Hiking Pregnant

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I love to hike. my partner and i spent endless days and weeks hiking and backpacking when we first met and still with our young daughter strapped to our backs after she was born. so it was a commonly enjoyable suggestion when last weekend we decided to hike Mt. Worcester. being new to the area we thought it would be great to explore our nearby forests. friends heard i was to do this ahead of time and said..."wow...really, you are nearly 8 months pregnant!!" but i said of course i could do this.


certainly i did make the hike!! such a beautiful hike it was over streams and through beautiful woods along the brook. My 3 year old daughter hiked on her own for quite a distance, maybe even a mile, jumping over streams and balancing on rocks. then came the scramble. she went up on daddy's back and i began huffing and puffing. what a climb. the weight of my belly and my balance questionable as i waddled up the large boulders. my daughter calling out to me wondering why, just why, i could not keep up with them as i usually do. but i was tired as i never have been. How much weight have i gained? will i have the baby here on the trail?



the top...i did it. to see the beautiful land around and try to find our house. to enjoy a picnic. and catch my breath!



but now to come down?!? i felt great empathy for those who do not regularly hike. my knees hurt, i stumbled over rocks and down the slippery boulders. i wondered if maybe i should just rest a bit. but i kept going, "slow and steady wins the race". a phrase i remember saying to myself as i climbed mt st helen years ago and neared the top, climbing through sandy ground that seemed to sink you back down with every step you took up.



i remember reaching the more flat ground, i am almost there now i thought.



almost there...and then there!



lovely hike. but now i know that i will not be hiking mt hunger with a friend next week, with my daughter strapped to my back, as i thought i might.


submitted by colleen kutin....

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