How I stayed active through pregnancy to maintain my hiking strength

Pregnancy humbled me—big time. As someone who lives for long trail days, summits, and backcountry adventures, I didn’t expect just how tough growing a human would be on my body. But I’ve learned a lot across two very different pregnancies and wanted to share how I stayed active (in my own way) through both, in hopes it might help other adventurous mamas-to-be navigate their own journeys.

Angel’s Landing in Zion National Park, Utah - 24 weeks pregnant with River

First Pregnancy:

Going into my first pregnancy with Aspen, I was in great shape. I was regularly trail running, hiking 20+ km days, spinning, cycling, doing yoga, snowboarding—you name it. Most of my activities were solo or outdoors, so even during COVID, I was able to keep my routines going.

And early on in pregnancy? I was crushing it. We heli-skied in Revelstoke with Eagle Pass Heli, finally went on our deferred fly-in trip to Whitecap Alpine, ski toured into Taylor Meadows, winter camped, and summited Black Tusk on our splitboards. It was an epic stretch, thanks in part to the amazing guides at Aurora Backcountry who were incredibly accommodating and safety-conscious. I felt strong, empowered, and hopeful.

But once I hit 5–6 months, things shifted. My belly grew, my hips ached, and even standing for long periods became painful. Walking longer distances felt nearly impossible. I was frustrated—especially because I had so looked forward to hiking through my pregnancy. Thankfully, I could still do low-impact activities like spinning and yoga, which helped me maintain some fitness.

Splitboarding in the Whitecap Backcountry - 4 months pregnant with Aspen

Splitboarding in Garibaldi Provincial Park - 5 months pregnant with Aspen

Labour & Postpartum Reality

After a very long (40+ hour!) labour during the 2021 heat dome, I was eager to get moving again—but wow, was it harder than I expected. I started with gentle 15-minute walks just a few days postpartum. Every time I pushed too far, I’d have a setback. Progress was slow and humbling.

Around four weeks, Matt started carrying Aspen on short hikes. By 7–8 weeks postpartum, I was managing 5+ km hikes with elevation again. I didn’t dive into core rehab at the time but saw a pelvic floor physio regularly for assessments. I was fortunate to avoid abdominal separation, but even so, rebuilding strength took time—much more than I imagined. I didn’t run again until 6 months postpartum. Even when I looked like “myself” again, I didn’t feel like myself. Everything just felt harder. That lasted over a year.

7 weeks postpartum with Aspen at Tricouni Berg Lake, Whistler BC

Second Pregnancy:

By the time I got pregnant with River, I was just coming off a dream 10-day thru-hike around Mont Blanc. I felt strong and was determined to do things differently.

I kept trail running, hiking, and spinning consistently through the first 4–5 months. But I ballooned up quickly this time, gaining over 40 lbs, and the second-time-around exhaustion (with a toddler in tow) hit me hard. I also had brutal acid reflux. Despite that, I made it to weekly Pilates, kept walking almost daily, and did yoga and spin whenever I could manage.

Tour Du Mont Blanc, Europe - September 2023

Tour Du Mont Blanc, Europe - September 2023

Shorter Labour, Smoother Recovery

River arrived a few days past his due date, but the labour was fast—8 hours compared to 40! I opted for an epidural this time (best decision ever). I felt so much better in recovery compared to round one. I was mentally and physically ready to get back outside.

While this blog is all about what I did during pregnancy, I’ll be sharing a follow-up post on how I rebuilt my hiking and trail running strength postpartum the second time—so stay tuned!

Prairie View Hike, Kananaskis, AB - October 2024

Quick Tips for Staying Active During Pregnancy (from my personal experience):

• Do what feels good—until it doesn’t. Be okay with adapting your goals. Walking counts.

• Prenatal spin + yoga = lifesavers. Gentle movement helped me mentally as much as physically. I leaned into the prenatal programs on Peloton which allowed me to workout at home.

• See a pelvic floor physio. Regular assessments helped me feel more confident in my recovery.

• Be kind to yourself. Progress isn’t linear. You will come back stronger—even if it takes longer than you planned.
  

Let me know if you’ve had a similar experience with pregnancy and outdoor life—I’d love to hear what helped you stay active and strong.