Going to Sporting Events While Pregnant

Yesterday morning at 9AM I made a spontaneous decision to go to the US Open. After dropping off my daughter to pre-school, I flashed back home (well, not really), and loaded up a bag of sunscreen, hat, and snacks. I dressed in an outfit that would be both semi-sporty, semi-attractive, and comfortable. That was not easy to accomplish. It ended up not being the look I wanted as I saw myself on the big screen t.v. while watching a match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The purple shirt was too purple and tight. My maternity pants were drenched in sweat. The only thing that worked were my Teva sandals. They were so comfortable that my feet didn't ache one bit the whole 12 hours I was there. Yes...you heard me correctly. I was at the US Open for 12 hours. Yesterday was a scorching day at 86 degrees. Sitting watching tennis in the stands attracts sun like bees to honey. My pants stuck to my legs and to my bottom and to whatever stadium or bleacher seat I was sitting on. Two of the matches went over four hours. To get your money's worth, you really need to see as much tennis as you possibly can. And so I did, for twelve hours. I felt that eyes were on me because I didn't see one other pregnant person there. I walked around a lot, slowly, because the heat was intense and I needed to pace myself. I drank bottles of water and visited the bathroom several times. Around 10PM as a match was just entering its fifth set, I realized that I was low on cash but getting hungry and it was getting late. This is why responsible pregnant women plan ahead by packing more than plenty of snacks and by avoiding situations like this in the first place. I am determined to cross as many obstacles as I possibly can. Again, here I was, a 46-year old pregnant woman with a protruding belly, fighting through sports crowds and trying to get on a NYC subway at 11PM while inching through thousands of others trying to do the same. I didn't get to my apartment until 12:30AM. My daughter scolded me this morning because only two days ago I had told her that ladies ususally don't walk around at night.  Well, that was my once-a-year US Open treat. I love tennis and decided not to let this pregnancy, albeit high risk as I'm told it is, get in the way of enjoying my fix. I think my baby likes tennis too because he/she was kicking away all through the Venus Williams match.