Rides while seven weeks pregnant?

[Sydnie]

Just found out I am pregnant, three weeks before our trip to Disneyland.

I called my doctor to make my first appointment and told her about our trip. She said I could go on anything my three year old can go on at this stage of pregnancy, as there is nothing you can really damage at this point, but to avoid the super high speed rides like California Screaming or really bumpy ones like Indiana Jones or bumper cars. She said most concern about rides really only happens when the baby and placenta are big enough to be disrupted, and that at this stage I should just enjoy.

She was comfortable with things like Splash Mountain, Matterhorn etc.

I am torn, on the one hand I want to take my 3 year old on these rides (it's his first time hitting the magical 40' mark!) and I know I should just trust her opinion, but I still feel kind of wary.

What rides would you feel comfortable doing at this stage?

 

[DannysMom]

I'd really trust your doctor's opinion on that one. Before pg tests got so sensitive, it used to be that many women did not find out they were pg til 8+ weeks. Early in the first trimester they really are very tiny & very well protected by you.

Congrats on your pg! Have a great vacation.

 

[mandypta]

Congratulations!

At this point, I'd trust what your doctor says. She's right - at this stage in pregnancy the baby is super tiny, and very very well protected. Remember, there are lots of people that don't even know they're pregnant yet this early on!

Have a great time, relax, and enjoy yourself!

 

[Colleen27]

I did everything except Mission Space:Orange (I did ride the non-spinning version), Tower of Terror, and Rock & Roller Coaster at that stage of pregnancy; I'm not exactly sure if any of that translates to Disneyland but I did ride all the mountains, Soarin', Dinosaur (which as I understand it is similar to Indy?), and Star Tours without any problems. My doctor's advice was to ride whatever I felt up to, and as a fellow Disney fan as well as an OB I was confident she knew exactly what she was talking about. Disney rides are really quite tame in terms of speed/acceleration and other forces, and the baby is very tiny and well protected early in pregnancy.

 

[twinboysmom]

I would trust my doctor but if I was even slightly worried about a particular ride, I wouldn't ride it. I think splash would be fine but it's been a few years but I remember the Matterhorn being a little rough. I also know when we came to a stop it was rather quick.

 

[mom2maggie]

Yup! I would definitely trust your doctor. My doctor said the same.

 

[brightspark]

Hmm, I wouldn't touch them... but my ds is IVF baby and I've had a miscarriage. I'm sure your Doctor is right, after all people keep up jogging and aerobics during pregnancy, but I wouldn't be able to take the risk.. my baby would be worth too much to me.

You've got to decide how you would feel there were any problems post riding... (even if the events were never proven to be connected)

 

[dredick]

I went 8 weeks pregos....like 11 years ago. My 2 yo kept me moving, and I rode whatever I wanted that he could ride. I would go with your doctor. In this stage, as long as your healthy, you will be fine. I don't and didn't consider it "risky" when I went. Just drink plenty of water an take breaks. Enjoy and congrats!

 

[AZMermaid]

I went to Disneyland at 6 weeks pregnant. I was super torn as I also felt like a lot of people would not even know they were pregnant at that point. I ended up skipping everything with a pregnancy warning (all mountains, Indy, Screamin, Mullholand Madness- Soarin' is okay for pregnant Mamas!). I did decide to take one ride on Splash Mt. I felt like it isn't really that jerky and even the drop is fairly smooth. Well, that was true, but I totally did not account for how many times you are bumped by the log behind you, sometimes hard! I spent the second half of the ride lifting myself off the seat when a log hit us to lessen the impact. I am sure it was fine, but it made me paranoid! I am not a super worrier, but I looked at it like Disneyland will be there later and I wouldn't forgive myself IF something happened.

 

[mjkacmom]

my baby would be worth too much to me.

You've got to decide how you would feel there were any problems post riding... (even if the events were never proven to be connected)

I rode all of the coasters at Hershey 8 weeks pregnant with my twins (and they were worth a lot to me, too). My OB laughed, and said it was not a problem. I was told that if I survived any physical incident without needed to be taken via ambulance to the ER, my babies would be fine and well protected. I don't know what it is about pregnancy, but I fell down a lot of steps several times (once at 41 weeks - 2nd to 1st floor!), and my babies were fine.

If I lost a pregnancy after going on rides, it wouldn't even occur to me that the rides caused the termination - I would assume there was something wrong with the fetus. The human body (if healthy), does an amazing job of protecting baby, from how well cushioned the baby is, to diverting important vitamins and nutrients (if a woman eats a lousy diet, all of the good stuff goes to baby).

 

[brightspark]

I rode all of the coasters at Hershey 8 weeks pregnant with my twins (and they were worth a lot to me, too). My OB laughed, and said it was not a problem. I was told that if I survived any physical incident without needed to be taken via ambulance to the ER, my babies would be fine and well protected. I don't know what it is about pregnancy, but I fell down a lot of steps several times (once at 41 weeks - 2nd to 1st floor!), and my babies were fine.

