What started out as an attempt to look after myself almost turned into a nightmare. Today, I went swimming with my sister. Everyone, even the pregnancy books said that swimming would be safe. I rationalized that there wouldn't be any extreme pressure, impact or strain since I was going to be supported by water. I figured that I would just paddle around and walk in the water. Which was what I did. I also lay on my back and just kicked myself from one side of the pool to the other. In my teens, I had been pretty good. I trained 3 times a week under a coach and even considered going competitive at one point.
Perhaps in was the fact that I hadn't swam in years. When I got out of the water, I noticed a slight cramping sensation in my groin, somewhere on the right side. Being totally paranoid, I kinda freaked out and insisted that we should call the doctor.
Kelvin was as white as a sheet. He had told me that I shouldn't go swimming. However, his reason was more to do with chlorine water getting inside me so I had reassured him that under no circumstance would our baby be choked by chlorine water and that swimming was the safest exercise next to walking.
After calling the emergency number my gynae had given me, I lay down in bed. I suppose when you're paranoid and pregnant, you really imagine the worst. My gynae finally called me back and I don't remember what I said, I suppose I was rambling. He told me to take some of my hormone pills and call him in two hours. I couldn't wait so long so an hour later, I called him up and agreed to meet him at the hospital. All I wanted at that point was an ultrasound just to make sure the baby was okay.
In the end, the baby was fine. However, I had strained a muscle in my uterus and was experiencing a mild contraction. My gynae looked at me yet again as if I was the most ridiculous pregnant woman he had ever met and commented, "That must have been some swim!"
"Heah-hee," I protested. "All I did was wade around and do some kicking in the water."
The doctor told me to take it really easy. He gave me a week of MC and instructed me not to do housework even.
When we got home, Kelvin patted my head that said, "What have we learned today? If anything, it's to always listen to the voice of truth and reason--ie, me. No more swimming for you."
"Yes dear," I sighed.
