Aerial Silk Diaries: Flying Through the First Trimester

Being able to continue doing Aerial Silks while pregnant has been quite a blessing. I was worried at first that I would feel too tired or that my doctor would advise against it. Thankfully, I go to a doctor who understands what it is that I do (another aerialist friend actually works for her) and for me and my pregnancy at this point in time, it has been a-ok to continue doing what I’m doing. I did quit all drops and all wraps that wrapped my stomach immediately. Plus, I stepped back from doing anything that put me upside down until getting clearance at my 12 week appointment on Monday. My instructors have been really great about showing me different moves that I can work on whenever the class is working on something that I’m not comfortable doing. It’s been nice to have them to talk to since they know aerialists who have trained throughout their pregnancy!

There’s not a ton of advice out there on the internet since we are a little bit of a rare breed, but what I’ve taken from everything that I have read is that first and foremost, you should consult your doctor (obviously) and second, listen to your body. I’ve had a surprisingly easy pregnancy so far and I can probably attribute most of that to the fact that I am in such good shape from aerial silks and the fitness classes that I’ve been taking for about a year now. Had I been feeling super tired or really sick, it wouldn’t have been an option for me to continue – so I really feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I’ve read so many great things about keeping up with your fitness routine (modifying as you go) as much as possible. It generally leads to a much easier birth and who isn’t hoping for an easier birth?! ;]

If you’re pregnant and you’ve stumbled across this little ol’ blog because you’re in search of someone to give you answers on what is ok and what isn’t – just know that unfortunately there is no blue print guide for the pregnant circus performer. There just isn’t. Because there is no truly “typical” pregnancy. We are all so different! So consult your doctor and if they give you the go ahead – be smart, listen to your body, and know your limits. This is most assuredly not the time to learn new tricks or stretch your abilities. I’m not a medical professional by any means but if you are new to silks and still find a lot of what you’re doing to be a huge struggle, I would discontinue until after baby arrives. I find that I feel wonderful after a class and not out of breath, sick, dizzy, etc. If at anytime I feel differently, I’ll be putting silks on the back burner!

If you continue to do silks – be prepared to answer questions from friends/family/strangers. I say “be prepared” because they wont always come in a friendly format. Most people mean well, but their questions may come out sounding much like an accusation that you do not care about your baby, that maybe you’ve simply forgotten that you’re pregnant, or that you are not smart enough to have spoken to your doctor. Probably not what they mean to infer, but infuriating none-the-less.

Safe flying to you and your aerial babes! <3