If I lost a pregnancy after going on rides, it wouldn't even occur to me that the rides caused the termination - I would assume there was something wrong with the fetus. The human body (if healthy), does an amazing job of protecting baby, from how well cushioned the baby is, to diverting important vitamins and nutrients (if a woman eats a lousy diet, all of the good stuff goes to baby).

You are totally right about the body (and I didn't mean that other people didn't care about their babies ) but I still wouldn't risk it... everyone has to make their own decision on this one

 

[princessmom29]

You are totally right about the body (and I didn't mean that other people didn't care about their babies ) but I still wouldn't risk it... everyone has to make their own decision on this one

But that's just it, you wouldn't be risking anything. There is NO possible way those rides can harm the baby in any way at 8 weeks PG. THERE IS NO RISK.

 

[hannahdrewmom]

But that's just it, you wouldn't be risking anything. There is NO possible way those rides can harm the baby in any way at 8 weeks PG. THERE IS NO RISK.

That is a matter of opinion. There are many things that can cause a miscarriage. There is no proof with a lot of the things as to what actually caused it. If a doctor says it's fine then I would assume it is.

However, as someone who also had difficulty getting pregnant I can tell you that I would not do anything that I even thought had the possibility of causing a problem if it was something I could avoid.

This does not mean that the other person shouldn't ride those rides or that if she does she is a bad person. It does mean that there are risks (no matter how small) to all decisions we make. (whether pregnant or not). We all need to weigh our risk and make decisions for ourselves. Saying there is NO RISK though is not true. There is a risk in EVERYTHING.

 

[AZMermaid]

But that's just it, you wouldn't be risking anything. There is NO possible way those rides can harm the baby in any way at 8 weeks PG. THERE IS NO RISK.

Even though I agree with this, I still chose not to risk it. At the time, my baby was the size of a pencil eraser, so I knew realistically, I was fine. But I also go to Disneyland about twice a year, sometimes more, so for me, it wasn't a huge deal to sit out a few rides. If it had been a once in a lifetime (or every 5 years) trip or I had older kids to accommodate, I likely would have chosen differently. I think at that early stage, it really comes down to what you are comfortable with.

 

[princessmom29]

That is a matter of opinion. There are many things that can cause a miscarriage. There is no proof with a lot of the things as to what actually caused it. If a doctor says it's fine then I would assume it is.

However, as someone who also had difficulty getting pregnant I can tell you that I would not do anything that I even thought had the possibility of causing a problem if it was something I could avoid.

This does not mean that the other person shouldn't ride those rides or that if she does she is a bad person. It does mean that there are risks (no matter how small) to all decisions we make. (whether pregnant or not). We all need to weigh our risk and make decisions for ourselves. Saying there is NO RISK though is not true. There is a risk in EVERYTHING.

Ok, well there is NO INCREASED risk to an early first trimester pregnancy from a ride. Ask your OB. They will tell you. There is no possible way moving around can cause a miscarriage at that stange of pregnancy. It is just not possible. You are at the same risk just walking around the parks, stiing in a show, or eating a meal as you would be on a ride. Getting on a ride doe NOT increase your risk of miscarriage one iota. It simply DOESN'T have to possibility of causing a problem anymore than walking or breathing or anything else. The baby is too small and too well portected to affected by forces from outside the mother's body unless they are strong enough to also kill the mother.

 

[kt_mom]

I went to disney at about 8 weeks pregnant with DD and rode everything. I asked my OB what I could and couldn't do, and she said I could ride anything I felt up to riding, that there was no risk. I had no problems.

You just need to do whatever makes you comfortable and enjoy your trip!

 

[Sydnie]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think I will at least take DS on Splash Mountain since he has been talking about it since our last trip

 

[Iggipolka]

I'm currently 7 weeks pregnant with twins (OMG, Twins!) and went to Disneyland when I was 6 weeks pregnant and didn't know I was having twins yet. I conceived using fertility meds, so I knew that there was a chance of having twins, but damn, never thought it would happen.

Anyway, I rode all of the mountains and California Screaming and had a total blast. I talked to my OB about it before the trip and she said that at very early pregnancy, there's no more risk to the baby by riding roller coasters, then there is to driving in the car. The risk comes later in pregnancy and the concern is placenta abruption, where the placenta becomes detached from the uterus.

Have a great trip!

 

[Sydnie]

I'm currently 7 weeks pregnant with twins (OMG, Twins!) and went to Disneyland when I was 6 weeks pregnant and didn't know I was having twins yet. I conceived using fertility meds, so I knew that there was a chance of having twins, but damn, never thought it would happen.

Anyway, I rode all of the mountains and California Screaming and had a total blast. I talked to my OB about it before the trip and she said that at very early pregnancy, there's no more risk to the baby by riding roller coasters, then there is to driving in the car. The risk comes later in pregnancy and the concern is placenta abruption, where the placenta becomes detached from the uterus.

Have a great trip!

Thanks Iggi! It makes me feel a lot more secure that so many women's doctors have said the same thing. Congrats on your twins