It can be quite cute watching a pregnant woman do strong things but then, it is painful to watch. Because at every little move or “ouch”, there is the fear that she could be hurt or the unborn baby could be hurt. This is why most people keep pregnant women from doing most activities.
Being pregnant comes with a lot of life adjustments from simply a change in wardrobe to a reduction or total withdrawal from the type of activities you would normally do.
If you are pregnant or have a pregnant wife at home who cannot keep her hands off the lawnmower and you are curious about this question.
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Should You Mow the Lawn While Pregnant?
You can mow the lawn while pregnant and if you feel you should, that’s fine too. Mowing the lawn is a safe activity just as long as you are healthy and your pregnancy is healthy too.
If you enjoy mowing the lawn and want to keep at it when you are pregnant, then you should pay attention to your body and the signs it is giving. That, way you are in control and conscious of how much energy you are putting into any activity including mowing.
Exercising during pregnancy is advised by most doctors and mowing the lawn is a form of exercise. A perfectly safe form of exercise when done carefully.
Exercises such as that are said to keep a pregnant woman active. It also helps to reduce and possibly eliminate depression, and weight gain, regulate your mood and help delivery. However, exerting too much energy can cause harm to you and the unborn baby.
People have different body systems and different reactions to situations. So not compare yourself to your neighbor who was pregnant some months ago but was still seen mowing her lawn.
Instead of doing that, go and consult your doctor. Your doctor will let you know if you can mow as much as want and the precautions to take to keep you and the baby safer.
When Is it Not Recommended to Mow the Lawn When Pregnant?
While at the first stage of pregnancy, it might be easy to do your usual activities as time goes on,
you need to take things slow and listen to your body. When it screams rest, take the cue and leave the activity. Whatever strength you want to exert now, should be saved for delivery.
If mowing the lawn is not your usual activity:
It is part of human growth that you learn and practices new things in life, right? But definitely not when you are pregnant. One of the rules of pregnancy states that you can do whatever activity you have always done but no new activity. Don’t just start a new activity now.
If mowing the lawn is an activity you have done just once before or never before, don’t start now. Unlike when you are not pregnant, it might cause exhaustion and dehydration.
If your pregnancy is considered high-risk:
If your doctor checked and found that your pregnancy is a high-risk one, he will limit the kind of activities and even the type of food you eat at least for the first trimester.
If you also have other health conditions like diabetes, the kind of activities you engage in will be restricted.
Discharges and pain:
If you see blood spottings, bleeding, excess vagina discharge, or any discharge at all, you might want to get someone else to do the mowing. Also if you feel sharp pains in your body or feel lighthearted, you should go lie down and rest.
This is not the time to showcase strength for mowing but strength in keeping you and your baby safe.
If it causes allergic reactions:
During pregnancy, the body changes so much that the normal becomes abnormal. The woman might even begin to react to activities or things that were her favorite.
In this case, she might notice that mowing the lawn causes some allergic reactions to her skin or health. If and when you notice this, leave the mowing to someone else.
When the condition of the grass is not favorable:
So it rained a couple of minutes ago and the grass is still quite wet. Wet grasses are slippery and if one is not careful, one could fall and hurt themselves. It is not the right place for a pregnant to stand.
When It is in the last trimester:
When the pregnancy is almost at its end, you need all the rest you can get. If your fitness level and your doctor say you can carry out a couple of activities, then it’s fine. But stay away from aggressive or excessive physical activities.
Also Read: Are Lawn Mowers Cheaper in the Winter?
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Can Mowing The Lawn Cause A Miscarriage?
Mowing the lawn provides no barman for a pregnant woman who does it carefully and has taken precautions in making the lawn safe. However, it will be if this carefulness and precaution are ignored. You stand the chance of getting a miscarriage if you do not pay attention to your body and the environment.
Trying to push a lawnmower uphill, up or down the sloppy side of the yard, on uneven terrains, and allowing yourself to overheat puts a pregnant woman at risk of miscarriage.
Staying hydrated, protected under warm sheds, and staying easy from the hot and sunny weather keeps you away from any form of trauma and hence safe.
If you must mow the lawn then you should stay away from uphills, and wet grasses and have someone remove stones or objects that could cause you to trip while mowing.
Being pregnant does not stop you from wearing the right protective gear while mowing the lawn. In fact, it is more reason why you should. It will protect you from bug bites, the sun, and the impacts of the lawnmower.
Also Read: How to Clean Lawn Mower Air Filter?
Can You Mow The Lawn 5 Weeks Pregnant?
A five-week-old pregnancy is still in its first trimester and so still okay for mowing a lawn. This is because generally, mowing the lawn is a good kind of exercise for pregnant women.
It will help maintain fitness while pregnant while providing tons of health benefits. As long as you do not overdo the mowing and stay hydrated while paying attention to your body, you will be fine.
A gym junkie is more agile and fit than an average woman. If you were like that before pregnancy, then you are very well fit to mow the lawn 5 weeks pregnant and even as far deep into your months of pregnancy.
Just as long as you stick to the routines you practiced before getting pregnant. However, questions concerning the type of activity you can engage in should be taken to your doctor.
At this stage of your life, they may understand your body as well as you do. That way, you are sure of whatever you can and cannot do. Also in this trimester, you should avoid any form of chemical or fumes that is emitted from lawnmowers or any machine.
Can I Use A Push Mower While Pregnant?
A push mower requires more effort when mowing the lawn but can easily be controlled, nonetheless, it is safe. If the push mower is the type you have always used before the pregnancy, then you can still use it while pregnant. But if it isn’t, stick to the riding mower.
Now, if we were to compare the push mower to the riding mower, the riding provides more safety for a pregnant woman than a push lawnmower.
A push lawn mower produces more noise and the fumes it emits are most likely to be inhaled easily than a riding lawnmower.
This is because the user stands behind a push lawnmower while for a riding lawnmower, the user stays inside and hence away from the fumes. The riding lawn mower provides comfort and requires little effort than the push lawnmower.
Despite all that has been said, the push lawn remains safe for a pregnant woman to use. It is also not as safe as a riding mower.
Is Gardening Safe During Pregnancy?
Honestly, gardening can expose you to infections caused by Toxoplasmosis and for a pregnant woman, the risk is higher. It is a disease gotten from gardening. But this can be avoided by wearing gloves and avoiding direct contact with the soil.
However, gardening is one of the activities recommended for pregnant women. If it is a hobby you enjoyed before pregnancy and still enjoy during the pregnancy, then you ahold not stop. It helps with mood swings and helps the mind to stay relaxed while being exposed to fresh air.
Conclusion:
People think mowing the lawn is not a safe activity but little do they know that it serves no harm to both the pregnant and the non-pregnant. It is your body and no one should care for it more than you.
So if you must listen to your body while you enjoy your hobby. This way your safety and that of the baby are monitored. Let me borrow the words of a researcher who said ” Common sense is key to this situation”.
