Kristi Olivares, from Manly, Australia, has created the film from clips of herself surfing in each month of her pregnancy, as well as blogging about her experience on the website She Surfs, a site dedicated to female surfers.
Filmed from a camera on the end of her surfboard, Kristi records herself riding waves until she is nine and a half months pregnant.
TWO MONTHS: Just pregnant, it is impossible to tell that Kristi is expecting at the start of the video
THREE MONTHS: It is still difficult to discern
any bump on slim Kristi in her third month of preganancy, as she
continues to demonstrate impressive skills on her board
Often against breathtaking sunsets and showcasing the stunning Australian coastline and oceans, the film features a beaming Kristi surfing with her friends as we watch her bump, accentuated by her lyrca surf wear, slowly swell.
Even in the late stages of pregnancy, when most women would be taking the opportunity to indulge in some serious relaxation, Kristi is seen paddling out into the ocean before leaping up to stand on her surf board, laughing and smiling as she rides the wave then falling off into the sea.
Talking on her blog about the mechanics of surfing pregnant, Kristi says: ‘It is definitely getting more challenging to surf now that I am 30 weeks pregnant. Luckily I have been surfing at least four days a week throughout my pregnancy so the changes to my body and the ways that I have had to adapt my surfing have happened gradually.
THREE MONTHS: Kristi's love of the ocean is
obvious throughout the video, a passion clearly shared by her friends
who appear in many of the clips
FOUR MONTHS: A smiling Kristi playfully wears bunny ears for a surf, sporting the tiniest hint of a bump
FIVE MONTHS: Kristi is now sporting a clear, but
still small, baby bump. However, though she makes adjustments for her
pregnancy, she continues to surf about 4 times a week
‘I could ride all of my board, including the shorter ones until I was about 14 weeks pregnant.
‘After that, even though my belly didn’t really stick out, it got uncomfortable to lie on and pop up from.
‘Because of this, I started to exclusively knee paddle my lovely 9’5 long board and learned to pop up from my knees.’
The surfing fanatic had to adjust her technique throughout her pregnancy as her centre of balance changed, and we see her surfing become slightly less energetic as the film progresses.
‘The bigger my baby belly gets, the more I have to modify the way I pop up, as 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.’
SIX MONTHS: Although still surfing regularly,
Kristi says she changed the way she paddles out (now on her knees as
opposed to lying on her belly) and jumps up to standing
SEVEN MONTHS: Kristi demonstrates her considerable skill on the board
EIGHT MONTHS: With a full swollen belly Kristi
is still surfing, but admits she got tired more easily and needed to
take more breaks
EIGHT MONTHS: Kristi says she got a mixed response from other people for surfing when pregnant
NINE MONTHS: Kristi ends up being slightly overdue, and continues to surf right up to the line
Kristi, who has been surfing for over four years, says she was careful about when and where she surfed while pregnant, never going out in waves over shoulder height, and also was extra vigilant when she fell off.
‘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,’ she explains on her blog.
Despite her precautions, Kristi admits that people’s reactions to her remaining so active through her entire pregnancy were not always positive.
NINE MONTHS: Surfing with her bump silhouetted,
Kristi says her doctor supported her decision to surf her way through
her pregnancy
NINE MONTHS: Kristi says that her four years of experience enabled her to surf safely when pregnant
Kristi enjoying her last pregnant surf before giving birth at over nine and half months
The film ends with Kristi surfing against a sunset and the message 'Can't wait to introduce my baby to the sea'
‘When I tell people I am still surfing I get a strong response from them. most people are positive and happy for me while a few launch into the "isn’t it dangerous speech" speech.
‘Other surfers or people who spend a lot of time in the ocean understand when I say that I take wave size and water conditions into account before I paddle out and they can imagine how surfing could be modified to suit a pregnant woman.
‘It is usually people with no surfing experience who seem to imagine that I am recklessly surfing massive waves on a short board like a scene from Blue Crush. Unfortunately, those people often freely share their judgements and negativity.
‘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.’
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