When you are pregnant it is especially important for you to be physically healthy. You want to be in tip-top shape as your body goes through the various hurdles of pregnancy. Exercise needs are different for everyone and for every trimester, so it is important to know what is safe and acceptable and what should be avoided. That is why it is so important to always talk to your health care provider, especially if you were not physically active prior to getting pregnant. If they tell you it is okay to exercise, then you will want to discuss with them the types of activities that you can safely do while pregnant. If you are having a normal and healthy pregnancy we’ve put together this little guide for you. You can take info from here and ask your doctor any questions you may have for anything that is not clear.
Fitness Need to Knows For Every Trimester of Pregnancy
Importance of Staying Fit During Pregnancy
Why you need your healthcare provider’s approval for exercise.
Reasons you may not be able to exercise.
Some types of exercises that may be exempted and why.
Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy
Exercise for Each Trimester of Pregnancy
Monitoring Heart Rate During Exercise in Pregnancy
Importance of Staying Fit During Pregnancy
It is very important to stay fit while pregnant, this can help you stay healthy which benefits both you and your baby. With regular exercise you can improve your posture, decrease your risk of fatigue and backache or even prevent your risk of gestational diabetes. Exercising during pregnancy can also help you to relieve stress and can help to build your stamina which will be beneficial for the labor process.
If you were physically active before becoming pregnant, you can simply continue your exercise activity but remember to exercise precautions and be moderate. Always follow the guidance of your obstetrician and opt for lower impact aerobics as much as possible.
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology ACOG recommends pregnant women get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise on most or all days of the week unless your doctor recommends otherwise.
Ask Your Healthcare Provider
Your health care provider will have a better ability to recommend exercises that are safe for you and your baby. They have your full medical history and have your current lab results etc. They can help you to determine the best exercise program to meet your specific needs.
Reasons You May Not be Able to Exercise
If you are suffering from a medical problem including:
- Asthma
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
It may not be advisable for you to exercise. You also may not be able to exercise if you have conditions such as:
- Spotting
- Low placenta
- Recurrent miscarriage
- Misscarriage threat
- Previous preterm labor
- Weak cervix
Some types of exercises that may be exempted and why
Some exercises can be harmful if undertaken by a pregnant woman. These include:
- Activities that require you to hold your breath
- Activities that pose an increased risk of falling
- Contact sports
- Activities that may cause abdominal trauma even if mild
- Activities that require rapid changes in direction
- Activities which require extensive bouncing, running, hopping or jumping
- Full sit-ups
- Double leg raises
- Deep knee bends
- Straight leg toe touches
- STanding movements that involve waist twisting
- Heavy spurts of exercise after long periods of inactivity
- Exercising in hot, humid weather
Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy
While you are pregnant, you want to avoid any type of activity that can increase your risk of injury. Activities you should avoid include:
- Hockey
- Boxing
- Soccer
- Basketball
- Skydiving
- Any type of skiing
- Gymnastics
- Surfing
- Off-road cycling
- Horseback riding
- Hot Pilates
- Hot Yoga
- Scuba diving
- Any activities above 6,000 feet unless you already live at a high altitude
Exercise for Each Trimester of Pregnancy
1st Trimester Exercises
In the first three months of pregnancy you can expect to be very emotional. You will move through emotions easily going from worry to elation to joy, concern and fear. As you begin to realize that you have been given this very big task of nurturing a human being and bringing them into the world healthy and safe.
If you are not considered to be having a “high risk pregnancy” you can continue to exercise as usual during your first trimester. A recommended regimen includes 150 minutes of cardio along with 2 to 3 days of strength training. You also want to incorporate exercises that make pregnancy easier and that prepare your body for childbirth and labor.
You want to strengthen your abdominal muscles as they will need to support your growing belly and spinal mobility which is also of utmost importance. Here are a list of exercises that are safe to do in your first trimester:
- Pelvic curl
- Pelvic brace
- Kneeling pushups
- Squats
- Bicep curls
2nd Trimester Exercises
In your second trimester you are more certain you are in this for the long haul. You may start getting over that annoying morning sickness and you may be getting over fatigue. With this new-found energy it is an excellent time to focus on a fitness routine. Be mindful though as your uterus is getting bigger you will need to be careful with psychical activity.
In your second trimester you want to avoid any type of high impact activity as well as any activity that may have you laying on your back for long periods of time. You can continue all the exercises above from our first trimester approved list above.
