It's summer and you want to enjoy the outdoors. After all, you belong among the birds and the bees this season and deserve to flit about in the sunshine, too. What? You're not feeling quite that light on your feet this trimester?

Try biking. Swooping along on your own personal chariot while getting a little healthy exercise is a perfect solution. Biking has the advantages of speed, safety and sheer fun. Plus, it's low cost, social and doesn't involve an entrance fee.

But whether you're a veteran cyclist or are just pulling your cobweb-covered 10-speed out of the garage, biking will present a few special challenges during pregnancy.

Is biking really safe during pregnancy? Non-bikers and urban bikers may rightly be concerned that a two-wheeled excursion that requires balance and a helmet doesn't seem all that safe. True. If you are not completely comfortable riding a bike, pregnancy is not the time to learn. Try learning in a few years when you can borrow your preschooler's training wheels. And urban biking is not ideal – pregnant or not – unless you have access to bike paths and are very alert to traffic.

Common sense is your best protection when biking and you will naturally be extra cautious now that you are pregnant. Remember to obey the rules of the road and signal so that cars, other bikers and pedestrians don't respond unexpectedly. Gear up your bike for safety with a bell, lights, reflectors and a lock, in case you get worn out and simply decide to take public transportation home.

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