Camping While Pregnant: 29 Weeks

Things that are harder while pregnant: well, pretty much everything. Also, camping. Yet apparently I thought it was a good idea to go camping last summer. Three times. As you can perhaps imagine, there were some interesting moments. There were also many fun moments, making the discomfort (mostly) worthwhile. Being pregnant doesn’t have to mean stopping the things you love (unless of course, your doctor tells you too - then do that).

The first camping trip of the summer was our traditional Memorial Day weekend trip. Being pregnant, I wanted somewhere “easy” and not too hot. Basically, I did not want to feel too much like I was actually camping. The coast was ideal. Plus, Oregon State Parks campgrounds are common on the coast and generally have electricity and actual toilets, things that felt important at the time. As per usual, it was sort of a last minute decision to go, so our specific choice of location was determined by where we happened to get a campsite (the option to set up notifications for site availability came in handy). Someone else’s last minute cancellation meant we were spending the weekend in Newport. Even better, we were lucky enough to get one of the tent sites near the beach at Beverly Beach State Park. Honestly, I was significantly more excited about the prospect of exploring a new place than I was about the camping part.

There were moments where I really just wanted to go home. My mild diva tendencies that tend to arise while camping were apparently exacerbated by pregnancy. And sleeping on an air mattress, a tenuous proposition at the best of times, is hardly ideal while growing another human. There was also lots of rain, relentless rain with the exception of a sunny Sunday.

There was a last minute trip to Walmart to buy a canopy so that we could have some protection from the rain while we/Brandon prepared the camp breakfast I insisted we/Brandon make.

There were crowds, not to mention car trouble in the form of a broken radiator in the truck halfway through the weekend.

But there was also a lovely sunset, falling asleep to the sound of crashing waves, and long walks on quiet beaches.

There was also seafood (coconut shrimp forever). As in pretty much every meal was seafood, low mercury and pregnancy safe, of course. We enjoyed chowder and seafood pasta at Pacific Kitchen at Nye Beach, coconut shrimp and halibut in a crab sauce at Gracie’s Sea Hag in the lovely little town of Depoe Bay, and calamari and more coconut shrimp at the Chowder Bowl. It hardly feels like camping when you get to eat incredible seafood in local restaurants.

We enjoyed one perfect, sunny day of exploration with gorgeous views of the Oregon coastline as we checked out Yaquina Head Lighthouse and Devils Punchbowl.

And finally it wouldn’t really be a Brandon and Cora camping trip without at least one gourmet camping meal. We kept the seafood theme going with a delicious crab boil. You know, standard camping fare.

I spent most of the weekend uncomfortable - soggy, tired, and with swollen feet. I am not going to lie and say that it was a breeze. Camping while pregnant is not for the faint of heart. But it was, and is, important to me to find ways to still be “me” as I transition to taking on the new role of mom, a challenging and sometimes uncomfortable proposition at best, but one that, like camping, is so worthwhile.