[pct-l] From a father's point of view

[Eric Lee]

LadyJ wrote:
>
You said this child is a blessing, then do what is best for 
your baby and reason on the side of caution. If you want peace for your 
child than give your child all the peace it needs to grow within you. The 
wilderness is hard on the body.
>

I'm a male, but the father of four children, so I think I'm allowed to weigh
in.  I agree with LadyJ.

You didn't say if you're planning on a thru-hike, but I assume so.

For most people, long-distance hiking requires total focus and taxes your
resources to the utmost on both a physical and emotional level.  If you're
doing the CDT you've probably thru-hiked before so you know this.  The thing
is, pregnancy (especially your first) is much the same deal.  Your body will
likely be doing crazy things and your emotions will be all over the map.
It's one of those things that's hard to understand if you haven't lived
through it, but pregnancy has a huge impact on many women.  I'm having a
hard time imagining how a thru-hike and pregnancy could mix very well.

I'd be concerned that the physical rigors of a thru-hike, which are so hard
the body, would make it difficult to keep in reserve the energy and
nutrition you'll need to give your child what it needs to develop.  I'd be
equally concerned that the hormonal changes and associated emotional
upheaval you may experience will make it difficult to stay focused on the
hike the way you need to.

That's not to say that you should just sit on the couch for nine months.
Plenty of activity is a good thing!  But a thru-hike is borderline
destructive to many people's health.  I wonder if your midwife really
understands that?

Maybe scale back your plans a bit?  Go for a long section hike but take it
easy.  Don't have any particular goal in mind.  Put the idea of hiking
border to border right out of your head.  Listen to your body and do what it
wants you to do.  A thru-hike can always be done some other time but your
child has only one chance to get a good start in life.

As with most things in life, I'm sure there are a few women out there who
could totally do a CDT thru-hike while pregnant.  But I'm willing to bet
that for most women it would be a bad idea.

Eric