Bethany Hamilton Surfs Pregnant: ‘Soul Surfer’ Hits The Waves, Baby Bump And All

Bethany Hamilton didn’t let a shark attack keep her from surfing, so the 25-year-old certainly isn’t going to let something as little as a pregnancy stop her from catching some waves either.

Hamilton, who is six months pregnant, was spotted surfing some big waves on a beach in Kauai, Hawaii, this week. Bethany was seen sporting a baby bump as she climbed onto her board, hitting the waves and hanging out with her fellow surfers.

Hamilton gained fame after losing her arm in a 2003 shark attack, a tragedy that was turned into the movie Soul Surfer. Last month, Bethany Hamilton announced in a YouTube video that she was pregnant.

“We have a little surprise for you… baby on board!” Hamilton said in the clip, which she shot on her birthday.

Bethany Hamilton said she also plans to surf while pregnant — at least as long as she’s still able.

“I’ve been surfing throughout my whole pregnancy. I plan to surf as long as I can,” she said. “Once the belly’s pretty big, maybe (I’ll) just mellow it out and spend more time swimming and enjoying the ocean.”

Now that she’s actually gotten on her surf board with the baby on board, Hamilton said surfing is a bit trickier.

“It’s such a weird feeling to be surfing in the ocean while my baby is moving around inside me,” Hamilton told People Magazine. “It’s a cool feeling, but I noticed my balance is a little off and I fall more, so I’m having to focus.”

While Bethany Hamilton surfs pregnant, she still holds herself to the same high standards as before. Hamilton said she tries “not to use pregnancy as an excuse. But there are times when I say to myself, ‘Oh gosh, that was a pregnancy surfing moment!'”

Hamilton will take a small break after giving birth to recover, but said she will be back in the waves as soon as she can.

“I’m really excited to continue doing it once I’m all recovered from giving birth and figuring out how to be a mom,” she said in the clip. “But for now I’m just excited to be a mom and take on this adventure first.”

Pictures of Bethany Hamilton surfing while pregnant — and showing off her baby bump — can be seen here.

[Image via People magazine]