Poll! floating the river while pregnant

brideonjuly8 · March 2011

My best friends from college all get together every summer and rent a house on the river and float all weekend. It's a blast and pretty much the only time we all plan to hang out all year.

The last year I went was the summer before I got pg with DS. I didn't go the summer I was pg with him because of money issues (I had just been laid off). And then I was bfing...and last year we had a week in Vegas instead.

I really would love to go spend the weekend with them (floating isn't something DH would do, so he would stay home). I was thinking about it, and I can't really come up with a reason why I wouldn't be able to float (assuming the river conditions were normal). I mean, it flows at a snails pace, it's perfectly fine to swim in the river pg, right? What's so different about floating on a tube? Of course I wouldn't be drinking, so I'm having a hard time seeing the bigger picture. What am I not thinking about? They are going in mid-june, so I wouldn't be huge just yet.

We did go that one summer with all that crazy flooding, and the river was WILD then, super fast and rocky, so I know it wouldn't be safe then, but what about when it's fine? I've seen children on the river before...I just feel like I'm missing a very obvious reason...

[Poll]

HSartteach · March 2011

If you are going through a company, you might not be able to go being pregnant, no matter the conditions. Last time I went, they was something saying you couldn't float if you were pregnant.

joyco · March 2011

Wait. Which river? If you say the Guadalupe, I'd say no. Much too rocky. If you say the Comal, I'd say sure. However, I'd probably get out at the first tube chute, just to be safe--lots of whirlpool action which would probably strain you. Floating while pregnant is lovely.

ETA: I'd say no to the Gudalupe mostly b/c of the rocks but not just b/c of those, it's the getting out and walking around/over them and then possibly slipping and falling that I'm more worried about. Plus, that's a VERY long float, it's a long time in the sun and you'd have to apply/re-apply sunscreen often. Plus, bring a crapload of water...too many cons. I wouldn't do the Guadalupe pregnant, no way. And HS is right, I doubt a rafting company would rent to you if you were visibly pregnant.

The Comal (dude, if you're even talking about NB rivers, but then again, I would have no clue where *else* you'd be floating) would be your best bet. But reiterating that I would definitely get out at the tube chute that comes first--I've gotten stuck in that whirlpool too many times and not being pregnant and straining against the current sucksass, so I imagine it would be worse if you were pregnant. KWIM?

Taytee · March 2011

I debated it while PG with Abby and decided it was absolutely not worth the risk. My main concern (albeit a weird one) was that I could become infected with some river nastiness that would lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. It would be highly unlikely, but so is getting listeria and I didn't eat those things. And yes, water can get "up there" and even though the cervix should prevent any organisms (protozoa etc) from entering, who knows. There's a huge difference to me between playing in the ocean on a babymoon and floating in a river with hundreds of people drinking and no bathrooms... But I couldn't live with myself if I had done something that hurt my baby. Plus, I feel fat around all those college girls on a normal basis. I didn't want to battle that insecurity while pregnant. And I tubed once sober as the designated driver and it SUCKED. I think it's crazy to call it "safe". Maybe "low risk" but I wouldn't put it in the safe category.

dNoodle · March 2011

Taytee:
I debated it while PG with Abby and decided it was absolutely not worth the risk. My main concern (albeit a weird one) was that I could become infected with some river nastiness that would lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. It would be highly unlikely, but so is getting listeria and I didn't eat those things. And yes, water can get "up there" and even though the cervix should prevent any organisms (protozoa etc) from entering, who knows. There's a huge difference to me between playing in the ocean on a babymoon and floating in a river with hundreds of people drinking and no bathrooms... But I couldn't live with myself if I had done something that hurt my baby.

THIS!! I got THE WORST bacterial vaginal infection from floating that river (the one you get on in New Braunfels with the crazy chutes). If you can't eat lunch meat while pregnant, I can't believe this is a good idea.

BLONDIE6FT · March 2011

i say no. i don't remember which river it was (guadalupe? a popular one), but i came close to drowning in very shallow water in college. i was not drinking. lost my top (didn't have time to be embarrassed!). i just fell out of my tube and could never catch myself or stand up. the current was not crazy at all. someone pulled me out of the water. it was scary. i know that is a rare thing to happen, but i just wanted to let you know it does happen. and i was in better shape back then too!

MrsBeckO · March 2011

I debated it while pg and decided against it.

labbielover07 · March 2011

I thought about going when some co-workers invited me over the summer. I decided against it because I was already 8 months pregnant, huge and uncomfortable... DH wouldn't have been able to come with me... I was afraid of slipping or becoming uncomfortable while floating for a long time. I never thought about getting a gnarly infection from the river, but that is a good point!

lawmomma10 · March 2011

My OB advised me not to get in the lakes, rivers, spring fed pools (e.g., Barton Springs, Deep Eddy), etc. while pregnant because of all the nasty bacteria and the risk of infection. I took him seriously on this one because he's pretty liberal as far as the cans and can'ts of pregnancy, and I felt like if he was going to point this can't out specifically it probably wasn't worth the risk.

brideonjuly8 · March 2011

Thanks ladies! Okay, so I had never even thought of infections you could get. That makes sense.

Mrs.Purdue · March 2011

I've gotten some serious bumps and bruises from tubing the comal, and I consider myself a strong swimmer. I certainly wouldn't take the risk that one of the chutes overturns my tube and lands my belly straight on a rock.

ssinca · March 2011

MrsRosie:
I mean, I kept my mouth closed and showered afterward (don't take that out of context).

ha!

I originally voted yes, but I now change my mind after reading the comments. it doesn't sound worth it...maybe you could meet up with them after and all go to dinner or something?

brideonjuly8 · March 2011

ssinca:
MrsRosie:

I mean, I kept my mouth closed and showered afterward (don't take that out of context).

ha!

I originally voted yes, but I now change my mind after reading the comments. it doesn't sound worth it...maybe you could meet up with them after and all go to dinner or something?

Yep, that's what I was going to do anyway, but I had also kinda wanted to go the whole weekend and even if I didn't float, I was going to swim...now I'm rethinking it...

kiarox2002 · March 2011

ssinca:

I originally voted yes, but I now change my mind after reading the comments. it doesn't sound worth it...maybe you could meet up with them after and all go to dinner or something?

Me too. I wasn't thinking of nasty river possibly giving you an infection.

ditzydi_2000 · March 2011

BLONDIE6FT:
i say no. i don't remember which river it was (guadalupe? a popular one), but i came close to drowning in very shallow water in college. i was not drinking. lost my top (didn't have time to be embarrassed!). i just fell out of my tube and could never catch myself or stand up. the current was not crazy at all. someone pulled me out of the water. it was scary. i know that is a rare thing to happen, but i just wanted to let you know it does happen. and i was in better shape back then too!

This. I got bumped by somebody who was coming off the tube shoot and I ended up in the water, underneath the chute and was being pushed under. I seriously thought that those wrinkly feet were going to be the last things I saw before I died a watery death.