Riding as a new(ish) mum...

[Number One]

I sold my gorgeous, fantastic bike when I got pregnant, partly cost saving as the loan and rego were becoming a burden on top of the other two vehicles - especially staring down the barrel of a single income existence!
Partly also cos I didn't want to be struck by the temptation to ride pregnant. I'm sometimes ruled by the 'Murphy's law' thought pattern...you know, if someone is going to have a bad accident riding pregnant it'd be me.
Anyway - though I still feel like a biker and am jealous as all hell watching bikes pass me on the motorway between lanes and not being able to follow (as I would have so so long ago)...I wonder if I'll ever feel quite as confident and free as I used to on a bike?
I am definately more aware of my mortality and on my first two rides back (on hubbies lovely SV650) felt a little nervy, had some silly dropping experiences which knocked my confidence and worry now that my new found 'awareness' might interfere with my being able to do all the normal and 'right things' at the normal and right times. Anyone else experienced this? Got any advice?

[Colapop]

I reckon you'll be fine. It may take a bit before you get back on a bike but, it'll come back to you quite quickly. Kids have a way of proving that they can take a knock or two and it's usually only the parents that have the heart attacks.
Do what you want to do - your bub will thank you for it in the long term.

[Zukin]

Hi there and welcome back

What you describe sounds very normal
It will take a few rides to get back into the groove so to speak

You will be riding better before you know it

Cheers

[Her_C4]

Hi and welcome back

My suggestion would be to just take it slowly and easily at your own pace - and don't expect too much of yourself to start. Small rides, easy roads etc.

What about ridng a smaller cc bike for starters and 'finding your groove' as it were?

Good luck and keep practising.... you will be surprised at how quickly it all comes back.

PS I am soooo with you on the bike dropping thingy.......

[MotoGirl]

I wonder if I'll ever feel quite as confident and free as I used to on a bike?

I'm interested to see how this thread turns out in relation to this. I don't have kids so can't really help you, but I'd expect my riding to be subdued if there was a little someone waiting for me at home.

[johnnyflash]

Im sure you will get right back into the groove again, remember confidence and experience come with practice and time in the seat.. Remember also you are now a little older, hopefully wiser (hence the awareness of your mortality ) and can recognise more of the danger zones, just get on and get some miles under your belt and before you realise you will feel at home on the bike..

[KATWYN]

Good thread Number One

Currently i'm at where you have been...(i.e., i'm 6 months pregnant with my first baby) and have given up riding for the pregnancy, for reasons like the bike falling on me or summit like that or if I need to get an xray cos of a slight off or whatever...I mean lets face it ya balance is completely outa wack when preg - I'm reluctantly at that stage of having to get out of my healed boots and into flat shoes cos of my balance .

I'm envious as anything when its a nice day and I see all the bikers out there!

So I to to am wondering what it will be like once we have our baby, how will it feel getting back in the saddle. Will I be a big pussy and wrap myself up in cotton wool etc?

Its certainly of interest how you get on with your confidence returning compared to before you had a baby number one!

[xgnr]

... and then some more practice.

Oh BTW do a "ride right, ride safe" course http://rrrs.org.nz/index.html ( run by BRONZ) will give you lots of confidence and help you identify and then correct any bad habits (riding ones only TG).

Welcome back

Stu

[scootnz]

I found that getting time to ride was the biggest problem. The first few months with a baby, any time that baby is asleep, you should really sleep too. I was exhausted, or had stuff to do that HAD to be done. Did start riding again within 3 months though.

Took me a long time to get my confidence back after baby number 2, mainly because with two to look after, and the youngest lactose intolerant, I didn't ride for a whole year. When I did ride again, it was only short distance commuting in town. So I asked my mum to have both kids for a weekend, and planned a longish trip via the Cold Kiwi this year, invited several others to come along, and had a great time rediscovering the joy of travelling.

YMMV

[MotoGirl]

Good thread Number One

Currently i'm at where you have been...(i.e., i'm 6 months pregnant with my first baby) and have given up riding for the pregnancy

Did start riding again within 3 months though.

*does the maths*
I'm now starting to understand how it'd be so easy to lose your confidence after having a baby. I don't know at what point it becomes physically impossible to ride a bike but most women would probably miss riding for at least six months (stop at six months and return when baby is three months).

If you stop riding immediately and don't get back on until the baby is three months, that's a whole year without riding

[klingon]

I have a friend who rides a scooter and is about 4 months pregnant. She's finding that the most challenging thing is all her muscles and ligaments and connective tissue are loosening up and it's physically very uncomfortable to ride.

She stopped riding shortly after she found out she was pregnant and will probably not ride again until she's cut down on breast feeding (that's another discomfort she's having trouble with - and none of her jackets fit comfortably across her chest any more!) So she's likely to be off the scoot for quite a long time.

I will be interested to see if she even gets back into riding or if she will eventually sell the scoot. Time will tell.

[Number One]

*does the maths*
I'm now starting to understand how it'd be so easy to lose your confidence after having a baby. I don't know at what point it becomes physically impossible to ride a bike but most women would probably miss riding for at least six months (stop at six months and return when baby is three months).

If you stop riding immediately and don't get back on until the baby is three months, that's a whole year without riding

I should probably reiterate the ISH part of new mum. My boy is almost 4!!! so it was about 3 years between rides and the two I did do were just wee scoots into town...hardly what I used to consider a ride. I also have a bit of a handbreak on the practise, practise thing...don't have a legal small bike to do said practise on! Not sure I'd feel cheeky enough to test ride bike shop bikes for months to build up the confidence...not sure they'd be too happy either

[Trudes]

Give us a yell if you ever want to go for a quiet ride about on the hubby's bike to get your confidence back, there's a bunch of us ladies here in welly who like to go for a nice "cruise" every now and then (in fact, just got back from todays ride), you'd fit in great, we all look after each other and have fun, you're more than welcome to come along!

[Number One]

That's a mighty generous offer....not sure yer hubbie would be so keen though Back when I was riding fulltime I was just tagging along behind (far far behind) all the boys as I didn't know any ladies that rode. Actually preferred riding on my own in the end as no pressure to go fast all the time to try to keep up...sometimes important so as not get lost out in the boondoks! I seem to have a limited sense of direction...compass anyone?

[Riff Raff]

Good thread Number One

Currently i'm at where you have been...(i.e., i'm 6 months pregnant with my first baby) and have given up riding for the pregnancy, for reasons like the bike falling on me or summit like that or if I need to get an xray cos of a slight off or whatever...

And then there's the problem of not being able to fit into your gear anymore (even in the first trimester *sigh) - somehow I don't think maternity jeans are going to cut it in the safety stakes.