Read accounts from 5 women who'll give us their tips on cycling during pregnancy and their experiences bike riding.
In "A vos cycles! Le guide du vélo au féminin” ("On your bikes! The women's cycling guide") by Louise Roussel, cyclist and mother Jeanne Lepoix provides her tips on adapting your activity while pregnant. Among these 10 commandments, asking and listening to your doctor's advice seems like the most important first step. You'll need a health professional to check that everything is OK to continue your activity.
We interviewed Carole, Alysée, Clotilde, and Amandine, who give us tips on cycling during pregnancy, and tell us about their experiences bike commuting, bike touring, and on daily rides.
Before you begin, if you're wondering if it's reasonable to keep cycling during pregnancy, we'll explain it all in this tip: Can you cycle when pregnant?
Once you've checked in with your doctor, know that cycling during pregnancy is good for you! Many women agree, it helps decrease stress and more easily get through the first few months of pregnancy, which can be complicated (especially due to nausea). Amandine explains:
Going on some calm bike tours in nature can greatly decrease stress. I felt better, more mobile, and I felt the baby's weight less on my bike
For Alysee, a private nurse in Paris, her electric bike allowed her to keep working: “Continuing to ride gave me great freedom and kept me from having to disrupt my professional activity and my personal life. I had a circuit with my colleague, who travelled by scooter, and it was impossible to do it by car (too much traffic) or by scooter (I'm too clumsy), so I went on an electric bike, and my patients saw my stomach growing through my entire pregnancy. On average, I spent 15 days a month on my bike, during very full 12-hour days, until my 7th month of pregnancy.”
In "A vos cycles! Le guide du vélo au féminin,” Jeanne provides a few adjustments that you can make to your bike to feel better, more comfortable, and safe. "Be vigilant in safety checks before you ride: tyre pressure, tight screws… ; lower your tyre pressure a bit for greater comfort.”
Amandine adds: “Personally, I lowered the saddle to feel more comfortable, and I wore loose bottoms so I didn't feel too restricted.”
“During my 5th month of pregnancy, I felt in really great shape, so I went riding one weekend with 2 friends. Over 2 days, we rode 140 km, taking it easy. I was lucky enough to have some electrical assistance, which allowed me to keep up a good pace. But I often set the tempo: as soon as I got tired, even 2 km from the end, we took a break. No need to suffer - a 10-minute rest or a piece of candy or two can really help. The goal wasn't to cover the most distance, but to ride together,” explains Clotilde.
What you should remember is to adapt your activity and listen to your body. Slow down, hydrate well and eat right, and stay accessible and at a reasonable distance from home in case of any issues. Jeanne also recommends "stand up as you ride when you can, to avoid vibrations" and "avoid busy roads" and "too technical areas."
Carole tells us: “I kept riding normally up to my 5th month, with rides from 50 to 120 km. I just took pee breaks more often than usual, and I avoided riding with too much intensity.” For easier pee breaks, avoid straps.
This article is not medical advice, but wants to show you that it's possible to continue your bike commutes, gravel rides, and touring. If your pregnancy is free of complications, it can be good for you and for your baby, if you follow a few tips.
Author of "On your bike: the women's guide to cycling" and "Practical bikes", bike tourist, lover of little gravel tracks, and massive fan of nights spent under the stars.
