How to Hike Through Pregnancy | REI Co-op

Disclaimer: Every pregnancy is different; as a result, this story is not meant as medical or safety advice. Please consult your physician to talk about what is right for you.

Exercise is recommended for most pregnant people, unless you have a medical reason to avoid physical activity. There are numerous health benefits for both parent and baby, like strengthening your heart and blood vessels, reducing back pain and improving overall fitness, according to research published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology from American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). But as the months march on, it can become more challenging to get up and go the way you could before. The trick is finding activities that are flexible to your changing needs and energy levels.

Enter hiking: one of the most customizable ways to move your body—and one that has the added bonus of providing scenic views and fresh air while you do it.

In this article we’ll cover suggestions to help you keep getting out there during this memorable season of life. Specifically, we’ll discuss:

Nutrition and hydration for pregnant hikers
Hiking preparedness for pregnant hikers
Hiking modifications during pregnancy
Pregnancy clothing and footwear

Jump to references.

Nutrition and Hydration for Pregnant Hikers

Before any outdoor adventure, it’s smart to check the weather, review the Ten Essentials and adjust what you plan to bring depending on the forecast. The Ten Essentials is a systems-based gear list that recommends packing extra food and water (among other necessities) whether you’re stepping into the backcountry or planning a quick day hike. This is particularly important for pregnant people.

“Hydration is essential to pregnancy,” says Christina Espinoza, a board-certified nurse-midwife with MultiCare Health System. “Some women can experience a drop in blood pressure as a result of the physiologic changes. Because of this, pregnant women are very sensitive to dehydration, which can make you feel lightheaded or like you are going to faint.”

It's best to bring more water than you think you’ll need, and the same goes for food. Pregnant people are advised to increase caloric consumption beginning in the second trimester, which means fluid intake should go up, too. Plan to pack enough water to hit your daily intake—somewhere between 64 and 96 fluid ounces—along with plenty of snacks both in your trail pack and your vehicle. For a parent pregnant with one child, ACOG recommends consuming an extra 340 calories per day in the second trimester, with the amount increasing in the third. (For reference, some meal-replacement energy bars contain that many calories per serving. Check nutrition labels carefully.)

Hope Oldham, a supervisor of field experiences with the Atlanta REI Experiences team, preferred a mix of protein with something salty and something sweet during her pregnancies. She says that since her pregnant body ran through so many calories and so much energy during gestation, it was especially important to pay attention to cues her body was giving her.

“It’s imperative you take care of yourself. Sometimes that means snacking and drinking water before you get hungry and thirsty,” she says. “Sometimes hunger just hits out of nowhere. When I was pregnant, I would feel like I was going to pass out or throw up if I didn’t eat that instant. It’s not a situation you want to be caught on the trail with.” Oldham’s go-to bites included sausage sticks, granola and candy bars or other chocolate candy for fast sugars.

Preparedness for Pregnant Hikers

Staying safe is just as important as staying hydrated and well nourished. As with any hike, it’s best to use the buddy system so that you have someone looking out for you at every turn. It also doesn’t hurt to throw a set of trekking poles in your car to provide extra support. Even if you’re visiting an area you’re familiar with, pregnancy can easily throw off your sense of balance. Suddenly those switchbacks you knew like the back of your hand can seem a whole lot harder to handle.

"Keep in mind that especially as the belly grows, your center of gravity can be affected," Espinoza says. "Hike with someone and be especially cautious with your footing." Having another person to rely on also comes in handy for carrying your gear. It’s better to ask for help than to try schlepping your way around with too much extra weight on your back.

She adds: "Pelvic pain and back pain are common and can be made worse with lots of activity. I recommend listening to your body, not overdoing it, and using a pregnancy belt." Pregnancy belts (sometimes called belly bands) are a kind of brace that can be worn to reduce pressure on the lower back, hips and abdomen.

For Heather Balogh Rochfort, frequent Expert Advice contributor, cofounder of Wildkind and author of Moms Who Hike, sharing or reducing the load wasn’t something she was used to, but she knew she had to look out for her own health and the health of her baby.

“I relied on my husband to carry the heavy stuff,” she says. “I'm usually a stickler for carrying my fair share of the overnight gear, but I took a pass while pregnant. He'd carry the bulk of it while I focused on carrying the true essential: our kid.”

