Pretty Pods of Poison | Richard Robinson

Pretty Pods of Poison. | Richard Robinson.

Diving after Pregnancy | Dive Bunnie

Clare Wilders recently published a great article on diving after pregnancy on her site Dive Bunnie.

Here is an excerpt of this article.

After the Baby is born!

Well, you waited your time, stayed on the surface during those months of growing that new life that seems to have totally taken over your world.

With even the best intentions, you would be lying if you were not itching to get back under that water and make up for lost time.

Of course we don’t want to ruin your fun, however to ensure that your return to the aquatic world is indeed fun, it would be wise totake a little time and thought to make a few preparations.

OK… some of these suggestions to some of you may seem like a slight case of stating the obvious, but you never know… there maybe that one thing that just slipped your mind.
If we are able to make the return to the water more comfortable and safe for even one of you well, that is enough to make this page most worth-while.

Please bear in mind that I am not a physician, so before doing anything, do ensure that you have the all clear from your doctor. They will know you and your circumstances, better than anyone and will be able to advise you accordingly.

Here is an excerpt from the Divers Alert Network web-site with their current advice regarding diving after having given birth:

“After a vaginal delivery, women can usually resume light to moderate activity within one to three weeks. Obstetricians generally recommend avoiding sexual intercourse and immersion for 21 days postpartum.

This allows the cervix to close, decreasing the risk of introducing infection into the genital tract.

A good rule of thumb is to wait four weeks after delivery before returning to diving.

After a cesarean delivery wound-healing has to be included in the equation.
Most obstetricians advise waiting at least four to six weeks after this kind of delivery before resuming full activity.

Given the need to regain some measure of lost conditioning, coupled with wound healing, and the significant weight-bearing load of carrying dive gear, it’s advisable to wait at least eight weeks after a C-section before returning to diving.

Any moderate or severe medical complication of pregnancy – such as twins, pre-term labor, hypertension or diabetes – may further delay return to diving.

For women who have had deliveries with medical complications, a medical screening and clearance are advisable before they return to diving.

to continue reading this article, please follow the Dive Bunnie link : advice diving after pregnancy.