Pregnant Olympic champ Laura Kenny has switched her bike for the gym – to be nearer the LOO and beat hayfever
The successful track cyclist married fellow Team GB cyclist Jason Kenny in September last year and now the couple are expecting their first child this summer
SHE'S Great Britain's most successful female Olympian, with four Olympic gold medals to her name.
And so, when Laura Kenny discovered she was pregnant with her first baby, it's no surprise she vowed to carry on cycling.
Less surprise still given the father of her baby is one of the most successful male Olympians of all time, Jason Kenny, 29.
The 24-year-old told The Sun Online she wants life to stay "as normal as possible", throughout her pregnancy.
That said, the track and road cyclist admits she has scaled back her rigorous training schedule, and has switched her road bike for the gym.
And while taking Kenny junior into account, the 24-year-old admitted being in the gym also means she's nearer the loo, as her growing bump puts more and more pressure on her bladder.
The couple, who married last September, are expecting their first baby this summer.
And speaking candidly about her pregnancy, with The Sun Online, Laura admitted she has so far escaped the dreaded morning sickness.
But, the first-time mum-to-be said one side effect of expecting has surprised her.
While she admits she has always noticed the seasonal sniffles, Laura said this year her hayfever has been more unbearable than ever.
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She told The Sun Online: "For me it was always about continuing as normal and not being scared by this pregnancy.
"I've never grown a child before, this is our first baby, so I didn't want to put my body into overdrive so I kept things as normal as possible.
"Obviously parts were tailored back - nothing is as intense as it was in the past.
"But every pregnancy is different and I have been very lucky, the only things I have had is hayfever and heartburn so far.
"I know some people won't be able to go out in the fresh air, but I think that really helped me in the first three months."
She admits she is still training, but opts to use a turbo bike in a gym and joked it has the added bonus of easy access to a loo, now the urge to pee comes more frequently.
She added: "I am not [cycling] to the extent I was before I was pregnant and most of it now is just on the turbo, just because if I get an hour into a bike ride then I am an hour away from home and have no way of getting back if I don't feel well.
"But on the turbo I can do an hour and then I can get off or decide to do more.
"And when you're pregnant you need the toilet quite a lot, so being able to just nip to the loo then get back on the bike is actually quite convenient."
Sticking to the gym has also helped Laura manage her hayfever because it minimises her time outdoors.
She said: "My hayfever has started a lot earlier than it normally does, normally it starts around May time but this year I have got it much earlier.
";I just assumed my really blocked nose was part of pregnancy.
I've never grown a child before, this is our first baby, so I didn't want to put my body into overdrive so I kept things as normal as possible
Laura Kenny
"Especially when I laid down in bed and felt like I couldn't breathe.
"I kept thinking it was my pregnancy but actually it was my hayfever starting.
"When you are pregnant you go through so many hormonal changes so that is probably why it seems worse.
"Normally I get really bad, itchy eyes so I am just waiting for that to come along - I am really hoping I can prevent it."
She sought medical help and has since teamed up with Boots Pharmacy to raise awareness of how pregnant hayfever sufferers can make simple lifestyle changes to help ease their symptoms.
Taking medications during pregnancy and also while breastfeeding can have an impact on your baby as the substance can be passed onto the baby through the mother's blood supply an breast milk.
A baby is not necessarily able to cope with that substance in their system so it is important to be careful with things like tablets, medicine, inhalants and ointments.
But Laura said there are a range of medication available over-the-counter that are safe for mums-to-be to take, advising pregnant women speak to a pharmacist if they are unsure which to try.
LAURA'S TOP TIPS TO BEAT HAYFEVER IN PREGNANCY
OLYMPIC champ Laura Kenny said there are lots of things mums-to-be can do to ease their hayfever symptoms.
She said these simple lifestyle changes can make a big difference:
1. Don't hang your sheets outside to dry - as tempting as it may seem, pollen can stick to your laundry and be carried back inside
2. Don't let the dog jump on your furniture - dogs too carry pollen on their coats so it's important to stop them climbing all over your bed or sofa
3. Wear sunglasses - especially wrap around ones, they can shield your eyes and stop pollen reaching them
4. Shower at night - washing the pollen out of your hair before bed can stop symptoms getting worse in the evening
5. Use Vaseline - pop a bit under your nose and around your eyes to trap the pollen and stop it triggering the nose and eye itches
She added: "There are loads of lifestyle changes you can make - hanging your sheets outside just because the sun is out is actually catching all the pollen then you are coming inside and putting them on your bed which is why your hayfever is really bad at night.
"There are loads of things like not letting the dog jump on the bed because dogs are little pollen carriers as well.
"I spend a lot of time outside exercising, so I make sure I always wear wrap around sunglasses [to keep the pollen out].
"It sounds so simple and I used to always wear them when I went out on the bike but I never just wore them during the day, I didn't even think about it.
"Other things are like making sure you wash the pollen out of your hair in the shower just to keep it away from you.
"Even putting a bit of Vaseline under your nose and around your eyes helps because it stops it going in there.
"When I go out cycling I put it under my nose because it just attracts it [the pollen] so it gets stuck to the Vaseline rather than going up your nose."
And her solution to the heartburn she began to suffer? Swizzles mini love hearts.
She said she had tried milk and avoided acidic food but nothing had helped until a Twitter fan suggested it.
Laura said she was dubious about whether it would help but the fizzy sweets provided the relief she was looking for.
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