Weather and safety go hand in hand, too. Drastic changes in body temperature can be dangerous for anyone during physical activity, but if you become overheated during pregnancy, the impact can be critical. Consider the season and time of day you’re planning to head out, then choose your route accordingly.
“If it’s too hot, the exercise needs to be minimal, with a huge focus on staying hydrated and keeping cool,” Oldham says. “I was nine months pregnant in August in Georgia, with some days being 101 degrees Fahrenheit. If I couldn’t make a hike before 9am, I would skip it for the day as it wasn’t worth the risk. I also found that while camping pregnant, I would get so much colder. Bringing other ways to keep warm made my experience so much better. For example, I would bring a lot of hand warmers and keep them at my hips and feet at night.”

Hiking Modifications During Pregnancy

You may be more or less motivated to exercise at different points during your pregnancy, since every pregnancy is different. When you do feel up to hiking, consult your doctor about the frequency and level of intensity that’s right for you. You may find that subtle changes to your exercise routine can help you feel more energetic, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

Rochfort wore a device that monitored her heart rate, and she credits this with helping her feel more at ease on the trails before her daughter was born. “I have a pretty low resting heart rate, so my doctor gave me a heart range that she deemed healthy for me to follow while exercising during pregnancy,” she recalls. “I'd keep an eye on that during hikes and if it started to creep up, I'd tone down the intensity.”

It’s also smart to be aware of any elevation or altitude shifts you might encounter. The more you know before you go, the better prepared you’ll be to plan for breaks along the way. “Many of our usual hikes took us above 13,000 feet, so I connected with my doctor on what she considered to be a safe altitude range for me, and I stuck to it,” Rochfort says.

That doesn’t mean you should be afraid of conquering hills to reach those epic views you’re after, though. Climbing—whether it’s hills or rocks—can be an empowering way to get outside for the day, as long as it feels good to you and your body.

“Activities like hiking and elevation can also help the baby get engaged in the pelvis and in a good position for birth,” Espinoza adds.

That being said, you may need to factor in more time for recovery. Earlier in pregnancy, an overnight excursion might seem like no big deal. Later, however, you may opt for shorter hikes closer to home and the security of knowing medical care is nearby, should you need it.

“Hiking never bothered me, but I definitely hit a wall on camping,” Rochfort says. “Around seven or eight months, I started to get pretty bad acid reflux that made it uncomfortable to sleep on the ground. After making my husband go for a midnight walk with me outside of Yosemite National Park because I couldn't sleep, I knew it was time to drop the camping.”

Oldham noticed that after every overnight trip, she needed twice as long to recover than before she was pregnant. To account for this and the extra sleep her body demanded, she made it a habit to plan for a full day of rest after each trip or a lighter work day, when possible.

Pregnancy clothing and footwear

What you choose to wear on a hike during pregnancy can make or break the experience. As you decide on clothing for the day, or what to pack for longer outings, think about factors like weather; how far along you are; and difficulty of the trek. Taking these into consideration will ensure you’re as comfortable as possible from beginning to end.

Even if your pre-pregnancy hiking clothes seem to fit well in the beginning, it won’t be long before they start to feel tight and more constricting. Loose-fitting, breathable clothing and maternity items can be especially helpful when that happens, particularly during the third trimester when the belly expands rapidly to support your growing baby bump. You can't go wrong with layering, so pick a few options that can easily be covered or taken off. It might take some trial and error to find just the right combination of materials to regulate your body temperature, but the basics include:

Base layer (underwear layer): Wicks moisture off your skin
Middle layer (insulating layer): Retains body heat to protect you from the cold
Outer layer (shell layer): Shields you from the wind and rain

Understanding the functions of each layer and how to wear them helped Rochfort stay active all the way up to her due date. “I'd always bring a midlayer for warmth and a shell for weather protection, as well as sun protection, eye protection, and a change of socks,” she says.

Oldham found compression clothing especially helpful on her legs and feet.

“Also, pockets. Wear things with pockets,” she adds.”For me, it got to a point where putting on and tying up boots felt impossible, and sometimes even taking off a pack to reach my lip balm or snacks felt like too much effort. Having pockets right next to my hands was a small convenience that made hiking while pregnant more accessible to me.”

Finally: You know that pair of shoes you second-guess wearing, but usually choose anyway? The ones that are easy to put on but more suitable for running errands? Leave those behind and pick something more supportive. Your body will thank you later.

“I once did an 11-mile hike in only my Chaco sandals and I paid for that mistake for over a week,” Oldham remembers. “My legs especially would be in so much pain if I didn’t wear the right shoes during pregnancy. Learn from my mistakes—wear the right footwear.” Note, too, that pregnancy can cause your feet to change size and structure, sometimes permanently. You may find that you need to buy larger or more supportive shoes than what you wore pre-pregnancy. (Related reading: What to Wear Hiking)