Woman Surfs Into 9 1/2 Months of Pregnancy

Kristi Olivares captured her pregnancy in a most unique way – and the final product is making waves all over the world.  The passionate surfer from Australia, recorded herself riding her board up until 9 and a half months pregnant.  Filming it all from a camera on the end of her surfboard, the montage has some pretty spectacular views and showcases her growing baby bump.

Blogging about her experience on the website She Surfs, Kristi writes about how she had to adjust her surfing technique throughout her pregnancy, for instance, to deal with a changing centre of gravity. She said:

The bigger my baby belly gets, the more I have to modify the way I pop up because my centre of gravity is shifting and my growing belly makes it increasingly awkward. I get tired quite easily and have to take more breaks after I paddle out to the back.

Committed to safety, Kristi says she was extra careful about when and where she surfed while pregnant, never went out into waves over shoulder height and was also extra vigilant when she fell off. She explains:

If I do have a big spill, I make sure that I am in the foetal position when I am getting rolled around underwater to protect my bump and somehow I always come up smiling.

While people’s reactions were mixed, she had the seal of approval from her doctor – an avid surfer himself. She says:

My doctor, who surfs himself, has applauded my decision to keep surfing as part of my healthy lifestyle, recommending of course that I surf sensibly and carefully with regards to my pregnancy.

The video ends with Kristi declaring:

Can’t Wait to introduce my baby to the sea.