Pregnant Bethany Hamilton gives up surfing in 36th week of pregnancy
The pro-surfer has stayed on the waves throughout her pregnancy but will be staying out of the sea in her final trimester
She's the pro-surfer that's kept riding waves throughout her pregnancy. But now, at 36 weeks, Bethany Hamilton says she's "putting the short board away for a while".
Sharing an amazing picture of herself surfing with her baby bump, the mum-to-be commented: "Thankful for fun surfs during my pregnancy! Putting the short board away for a while... 6 3/4months."
The 25-year-old only achieved her dream of becoming a pro-surfer after losing her left arm in a shark attack. Bethany was just 13 when she was attacked by a shark while surfing in Hawaii. After losing 60% of the blood in her body she was lucky to survive – but just 4 years later she began competing professionally, and in 2010 she was ranked no 20 in the world. Now she's taking a break from the sport as she's expecting her first child – a baby boy – with her husband Adam Dirks. Her due date is said to be in early June.
But although she'll not be catching waves any time soon, Bethany is still keen to stay active during her pregnancy. Sharing a photo of herself on the top of a hill with her bump, she commented: "Morning hike with baby boy! #33weeks."
In another post, Bethany said she loved feeling her baby boy's kicks. "My favorite thing about being pregnant is feeling my lil guy move inside of me," she commented on Instagram. "It's so strange yet the best feeling."
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Bethany has admitted that her missing arm could prove challenging when the baby arrives. "Motherhood with one arm, I kind of think about it," she said, according to the Daily Mail. "I kind of forget I have one arm, a squirming baby and changing diapers and just me could be really challenging.
"But I think how I live life now. I just adjust and adapt to different things and I'll find my own ways to take care of the baby."
Photos: Instagram / Bethany Hamilton
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