If a shark attack wasn't enough to slow down Bethany Hamilton, don't expect her pregnancy to be able to. The professional surfer announced her intentions to continue surfing when the news of her impending birth became public.
"I've been surfing throughout my whole pregnancy," she said (via YouTube). "I surfed Teahupo'o and Pipeline. I plan to surf for as long as I can. Once the belly's pretty big, maybe mellow it out and spend more time swimming, just enjoying the ocean and doing other activities."
"I'm really excited to continue doing it once I'm all recovered from giving birth and figuring out how to be a mom."
Now 26 weeks pregnant, the one-armed wave runner is defending her right to ride with a protruding belly.
"As enthusiastic as I am to keep a healthy me and stay strong for surfing and life, I think it is important to rest when you need to and not overdo it," Hamilton told Fitbump360. "Our body works hard and we need to care for it. But with that in mind, giving birth may be one of the most physical events a woman goes through, so being active and keeping muscles alive and ready is what I believe we need to do."
"It's crazy, but I feel like I've done some of my best surfing prego," she added. "At about five-and-a-half months, I really started to feel pregnant while surfing. I would get up a little slower and just feel a bit off from my normal self, but I'm fully enjoying the ocean."
Unsurprising to no one, the medical community took issue with Hamilton's approach.
"Surfers have a chance of falling in the water, and hitting big waves can cause trauma to the abdomen," said Dr. Daniel Roshan, an ob-gyn with NYU Langone Medical Center (via NY Daily News). "You don't want to exhaust yourself. More blood will go to the baby."
Hamilton and her husband Adam Dirks are expecting the newest addition to their family in June.
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