Exercising while pregnant, yay or nay?
Should you exercise while pregnant?
Optimise health for you and baby by keeping fit
For the majority of women, pregnancy will mean being uncomfortable, one way or another. Research shows that energy expenditure during pregnancy is at the upper limit of what humans can maintain physically — it’s hard work. It’s no surprise that lots of women find it difficult to keep on exercising throughout this – especially when you already have kids running you ragged. But exercise is important for you and your baby’s health.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that expectant mums try to complete half an hour of moderate exercise every single day.
Is it safe to exercise during pregnancy?
Yes. In general, if you were physically active before your pregnancy, you can continue exercising as long as it’s comfortable. But – and this is a big but – pregnancy is not the time to exercise for weight loss. Your goals should be about maintaining your fitness and keeping your muscles in tune, so you’re ready for birth and those early newborn days.
Benefits of exercise when pregnant
Even if the goal of 30 minutes a day seems unobtainable, try to do something. Here’s why it’ll be worth the effort. You’ll:
- Be comfier: exercise helps to minimise backaches, bloating, swelling and constipation
- Stay healthier: exercise can help prevent and control gestational diabetes
- Have more energy
- Feel happier
- Cope with the weight of that big belly better, with improved muscle tone and posture
- Get better sleep
- Have an easier time in labour
- Find it easier to regain your fitness after the baby is born
How to exercises safely during pregnancy
If you already have an exercise regime, you may not be able to complete it at the same intensity as before. That’s to be expected. Here, we have a variety of options for low-impact fitness.
Swimming – Low to no-impact, swimming lets you exercise without feeling the added weight of baby. You’ll relieve stress on joints, alleviate nausea and sciatic pain, and help to reduce water retention. If you’re not a swimmer, try aqua jogging. Just be gentle on yourself and don’t jump or dive into the water. Your baby can’t handle the bubbles that are created inside when you change altitude underwater.
Walking – Probably the easiest and cheapest form of exercise is walking. You can do this right up until your due date, you can go as quickly or slowly as you like, and you don’t need any special gear. If you have kids already, walking to the park is a great way to fit exercise into your busy schedule.
Running – If you’re already a runner, it’s fine to continue during pregnancy. Whether it’s on a treadmill or outside, whatever you’re used to and feel comfortable doing is fine. However, just be aware that your ligaments and joints will loosen during your pregnancy, which can put you at risk of injury.
Group fitness classes – Low-impact workouts are great, from Body Balance to Zumba. They pump your heart rate up, get the blood flowing, and make you feel great. However as your body changes, so does your center of gravity. This can make balancing difficult and jumping can be challenging. Ask the instructor for alternative moves that will accommodate your pregnancy.
Excercycling – Using an exercycle is great during pregnancy. It’s low-impact, you can pedal with as much resistance as is comfortable, and with little risk of a fall. You can do spin classes if you tell your instructor you’re pregnant and avoid pressure and standing.
Martial arts, kickboxing, pole dancing – If you have been doing these activities for a long time already, it’s fine to continue doing them for as long as it’s comfortable. Avoid impact/pressure to the stomach and stop if you feel uncomfortable.
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – This can be very intense, so it’s not something you should be trying for the first time during pregnancy. If you’ve been doing it for a while, make some modifications and you should be fine. Avoid jumping and high-impact moves, and use lower weights than normal. Be careful with anything that involves balancing, and stop if you feel short of breath or dizzy.
Outdoor sports – Give skiing and snowboarding a miss, because a fall could be catastrophic. Things like ice skating and horseback riding may be fine for the first two trimesters, but once your balance is affected they may become difficult.
Pilates, yoga and barre – These are ideal pregnancy exercises. The practitioner should be able to tailor them to suit your needs. Focus on your core, pelvic tilt and floor exercises, core strengthening and flexibility. Look for classes that can be adjusted for pregnant women, as these will require less balance, more breathing focus and appropriate strength exercises.
Weightlifting – This is a great way to increase strength and tone. Use lighter weights for more reps and it may be more comfortable to use machines rather than free weights, to help control movements and limit injury.
Exercises to avoid
Most things are safe, as your baby is nestled in protective fluid in the amniotic sac. However you should avoid:
- High-impact exercise that you’re not used to
- Lying flat on your back, as this may put pressure on blood vessels and reduce blood flow
- Contact sports, such as rugby
- Skiing, snowboarding, ice hockey or gymnastics, where there is a high risk of falls
- Scuba diving, as the baby has no ability to avoid gas embolism
- Anything in high altitudes, as you are more at risk of altitude sickness
- Exercising in high temperatures, as you may overheat the baby
Get moving, mama!
If you’re pregnant, exercise is one of the best things you can do for your and your baby’s health. If you’re already active you can continue doing what feels comfortable, unless your sport of choice is high intensity or potentially harmful to baby.
Do warmups and cool downs to give you time to adjust and take notice of how your body feels. Adapt exercises to lessen the impact on your body, but in general you can do what feels good. If unsure, please seek advice from your healthcare provider.
Make sure you eat enough, drink enough water, and listen to your body. Give your baby the best possible growing environment and the best entry into this world.
