Recently, singer Alicia Keys slipped in her heels during a performance and fell on her behind in front of the crowd. The media has been quick to point out that she shouldn’t have been wearing heels in the first place, but the fall could have happened anyway. It’s easy to fall when you are pregnant. I can empathize because it happened to me. All I can say is I’m glad it didn’t happen in front of the whole world.
One afternoon I was carrying a laundry basket full of dirty clothes downstairs to wash. About halfway down, my heel slipped over the edge of the carpeted step and I fell on my backside, smacking two more steps before I caught myself. I howled in pain and instantly burst into tears. I was pregnant, and falling down was my worst nightmare. I wasn’t really hurt, but I was scared. Was my baby okay? After doing a little research I learned that a baby is protected during a fall by the amniotic fluid, which acts as a cushion. If I were to have landed on my stomach, it might have been different, but slipping and falling on your bum is unlikely to result in injury to the baby.
I wonder if Alicia panicked a little on the inside. Her performance never showed it if she did. She bounced back up and continued to sing at the piano as though it had never happened. That’s a true performer and artist!
To prevent falls, wear good shoes and avoid movements that require you to lean too far in one direction or too quickly. For example, leaning backward like Alicia did is going to be harder than usual due to the increased curvature of your spine. You should also take extra care when going up or down stairs. Don’t carry oversized laundry baskets like I did; instead have your spouse or another family member carry the item for you. You could also copy my latest strategy: stuffing the laundry into a mesh hamper and throwing it over the banister to the floor below. Just make sure no one is standing there.