Shooting while pregnant?

[huntintoo]

My Mom was an avid Pheasant hunter in Washington when I was a fetus. Could explain my desire to smell burnt 700X in the mornings.

 

[RYEWSKY25284]

My wife is 6 months pregnant. She loves hunting and shooting but has done neither yet during pregnancy with a gun. All hunting has been with a bow so far. Rifle season starts here in November 16th. Her pregnancy doctor is not a single doctor but rather a group of 4 doctors. So she rotates between them depending on who is available during her visits. Anyways, every time she goes she asks about shooting while pregnant. We have received 3 different answers. One doctor said it is fine. The second doctor said they would not risk it. The third doctor said an occasional shot (hunting as an example) is fine but range shooting should be avoided. I think we have simply decided to play it safe and just not shoot period but I am curious what everyone's thoughts here are or see if anyone else here has any experience with this. Thanks!

I would err on the side of caution and keep the baby and mother away from loud sounds until after birth. There is some risk of damaging the unborn's hearing with loud noises. If it was my wife and baby she'd have to wait until the baby is born. It would be terrible to have a newborn with a hearing problem or even deaf and know it could have been avoided.

 

[Swiftkill]

It sounds like you are announcing that you're having a baby. Congratulations, but , with all due respect, why are you asking a bunch of shooters and hunters for OBGYN advice? Unless you are hoping one of us is a doctor. This is life changing. Here's a crazy idea... Maybe you could give up the rifle for one season?

 

[1greywolf]

I think your doing the right thing by having her stay home this year . My ex-daughter in-law was close to a loud noise when she was five months , my grandson is now twenty . Loud noises still hurt his ears . The doctors say it was because of that loud noise while she was pregnant. Just my two cents

 

[DJ Fergus]

My wife is 6 months pregnant. She loves hunting and shooting but has done neither yet during pregnancy with a gun. All hunting has been with a bow so far. Rifle season starts here in November 16th. Her pregnancy doctor is not a single doctor but rather a group of 4 doctors. So she rotates between them depending on who is available during her visits. Anyways, every time she goes she asks about shooting while pregnant. We have received 3 different answers. One doctor said it is fine. The second doctor said they would not risk it. The third doctor said an occasional shot (hunting as an example) is fine but range shooting should be avoided. I think we have simply decided to play it safe and just not shoot period but I am curious what everyone's thoughts here are or see if anyone else here has any experience with this. Thanks!

Play it safe absolutely, don't chance it. Children are a blessing from God. I wish you and your wife well.

 

[noluck]

My sister was 5-6 months pregnant and used a .308 to take a deer a few years ago

 

[55stone]

my wife killed a deer with a 20 gauge (pretty good amount of recoil) while 7 months pregnant a couple years ago. now worries

 

[25WSM]

If Congress would just pass the hearing protection act it wouldn't be an issue. You could buy a silencer over the counter. Big recoil reduction too.
Shep

 

[jacknifejc]

I'm not a doctor, but my sister dated a dentist once. She seems to think it is fine to shoot while pregnant.

 

[Birchbark]

You're asking if she should and that implys you have some concern. Many have replied their wives did just fine shooting while pregnant, but your wife or new child might be different. I would hold off until the big day has passed just to play it safe since the rest of someone's life might be affected.

 

[Lonnie Pendleton]

My wife is 6 months pregnant. She loves hunting and shooting but has done neither yet during pregnancy with a gun. All hunting has been with a bow so far. Rifle season starts here in November 16th. Her pregnancy doctor is not a single doctor but rather a group of 4 doctors. So she rotates between them depending on who is available during her visits. Anyways, every time she goes she asks about shooting while pregnant. We have received 3 different answers. One doctor said it is fine. The second doctor said they would not risk it. The third doctor said an occasional shot (hunting as an example) is fine but range shooting should be avoided. I think we have simply decided to play it safe and just not shoot period but I am curious what everyone's thoughts here are or see if anyone else here has any experience with this. Thanks!

play it safe man

 

[cynicrit]

My wife is 6 months pregnant. She loves hunting and shooting but has done neither yet during pregnancy with a gun. All hunting has been with a bow so far. Rifle season starts here in November 16th. Her pregnancy doctor is not a single doctor but rather a group of 4 doctors. So she rotates between them depending on who is available during her visits. Anyways, every time she goes she asks about shooting while pregnant. We have received 3 different answers. One doctor said it is fine. The second doctor said they would not risk it. The third doctor said an occasional shot (hunting as an example) is fine but range shooting should be avoided. I think we have simply decided to play it safe and just not shoot period but I am curious what everyone's thoughts here are or see if anyone else here has any experience with this. Thanks!

If a woman can tolerate a reasonable level of physical activity, recoil from a moderate powered cartridge (pretty much any non-magnum short action) doesn't seem dangerous. I've seen women who were ready to "get the kid out already" do some things that are worse, (horseback riding, riding in a 4wheel drive over bumpy terrain, jumping on a trampoline, etc.) A doctor's opinion is informed, to some degree, by the desire to avoid litigation, and by their own prejudices toward shooting and hunting in general. I would play it by ear, taking into account her general health, the progress of the pregnancy, and my own gut. If there is a history of difficulty carrying to term, that's a deal breaker. My wife dug flower beds and hauled around potting soil into her 3rd trimester (and told me to get over it). Just don't make her drag the deer!

 

[foul bore]

why take a chance? plenty of hunting and shooting later

 

[300fortheWIN]

Years ago when my wife was pregnant and we went shooting the baby would jump around at the shot. Wife stoped shooting.
Why stress the baby?