fitness During Pregnancy
As the owner of an all-women’s gym, I frequently speak with women who have recently become pregnant. They wonder what modifications they should make to their exercise routine or whether they should work out at all. Here is the great news: exercise will not harm your baby! Working out during pregnancy has huge benefits.
“Here is the great news: exercise will not harm your baby! Working out during pregnancy has huge benefits.”
If your pregnancy is a normal and healthy one, you should continue your exercise routine and even start one. I find that many women feel anxious about certain types of exercise even though it poses no real threat to the baby. In that case, I suggest scaling back to a class or intensity level that does not provoke your anxiety and allows peace of mind. Usually, confidence grows in your abilities and the safety of your baby.
Benefits of Exercising While Pregnant
Increased energy
Better sleep
Eased constipation
Improved mood
Reduced back pain
Easier labor
Promotion of healthy weight gain
Decreased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and c-section.
There are several advantages to working out while pregnant. Most of the benefits for pregnant women are shared with non-pregnant women: increased energy, better sleep, eased constipation, improved mood, reduced back pain, easier labor, promotion of healthy weight gain, and decreased risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and c-section. While the benefits are numerous, many women find it extremely difficult to work out due to fatigue, nausea, or other complicating factors due to pregnancy. In such cases, my suggestion is to do your best.
During my last pregnancy, I recall driving to the gym but feeling extremely fatigued, so I turned back around and went home. Your body is working extremely hard to grow that precious life inside of you. While there are days you will feel amazing, there are also days your body might benefit more from rest. Resist the comparison between pregnant you and non-pregnant you!
What Should Working Out Look Like?
If you are new to exercise, slowly build up to at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. There is a myth that if you have never worked out, you should not start during pregnancy. This is false! Pregnancy is a great time to start working out as you will reap the benefits during and after pregnancy. If you have already been working out, continue as long as your body feels good! The type of exercise can be varied and different.
What do you enjoy?
Lifting weights? Go for it. Running? Awesome. Step class? Do it! Popular exercises among pregnant women include walking, swimming, cycling, and modified Pilates and yoga. At Glover Fitness, our instructors are happy to help provide appropriate modifications for your specific needs.
What Precautions Should I Take?
Make sure to drink water before, during, and after your workout. Dehydration is always to be avoided, especially while pregnant.
Invest in a good sports bra. With growing breasts, it’s important to be as comfortable and free to move as possible.
Avoid lying on your back for long periods if you are in the second and third trimesters. The growing uterus can compress the vena cava, which supplies blood to your heart. Cutting this supply off can lead to lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, weakness, and dizziness.
In any exercise, if you begin to feel dizzy, faint, or experience muscle spasms, headaches, or regular and painful contractions, stop and seek medical care if the condition does not improve. Your ligaments will loosen due to pregnancy hormones later in pregnancy. Due to this, be aware of bouncing during stretching or high-impact moves like box jumps. Many women are concerned about getting their heart rate over a certain point during pregnancy. However, the best rule of thumb is to be able to have a conversation during the workout. If you feel unable to catch your breath, slow it down a bit.
Post-Pregnancy Tips
Do not feel pressured to get back to your pre-baby shape immediately. It takes the body a long time to recover from nine months of growing another human, and the rate of recovery is different for each woman. Your body has been a vessel for something miraculous. Respect that and allow yourself to trust the process of regular exercise! Do not ignore any pain during exercise. Seek medical attention in cases of persistent pain. Your core needs to be protected at this time as well. Avoid exercises that increase intra-abdominal pressure, such as Russian twists, sit-ups, crunches, planks on hands and feet, double leg lowers, or any other moves where you observe coning of the abs. Instead, focus on pelvic floor work, deep breathing, and transverse abdominis work.
If you are pregnant or hope to become pregnant, I encourage you to view exercise as a means of making your life more enjoyable during this special time. Multiple women have expressed to me what a difference exercise during pregnancy has made in their moods and overall health. I hope you, too, realize the joy of working out pre- and post-baby!
Author
Maggie Glover
Maggie is the owner and head trainer of Glover Fitness. She loves seeing transformations, especially through fitness! With her husband, Tye, she has two daughters and a son.