Cycling Sisters

As a formerly pregnant cyclist, I'd like to share my thoughts on this topic.

I rode up until one day before the birth of my third child. I rode most days, typically about 8 miles, in my commute to and from Montessori school as well as running errands. I towed two kids in a trailer during the ride (a 3 yr old and a 5 yr old).

Lest you think I was some sort of wonder woman, I am not. I am fat, middle-aged, and "Suburban."

What I found:
•My health was phenomenal during pregnancy. I suffered no blood pressure issues, sciatica, nor heartburn (all of which troubled me during my earlier pregnancies). My resting pulse rate was under 70. My blood pressure was excellent. I lost weight (which was a good thing). I had no issues with gestational diabetes.
•I was happier about day-to-day issues. I found that I wasn't as stressed out but was significantly more relaxed than during my previous pregnancies.
•Labor and delivery of Genevieve was relatively easy. She was a huge baby at 24 inches and 10.8 lbs (much bigger than my previous kids). Despite her size, I delivered her naturally using no pain meds and needing no oxygen. Her placenta was very large which my doctor attributed to the fact that all my exercising was providing plenty of oxygen flow to allow for it to develop so well. This was probably contributed to why she was such a big baby, as well.
•Postpartum recovery was easy. I was back up and about within days.

The problems--

I did fall once, but it was entirely due to my own fault. I stopped at the top of a hill to check on the progress of my son (who was riding on his own that day). When I turned around, I totally miscalculated my center of balance and went down with a bang--but none the worse for wear. It took me a bit to extricate myself from the bike due to my size but I wasn't hurt, merely embarrassed by my clumsiness. I gave a few pedestrians a scare though!

I couldn't take my _family_ out by bike for about 4 months post partum because I couldn't fit Genevieve's babyseat into the trailer with another child. My then 4-year-old needed to be able to fit, too! This really forced a change in my transit options since I always was traveling with 3 kids, but there was no way I could trust Katie to ride by herself in traffic. By about 4 months, Gen was able to support herself enough to be wedged in with some towels next to Katie. Finding a helmet small enough wasn't an issue because Gen was so big at birth. I was very grateful to have my bike back for commuting!

Preferences--
I really, really, really like having a trailer. I can carry stuff for the kids (snacks, jackets, water) and still have room for groceries or dry cleaning. I like the flexibililty of being able to pop the trailer off the bike to take into the store with me if a child is napping or if I need to transition to walking mode. I like the fact that in the cold weather months, the kids are snuggled up warm in their little pod. They are also protected from rain showers. I love the fact that I can build exercise into my daily routine while not dumping my kids in a daycare situation, plus I don't have to pay membership fees.

Most of my rides are in an urban environment--but not Lincoln Park or Loop-type urban. Think more like Logan Square or Hyde Park. Most of my riding is done in Beverly/Morgan Park/Mt. Greenwood/Blue Island. I must admit that I do not particularly like using a trailer in Lincoln Park if I have to ride Clark or Wells (too narrow!).

My children are presently 4, 8, and 10. We ride all the time in the loop now. Actually, we ride all over the city on a regular basis--from Hyde Park, to Chinatown, Little Village, Bucktown, Lincoln Park, and even out to Garfield Park or Lincoln Square. Gen is still in the trailer, Katie is usually on a trailercycle, and Will is solo when we do this type of riding. We try to be careful and we go out as a group of 5 (two adults) the vast majority of the time. If I go out alone with the kids in the city, I usually only have Will and the trailer (both girls will be in it, or I will leave one child with my husband).

One of the hardest things is including public transit in the mix. There are many times when we would like to take the bus or the el home. CTA/PACE buses and Metra won't allow kids bikes on them. The "L" drivers can be a pain about "only two bikes in a car," even when it's 10 pm with no one else present! That's a problem when you are traveling with a family.

Suggestions--
•Be aggressive about claiming your space on the road. Don't kowtow to impatient drivers if it is safer for you to take over the entire lane. An annoyed driver is paying attention to you--believe me!
•Be meticulous about signaling your intentions while riding. I wear a pair of Glo-Glovs most days to really emphasize my hand signals.
•Use lots of lighting, reflective tape, flags, etc to make yourself extremely visible.
•Smile and wave a lot--especially at impatient drivers. They often do a double taking thinking that they must know you!
•Don't take a 4 hour bike ride and think your kids are going to enjoy it. They will--but only if you break it up with stops at the park or playground. Make bike rides something to look forward to by being sure to include fun in the mix.
•Many kids will nap while on a bike ride, so if that's the case, maximize your exercise!

Jane