Is climbing stairs during pregnancy safe?

Is it ok to keep up with regular exercise and daily physical activities even during the pregnancy? And more importantly, is it safe to climb stairs? Well, a little exercise and climbing stairs is absolutely fine in early pregnancy as long as you are taking care of your safety. The forthcoming content will help you know more about climbing stairs and important tips that will help you stay safe.

When to avoid climbing stairs during pregnancy?

Though taking stairs during early pregnancy is totally fine. But there are several times and certain individuals who might be advised to not climb the stairs. The times when you should avoid climbing stairs are,

A long flight of stairs make some people breathless, so if you are one of those who gasps for air after a little walk, avoid climbing stairs.
When your feet begin to swell, do not consider climbing the stairs as an option, as it will add more pressure on your feet, causing a body ache.

Climbing stairs during early pregnancy

Climbing stairs during early pregnancy is totally fine if you remain cautious at all costs. Since the biggest risk during pregnancy is facing falls. A fall in early pregnancy may lead to miscarriage and might also ruin the case for the further pregnancies. However, the risk of falling during early pregnancy is less, because the body hasn’t changed its centre of gravity yet.

First and second trimester

During normal conditions, moving up and down using stairs is considered ok. But obviously if you are facing any type of pregnancy complication or if your doctor has told you otherwise, you better be careful. Here is a list of some precautions that you might want to watch out for,

History of fainting while walking or climbing the stairs
Dizziness
Breathlessness
Pregnancy after 30-35
History of miscarriages
Lower placenta
Multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets etc)
High or low blood pressure

Climbing stairs should be opted for only in case of emergency if your doctor has advised you for bed rest or you suffer from any of the above-mentioned symptoms.

But when it comes down to second trimester, the risk may increase as the gravity of the body is little off. Though for normal and healthy one it is still ok to climb stairs until they are careful and precautious. However, a doctor’s advice should be considered before opting for any other physical activity.

Using stairs during later part of pregnancy

Climbing stairs in later part or trimester of pregnancy is considered to be riskier than the early trimesters. A fall in later pregnancy may lead to early labor symptoms and other complications during birth. Also the risk of falling is much higher in later pregnancy as the abdomen enlarges and body weight increases due to progressing pregnancy.

Third trimester

A pregnant woman’s centre of gravity changes with uterine growth. Also the increasing weight might become hard to balance. Hence, climbing stairs in third trimester is usually not advised. Though one can use a lot of safety tips while using the stairs.

Safety tips for using stairs in early pregnancy

Every pregnant must use certain precautionary measures while climbing stairs. May it be early or later months of pregnancy, to save one from strains or falls, these safety rules are real life savior. Even healthy people might feel accidents if they are not careful and the following safety tips can save such unfortunate accidents,

Slipping and falling on stairs is very common. Hence, to ensure a proper foot traction, use secure stair carpets and avoid slippery stairs at all costs.
Climb slowly. When you are walking up and down on the stairs, make sure that you never go in a hurry. Properly look at the stairs and take your time.
Use good lighting. Invest in installation of good lighting for your stairwell. Because it is very common to miss a step or two when you cannot see the steps.
Use handrails. If you live in an apartment that requires you to use stairs regularly, then make sure that you always walk with the support of the handrails. Also do not keep both the arms busy in carrying multiple items. Always keep an arm free to hold the handrails.

Experiences of other moms

Even after all the possible precautions, if any unfortunate event occurs, one can always get herself checked by the doctor. So let’s put a light on stories of other moms who have gone through various complications yet came out unaffected by it,

Maria, mother of a three month old says, “ I missed a step and fell right onto my hands and knees. I got really scared when I hit the side of my abdomen. I immediately started having several contractions and as a result my husband took me to the emergency room. I was in my second trimester then and was facing a severe cramping. They kept giving me doses of pain relievers to calm my pain down and admitted me for a few days. I got better in sometime and is now a mother of a three month old healthy baby. But if I hadn’t gone to the doctor immediately then, I don’t know what might have happened to my baby.”
Ashley says, “When I was 26 weeks pregnant, I survived a fall. As soon as I fell, I called up the nurse line. They told me to check for any sort of bleeding or cramping. I reassured them that I hadn’t hurt myself on my abdomen. And they told me that amniotic fluid actually provides enough cushion for the baby and saves the baby from such falls.”
Margaery says, “My apartment was on second storey of a 4 storey building. Once when I was returning from the supermarket, I had a lot of packets in my hand. And suddenly when I was midway I felt a little dizzy and blanked out. I came down sliding on almost 5 steps. My husband immediately took me to the hospital where doctor told me to take rest till the child’s birth and suggested me to go for C-section.”