nearby river trail or scenic lake loop for that. If you feel like you can do a bit more, there are tons of trails to match exactly the level of effort you’re feeling up to on any given day. While I was pregnant, I maxed out at about 800 feet of vertical gain over about a 3-4 mile trail. Most weeks I felt like I could manage a couple hundred feet of elevation gain over a few miles of trail. AllTrails is an amazing resource for filtering trails in your area that meet you where you are at. The best part of hiking while pregnant is that there’s always a trail for today. 

#2. Hiking is a great time to plan for baby.

There are an amazing amount of things to plan for during your pregnancy. Names, gear, furniture, registries, childcare, nursery prep, home projects, help from family, birth prep classes, preparing to feed your baby…the list is endless. This gets overwhelming quickly - the pure volume of decisions can seem impossible to to balance with pregnancy anxiety, work, and, you know, everyday life. Outside and on the trail was my favorite place to talk to my husband Mike about #allthethings. I felt energized by the fresh air, I felt like I could breathe (emotionally, physically), we always had plenty of time to talk, and we weren’t staring at each other or at our screens. We always felt like we made real progress in our planning when we tackled our decisions together on a hike.

#3. Hiking gets you out of the house. 

When your nesting instincts get overwhelming (or you just don’t have any more closets to clean out), hiking is a great way to get outside, unplug and put some real distance between you and your projects or your latest Netflix binge. It doesn’t have to be a huge time investment or a long trek, but a good hike is just a great way to get out of the house, refresh and re-energize yourself and your partner for your week.

#4. Hiking uses your whole body. 

You may not feel up to following an exercise routine when you're pregnant. Your body and movement feel different every day. Regardless of your daily routine, hiking is a great way to keep all your muscles and bones strong and helps you practice and pace your breathing. Personally, I have never been a huge fan of big gyms or fitness classes, but hiking has always been my way of staying in touch with my body. The low-impact exercise you get from hiking also helps to stretch and work your shifting muscles and bones (I’m sure you all know the hip, lower back, and round ligament pain!!)

#5. Finding emotional and mental open space.

Getting outside and being in nature has always been my favorite way to  reset and unwind after a stressful day or week. It’s that feeling you get when you look at the ocean or listen to the wind rushing through the trees in a forest - a deep calm and stillness. And somehow, no matter how easy or hard the hike, I always return energized and ready to take on the next crest.