Backpacking trip at 20 weeks?

spatchbelly

My husband and I are thinking about doing a backpacking babymoon in the Sierras in July.  Normally, this would be a totally awesome trip (we're big into spending time outdoors)... but I'll be 20 weeks at that point.  I'm wondering about the logistics of wilderness travel with a growing bump and if there are factors I should be considering that I'm not thinking about now.   I'll ask my OB, of course, but in the meantime I'd love to hear your advice or experiences with backpacking/camping/hiking during the second trimester.  Thank you, ladies!   

LindsayLuLu27

Generally you feel pretty good during your second trimester. The only thing that popped in my head is how heavy your pack would be. Typically the doctor will give you a limit of what you can lift. I'd definitely ask your OB and make sure you clearly tell them what activities and exertion levels you would be doing. But most of the time if it's something you do regularly and you're having a healthy pregnancy they won't limit you on much. 

dorkiness

Are you planning on backwoods? Usually my husband and I do a 3-4 day backwoods trip, but he's firmly opposed to me doing it while pregnant. (Understandably doesn't want to be an 8 hour hike and hour plus drive from the hospital if something should happen.) -- We are definitely going camping a few times this summer, some in state parks and some in a wilderness campground. I am trying to weasel in some compromise with a low key  walk-in leanto or something. -- I would love to hear what your OB says! I will have to add this to my next midwife appt. 

jolydan

****lurker****
having pass the 20th week not so long ago I can tell you it's around the time I had the most energy, so good time to travel. My only concern for you is water. At that point of the pregnancy lots of women starts having Braxton hicks contractions especially when dehydrated so it's recommended to drink at least 64oz of water a day (when not doing physical activity)! So I can see this number almost doubling if you are sweating a lot. With the water comes the annoying having to pee every 30-45 minutes, so be prepared to squat in the wood!
I think your best option is to start by asking your OB first, but if you don't get too big by then and have discomfort you should be good to camp and enjoy yourself!

shevaCC

I agree with PPs that peeing all the time is a consideration. I'll add that by 20 weeks I couldn't comfortably sleep on my back and I found ground pads left my hips pretty sore after side sleeping. Also it can be harder for your body to regulate temperature so if you're used to AC and it's hot, you might be more sweaty than usual. But none of that is prohibitive, just things to keep in mind.

whaat

I'm planning a camping trip soon (in PA, MD, or NJ, less glamorous, but still fun). I want to go asap since it's getting nice out and I guess I don't mind throwing up while I pee in the woods. 

Seriously, though. I feel like I gotta get my outdoors on before I can't anymore. Extra padding for sleep is a must. These hips are a problem on a regular day. Other than that I feel like it will be fine, as long as you take it easy.

muybueno

My thoughts are the same as @shevaCC
First baby right? You probably won't be very big and though you'll be slower and more out of breath, you can adjust your pace. With pregnancy #1, I definitely would have done something like that at 20w. (Now on PG #3, I feel older and more tired

TinyAlligator

With my first pregnancy I went up to the IL's around this mark. We hiked and I had all the energy in the world. I can't wait until 2nd tri, I want my energy back. 
That being said, maybe plan to hike a bit slower and a smaller distance. Also keep your pack light and stay really fueled and hydrated
edit-words

yukitan

I plan on hiking several times this summer as well, so am curious to hear everyone's thoughs.

As for the squatting: https://go-girl.com/ I have used the disposable version of these devices before, which may be better for camping/hiking. Just a thought. I wish I'd thought to bring this for my work trip to Sri Lanka last year when I had only squatty potties to use after destroying my ACL.

TwandaFTG

I second the I had real trouble sleeping comfortably around 16 weeks without tons of pillow strategically placed but I pretty much gained all the weight I was gonna gain by that point too. 

At 20 weeks you feel great!  2nd tri is the tits. I would take a smaller test run hike to prepare yourself but if you feel good then do it.  Have your hubby haul the water for you!!

sweetlyuntied

My H and I did a short (3-day) backpacking trip when I was around 20 weeks last time! We were in the white mountains in NH (which is a VERY different beast than the Sierras). 

I'd say keep your pack light and your mileage reasonable. Even if you're feeling great, you'll likely need more breaks to keep hydrated and eat. I'd also have a contingency plan on the off chance that things do not go well.

One thing I'd discuss with your OB is the altitude. We also did a trip to Tahoe when I was around 16 weeks last pregnancy. We did a short, level, 5-mile hike (around 6K feet) but I found the altitude affected me WAY more than it had previously. I know that some OBs caution against any big changes in altitude during pregnancy. So if you're planning on doing any summits it could be worth mentioning. And I'd try to factor in sufficient time to acclimate. 

Other than that, keep yourself protected from mosquitos and ticks (20% DEET is generally thought to be safe in pregnancy, but oil of lemon eucalyptus is a good alternative if you have concerns). And also have fun and post pictures because I'm dying and want to live vicariously through you.

Cricket99

*lurker*
I did a camping trip around 20 weeks. I consider myself a pretty fit person and I had so much trouble breathing as we hiked. Where I usually would have been able to go 10 miles with no problems, I was only able to do about 5 before desperately needing a nap. I was only carrying a camel back and it didn't bother me too much. The worst part was being out of breath from the blood volume increase. That being said, camping is definitely in the realm of possibility. I would recommend having a campsite as your home base and doing hikes from there. I loved having an air mattress to sleep on and a real flushing toilet and shower at the campground. Good luck, it sounds like lots of fun!

msu_gal

I'm going on an Alaskan cruise at 21w and hoping to still take part in the salmon fishing excursion.  It might be slightly crazy, but we already had it booked and I'm excited to go

lajoliedreamer

DH and I at hoping to do a road/hiking trip to a bunch of national parks around 22/23 weeks, which will likely include some camping. I'm glad you started this thread because even though we likely won't be backpacking, these are some good tips!

whaat

Yeah.. Coming back to say I went on a very mild hike this past weekend and I was very surprised at how out of breath and tired I was. It was doable, but just consider that breathing will be harder.

muybueno

whaat said:

Yeah.. Coming back to say I went on a very mild hike this past weekend and I was very surprised at how out of breath and tired I was. It was doable, but just consider that breathing will be harder.

I currently count hauling two 30+ lb toddlers up the stairs in my house as hiking since I'm so out of breath at the top. This is opposed to my first pregnancy during which I scaled the side of a mountain in Istanbul and hiked through a 10-mile ravine in Kenya. Almost the same thing.