Watching the news this morning getting ready for work I heard this story: Pregnant woman, Ashley Swendson, hit by a car while running from a bear. She was approximately 5 months pregnant at the time of the incident. The extent of her injuries is unknown but she and baby are doing fine. DOW did put the bear down.

http://www.cbs4denver.com/video/?id=56220@kcnc.dayport.com

This leads me to think about a common topic – injuries during pregnancy. So often woman are fearful of continuing their previous exercise regime, thinking they could slip/fall and injury the baby in fact many women don’t even want to start exercising in fear they might injure the baby. We can all think back to that famous Gone with the Wind Scene – Scarlett falls down that magnificent staircase lands at the bottom and the fall apparently causes a miscarriage. What if I fall during pregnancy, can I injure my baby?

Your baby grows in the amniotic sac, surrounded by amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid levels generally are about 800ml through pregnancy. This fluid cushions hard blows and jolts to your belly, protecting the baby and allows your baby to move, developing muscles. Now in the case of a rare pregnancy condition, oliohydramnios (too little amniotic fluid) the baby could be at greater risk because lower levels of amniotic fluid protect the baby in utero. For the most part that amniotic fluid will cushion minor falls. Two close friends of mind experienced minor incidence during pregnancy without negative result: one fell down a flight of stairs (tripping over the dog) and one in a roll-over car accident.

Don’t worry your uterus is specifically designed to protect and keep baby safe while he grows.