For many women there is likely to be some concern over what is safe to do during pregnancy.
So... how do I know what is safe to do during pregnancy?
I trained as a pre & postnatal PT just over 3 years ago and have been lucky enough to work with many wonderful, strong and inspiring pregnant and postnatal women. I know the fears we have around what is safe to do - it's still not very well understood and it's not all clear as it's different for everyone.
After these 3 years of guiding others through the process I'm now about to become a mummy myself and so putting my knowledge to practice!
A good starting point is to ask yourself the following 2 questions:
1. How do you feel?
If you feel sick, exhausted, or in pain then stop. Now is not the time to put your body through more stress...
If you feel well, energetic and free of pain then go ahead!
I personally felt so unwell for 2 whole months during the first trimester that I literally did absolutely nothing, not even a walk most days as I was just in bed. Fortunately that passed in trimester 2.
2. What are you used to doing?
If you're used to lifting weights, cycling, running, etc then there's no reason you should stop (aside from if you're just not feeling up to it!) listen to your body and respond to how you're feeling. If you're not used to exercising at all but you want to start now, then you can still work out! You can work with a qualified PT to guide you through some safe exercises and help you monitor your exertion, or you can try walking / swimming / gentle yoga.
Some useful pregnancy fitness facts
Exercising leads to less weight gain during pregnancy (but not much... - in a 2010 study it was shown that women who exercised during pregnancy gained 0.6kgs less.)
Other benefits to exercising while pregnant are feeling healthy, well and strong!
There are however some exercises that should either be avoided altogether or be done with caution!
Sit ups / supine core exercises are advised against due to the position (lying on your back, which can in some cases restrict blood flow to the baby). I personally feel fine doing these (for now...) and so am continuing but it's likely at some point they will get too uncomfortable and so I'll stop.
Another position to avoid is anything prone (lying on your stomach) and you won't want to do this anyway as it will feel too uncomfortable. As a rule - don't bump the bump!
It is however definitely advisable to stop any activity with high risk of falling / physical trauma! For example and this is not a comprehensive list: skiing, horse riding, rock climbing.
Hot yoga is another one best avoided due to the very high temperature.
The human body is incredibly strong and resilient - there is no greater proof of that than pregnancy and childbirth! Whats more, we are designed to move! So, whilst it's natural to feel concern and want to do the right thing for your baby, if you listen to your body and stop or reduce intensity when you need to then exercising during pregnancy is a wonderful way to keep the mind and body strong. You will find there is great value in maintaining your fitness during pregnancy!
If you're unsure where to start get in touch and I'll be happy to help you.
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