Riley Gaines escaped Alcatraz at nearly 31 weeks pregnant, but had to face harsh critics

Riley Gaines blew her critics out of the water with an amazing feat of athleticism while pregnant.

Gaines, the OutKick podcast host who is currently 31 weeks pregnant, once again made the daring 1.25-mile swim from Alcatraz to shore alongside Navy SEALS, veterans and her husband. The stunt was cleared by an OBGYN beforehand, but that didn’t stop people from weighing in and giving unsolicited advice.

Look:

Escaped Alcatraz at nearly 31 weeks pregnant. I’m basically just a human submarine for baby girl. pic.twitter.com/AdAJAoyCvH

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) July 18, 2025

“Escaped Alcatraz at nearly 31 weeks pregnant. I’m basically just a human submarine for baby girl,” she joked.

The haters came out almost immediately:

Imagine the torturous, horrific conditions for the fetus. Breathing, muscles squeezing, adrenaline overdosing, massive pressure on the cervix, womb, sack, and fetus. Then, the sloshing and incredibly loud noises. Quite the sadistic torture. Hope the fetus survives the mother’s…

— Brian Stott (@bstott2002) July 18, 2025

“Imagine the torturous, horrific conditions for the fetus. Breathing, muscles squeezing, adrenaline overdosing, massive pressure on the cervix, womb, sack, and fetus. Then, the sloshing and incredibly loud noises. Quite the sadistic torture. Hope the fetus survives the mother’s idiocy to be born, healthy. Poor baby…,” said one commenter named “Brian,” who clearly thinks he knows more than a board-certified OBGYN.

“Hahahahaha you sound incredibly unhealthy,” replied Gaines, unfazed by the ignorant comment, before dragging him on her podcast.

“First of all, my developing child in the womb is not a fetus, at this point. If she were to be born, obviously not ideal to be born nine weeks early and no one is to say for certain what will happen. But viability is 24-ish weeks.”

Another X user accused her of being a “marketing ploy”:

You used to stand for something but now it’s all a marketing ploy, thanks for playing!

— pontiff69 (@pontiff691) July 18, 2025

I guess putting your baby at a risk for clicks was a decision.

— Chugs (@ChugDeezNutz) July 18, 2025

Don’t worry guys, Riley will genital check and chromosome test her baby at least 5x per year while at lockdown bible camp, to make sure they don’t fall victim to woke indoctrination. She’s got this!!

— Political Punk (@actingliketommy) July 20, 2025

Imagine becoming a conservative hero by being mediocre at swimming.

— Amiright (@Amiright) July 19, 2025

i’m shocked you can still swim given the crippling PTSD you seemingly are suffering from after tieing for 5th place. you’re so strong

— f.₳RT (@cNFTfART) July 18, 2025

Gaines also used her podcast, ‘Gaines For Girls’, to fire back.

“’I guess putting your baby at a risk for click was a decision,’” Gaines she read. “I wonder where he got his doctorate. I didn’t know Twitter had so many OBGYNs or doctors who suddenly know more about pregnancy and exercising while pregnant than my OB did, who cleared me to do this.”

“Maybe not the best time to swim in the ocean then lol but what do I know,” another user snarked.

“Nothing,” Gaines hit back. “You know nothing, at least about pregnancy and exercising while pregnant.”

Writer/Columnist

Sierra Marlee is a millennial whose hunger for the truth in a world of fake news has led her to BizPac Review.

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