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A very dear friend of mine and his wife went to Universal Studios when she was five months pregnant. They rode JAWS, went to Jurassic Park, shot aliens in Men in Black, and swung with Spiderman . . . but they also rode all three rollercoasters on the Island of Adventure. The Hulk sent them catapulting out of the gate right before twirling and spinning their rage-filled, sage-green heads. Dueling Dragons had two separate coasters: the first fire-breathing lizard flew them very fast, while the second pulled their bodies through far more G's.

The Hulk and Dueling Dragons are formidable, deliberately fast, and downright amazing to ride, but are they safe for a pregnant woman? Well the park does it's best to discourage all riders with harmful physical conditions, short stature, and children with their own womb. Though the warnings keep the park from being liable, they are not by any means gospel.

There is basically only one important factor which affects the safety on an unborn baby, and no . . . speed is not it. Gravitational force? Nope, guess again.

The key to safety? Impact.

The only significant danger to an unborn child at this stage is direct, violent impact. There are two factors which affect this: 1. It is of utmost importance that the mother-to-be not be "showing" (the uterus having left the confines of the pelvis). As long as the uterus remains comfortably tucked between the hips, the child is basically suspended in its own shock absorber and is protected on virtually all sides from impact. This is the same reason G-Forces do not cause harm to the baby. 2. It is unwise to ride older rollercoasters; so stick to new ones. Rickety, wooden coasters of yesteryear are extremely uncomfortable even if you're not expecting, but to an unborn baby they present a great danger in that they may be accidentally elbowed or thrust against by the lap guard. Not only that, but the violent turns and sharp movements impersonate a swift hit to the gut quite well. On the other hand, newer thrill rides are abundantly smooth; without the jolting, ninety-degree turns.

Only four months after my friends came back from Universal, she delivered a beautiful baby boy who was impeccably healthy. It is interesting to note that this particular couple was so concerned for the health of their unborn child that they went the all-natural route. The mother never smoked or put alcohol to her lips a day in her life. She took amazing prenatal vitamins and ate only the best foods. She also exercised and regularly visited a chiropractor. Finally, their little boy was born at home with no medication or chemicals, and only the most necessary inspections from the mid-wives. So here you have very involved and precautious parents who found nothing wrong with letting their unborn child play with The Hulk or a couple of Dueling Dragons.

This is not to say every pregnancy is the same. That is as foolish as saying that every woman is the same. Certain ladies bring unique conditions to the table and are required to be on bed rest early on in their pregnancy. Others are as strong as a horse and are virtually unfazed by the new life forming in her body.

In the end, you must do the homework and be sensitive to your body. Don't take my word for it (or anyone else's word for that matter). You have to do what is right for your family . . . but don't be surprised if your little one complains "but all my other friends got to ride rollercoasters!"

Learn more about this author, Kevin Olsen.
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