Escape rooms are thrill-seeking mystery experiences that put your problem-solving and communication skills to the test. Challenged to make your way out of a room by deciphering puzzles and working together within your group, you’ll get whisked off into an imaginary world and follow a narrative that places you directly into the middle of an exciting storyline.
Many people love escape rooms, but might be wondering whether they’re still able to join in if they’re pregnant. In this blog, we’re answering whether you can still do an escape room while pregnant.
While the general answer is yes, it’s worth reading on to find out what to be aware of. In this blog, we’re exploring what pregnant people need to know before deciding to play in an escape room.
Table of Contents
1. Can You Do Escape Rooms While Pregnant?
The simple answer is, yes, most pregnant people are able to enjoy escape rooms for the majority of their pregnancy.
That said, there are some factors involved in escape rooms worth scouting out in advance. Each room is different, and the game often hinges on keeping these features as surprises for maximum impact. However, for your own safety and peace of mind, it can be worth spoiling some of these illusions or special effects to ensure your comfort.
Next, we’ll explore what you should keep in mind and discuss with your teammates and gamemaster in advance of doing an escape room while pregnant.
2. Mind Puzzles Over Physical Challenges
There are many different types of puzzles you can encounter in an escape room. From word puzzles to numerical challenges to mobile dexterity games, escape rooms try to achieve an eclectic mix so there’s something for everyone.
Some rooms feature physical challenges. You might have to crawl through a tunnel, step up into a small space, or indulge in some other form of physical escape method. In these cases, it might be best to speak to the gamemaster to see if any accommodations can be made to give you more space to move around. Alternatively, it might be better to just pick a different room that doesn’t involve as many physical challenges if there are too many adjustments that would be necessary.
3. The Spook Factor
It’s worth considering that sudden jump scares or other elements in the escape room designed to cause a fright might not be the best to engage in, especially if you’re heavily pregnant. Most escape rooms feature spooky elements designed to boost your adrenaline and help you feel more invested in the storyline. However, it might be wise for pregnant people to stay away from extra scary themed rooms that use fear tactics as a primary driver in the game, even if you’re a certified thrill-seeker.
Most of our escape rooms in Melbourne have a spook factor low enough to make them suitable for children, but our newest and most difficult room ‘Fractured’ is designed to scare, and therefore isn’t one we’d likely recommend to pregnant people.
4. Prioritising Comfort
The point of an escape room is working together to bust your way out of a room by solving a series of challenges. However, you’ll often enter through a normal door (not the same as the exit you’ll escape from!). This entry point is very rarely ever locked. You should make sure your gamemaster is comfortable with you leaving to use the toilet or simply get a breath of fresh air should you need to during the experience.
You could also ask the gamemasters to put a chair or stool in the room for you to use (you might not be able to sit or lean on props), and ask to bring in a water bottle or any other comfort item you might need. Most escape experiences only last an hour, but don’t be afraid to speak up, even once you’re in the room and the game is underway!
5. Avoiding Sudden Or Excessive Motion
Some rooms might use vibrations, jerks or other sudden movements to simulate certain environments, such as train rides, earthquakes or landslides. In this situation, you could either ask to leave the room during this part of the game, have the movements adjusted, or even witness it in advance to judge for yourself whether you’d feel comfortable being involved.
We do recommend noting your pregnancy at the time of booking your escape room, so that the team running your experience can make you aware of any such features.
Can I Do An Escape Room While Pregnant? Yes, With Precautions
As we’ve covered, it is entirely possible to do an escape room while pregnant, and it can offer a fun, unique activity to do with your partner, friends or family. That said, we do recommend informing your escape room crew, and discussing the room you’re interested in playing so they can make accommodations, adjustments, or even suggest an alternative room which might provide a more enjoyable or comfortable experience.
If you’re thinking about booking an escape room, or perhaps even sending a gift voucher to a pregnant person, we hope you feel more reassured after reading this blog.
For questions specific to our escape rooms or to book your slot today, you can reach us via email or contact us through our website.
