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Can I freedive while pregnant?


Diver in Cressi gear on a boat headed to the dive site

The ocean is my life. The water is what led me to the career path I’m on, and as my life has changed over the years, I’ve always managed to find a way to get to the ocean and take photos one way or another. So when I found out I was pregnant, with plans to lead an underwater photography expedition in the middle of the ocean six months later, I had a moment. A moment with a lot of questions:




I started looking for answers online, but I didn’t get much from web searches. The encouragement and support do keep up the water lifestyle came from the mothers in my life who have never been freediving, and from my doctors. Some of the answers I had to find on my own and that’s what this article is about.

Pregnant underwater photographer taking photos of a whales hads in deep blue water

Can I freedive while pregnant, and until when?


First of all, I want to make clear: this is a blog about my experience, not medical advice. Please talk to your doctor before making any assumptions. And if you have never done it before, this is not the time to start a new sport. Do what your body already knows. I had a very healthy pregnancy, which has made things a lot easier in and out of the water. If you are a diver, or you are an active person used to any sport, there’s a good chance you will be able to keep doing what you love well into your pregnancy. And if you are at a level where your sport has become second nature, your body will tell you its limits.


After the first three miserable months wondering if I would ever have energy again, I got back on boats. I was shark diving (with very shallow dives and no tanks) and snorkeling during my second trimester, and I led my underwater photo expedition in the Azores at 28 weeks. Being in the water was easier than walking, but not without its challenges (heartburn was a state of life).


So in short: yes, if you are a diver and are pregnant, you can still enjoy the water, with some limitations. This is not the time to learn new skills or push for personal bests. But you are not destined to give up everything you love. You just get to do it more slowly, with your little one experiencing it with you from the front row seat.


Pregnant freediver swimming with tiger sharks in Hawaii

Can I fly?


In order to get to clear water and to the sharks, I had to fly to Hawaii and the Azores. I’ve been flying so much in the past few years, and I never imagined that would become the hardest part of keeping up with my life while pregnant.


Yes, you can fly for most of your pregnancy. Past 28 weeks, some airlines will require a doctor’s note. Make sure you get one (and bring it with you). From 36 weeks on, airlines can refuse to let you board.


But aside from whether or not I could fly, it was rough. Flights with no layover are the BEST. But taking international trips off the regular tourist path meant flights were long and layovers longer. The trick that made it possible was getting out of the airport and lying flat, taking naps whenever I could. Day spas for a few hours, hotels near the airport to get a little sleep. It was intense, but it made things so much easier.


And if you are traveling to Europe, a lot of airports will have priority security screening and boarding for pregnant women. I would take full advantage of that.


What about the wetsuit?


Pregnant woman on a boat looking at the water

The wetsuit dilemma was one of my main concerns that I didn’t have an answer to until the day I got to put one on at the location. I didn’t buy anything new, because it was hard to tell what size I would be. I packed my two Cressi suits, made of softer material. The 1.5mm zip-up was too thin for the water temperature but was the most comfortable. Eventually, I realized that my 3.5mm was much better, but it took cutting off the hood.


What I didn’t expect was that eating any sort of food would make staying in the water nearly impossible. The moment I put on a wetsuit and got in the water, any space left in my stomach got compressed, resulting in crazy heartburn that made it hard to breathe. That’s how full-day missions turned into “I can only get in the water if I don’t eat at all.” And for a photographer, that’s painful. Bringing a drone and, in a way, still being part of the action made it feel like less of a loss. But honestly, the stories and the smiles on the faces of the people I brought with me made it all worth it.


Layering a large wetsuit top over my 1.5mm worked too, but it wasn’t comfortable. But in hindsight, the two options I brought were enough.


Where do I even put my weight belt?


The weight belt placement with the third trimester baby bump turned out not to be an issue at all. I never trimmed my belt shorter, so there was plenty of room to grow into it. If anything, for once in my life, it actually stayed on my hips. Handing it to the boat before climbing back up was the only restriction I really had.


Is it ok to be on boats?


If you share my addiction for the ocean and just found out you are pregnant, you’ve probably already tried to book some mild activities like whale watching and realized they have restrictions for pregnant women. That wasn’t something I was too happy about, so after my doctor gave me the green light, I started calling the various tours I had planned to explain I’m very comfortable on boats and I had medical approval to be on them.


It can get bumpy on any vessel. On small boats, I sat in the back near the captain, and on good days it was better than walking. On the last rough day of the expedition, I had a long talk with my baby as the boat was crashing through waves, promising it would be the last day, and I wondered if he was having a good time or if he just thought I was a terrible pilot. Hopefully the adventure is gonna give him a head start and shield him from seasickness.



Pregnancy is a time of crazy change, and it comes with its challenges, especially when your heart belongs to the ocean. But this journey showed how possible it is to adapt if you are lucky enough to have a healthy pregnancy. Just listen to your body, and keep enjoying the activities that bring you purpose. Whether it’s freediving, traveling to international destinations, or just being on the water, pregnancy doesn’t have to mean giving up on your passions. It’s about finding new rhythms, slower paces, and a deeper connection with both your body and your little one.


For anyone navigating the same path, remember: you’re not alone, and with knowledge and patience, you can keep up your life’s adventures, even with a baby on board.


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