- Single leg squats
- Narrow squats
- Wide stance squats
- Incline pushups
- Exercises that target the glutes
- Exercises that target the inner thighs
- Hip flexor stretch
- Quadriceps stretch
- Side lying leg lifts
- Mermaid stretch
3rd Trimester Exercises
At this stage of pregnancy, you will notice yourself slowing down and even come to a complete halt at times. Your body is now gearing down as it prepares for labor. This is the time you want to focus on cardio and keeping your abdominal strength and mobility. You want to include exercises into your regime from the following list:
- Prenatal yoga
- Walking
- Pilates
- Swimming
- Bodyweight moves
- Exercises that strengthen your lower and upper body muscles
You want to avoid all exercises that would put you at risk for a fall. You may at this stage of pregnancy start having pubic symphysis pain. To reduce this occurrence you can choose exercises that don’t have your legs far apart as those that will aggravate the pain.
Diastasis Recti Correction
Diastasis Recti is a common concern for women during pregnancy and afterwards. In this condition, the recti abdominal muscles become separated to make way for your growing baby. You can engage in correcting exercises to help this area stay together or get back together after birth.
Other exercises to engage in during your third trimester include:
- Bicep curls with light weights
- Standing shoulder press with light weights
- Pushups against a wall
- Modified planks
- Tricep kickbacks with light weights
- Body weight or sumo squats keeping your stance wider
How Soon After Delivery Can I Resume Exercising?
This is a question for your health care provider and it has a large bearing on how your delivery goes. While you may want to get back into shape as quickly as possible, you want to follow the recommendation of your provider.
The majority of women will be able to return to their pre-pregnancy fitness routines gradually within two weeks after a vaginal birth and four weeks of having a cesarean birth. You should always start out slowly and not overdo it.
Monitoring Heart Rate During Exercise in Pregnancy
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists – ACOG does not have a hard and fast rule for heart rate during exercise while pregnant as it is noted that it is not a good indicator of how hard your heart is working. This again comes down to the individual, some pregnant women who are very fit can get their heart rate above 140 beats per minute and are still not entirely taxed. So the bottom line is you should always pay attention to your body and how you feel. Take the talk test, can you carry on a conversation or does it leave you breathless? If you are panting then you will want to slow down, if you can chat easily then you need to ramp up the activity some.
But for your comfort here are some target heart rate zones by age and fitness level:
Women 20 to 29 Years Old
- Sedentary or Overweight – 129 to 144 BPM
- Exercise occasional – 132 to 152 BPM
- Exercise at a Regular to High Intensity – 145 to 160 BPM
Women 30 to 39 Years Old
- Sedentary or Overweight – 128 to 144 BPM
- Exercise occasionally – 129 to 148 BPM
- Exercise regularly or at High Intensity – 140 to 156 BPM
Remember these are just guidelines and you want to ensure that you are paying attention to your body. If you are feeling too taxed, take the intensity down a bit and pick back up when you feel you can.
Running During Pregnancy
Your friends and family may warn you not to go running while pregnant. Their advice comes from a good place, but running is a generally safe exercise to engage in while pregnant. Running is especially ideal for those who were running before they got pregnant. The key is always to listen to your body.
Yes, being pregnant will affect your workout routine, you may have to modify your runs, whether it is the pace , the distance etc but it can still be done. Here are a couple types you can use to make running during pregnancy a safer experience.
Get good shoes
You want running shoes that fit you well, that support your ankles and support your arches. This helps to keep your feet stable and protect you from injuries and falls.
Sports Bras
Your breasts tend to increase in size while pregnant so you want to ensure that they are comfortably caged. Invest in top quality sports bras that provide support while preventing pain during your running sessions.
Belly Support Bands
A belly support band can give your growing belly the stability it needs. This will help to prevent your belly from bouncing and can also ease discomfort and pain. These bands also help to relieve some of the pressure put on your pelvis and thus also help to improve posture. .
Hydrate
You want to keep yourself properly hydrated, both before and after workouts. During your workout is good too as long as it works for you. When you are running make sure you are also wearing loose fitting clothes so if it is hot outside you are more comfortable.
Pay Attention to Your Body
When you are exercising, it is always so important to do it in moderation. You don’t want to overdo it. If you find that you are tired or feel like you are overexerting yourself, then you should tone it down, walk if you have to, stop and rest if you need.
Don’t Forget to Strength Train
With running, you will be prone to joint and muscle injury so you want to incorporate strength-training exercises so that your joints and muscles can be strengthened. These include exercises such as light weightlifting, squats and lunges.
Run Where You Can Access Bathrooms
As your baby gets bigger, the added weight is going to put so much pressure on your bladder that you will need to urinate more frequently. So wherever you run should have bathroom or restroom access for when you need to go in a hurry.
Eat Healthy
You need all the extra calories because you are growing a baby and you are exercising. Have a snack before your workouts such as a piece of toast with nut butter or a fruit. Eat foods that have a high water content, this can help you to stay hydrated. After your workouts, you also want to have one serving of healthy fat, and one to two servings of proteins and carbohydrates.
Tips for If you are just starting out.
If you were not exercising before getting pregnant we don’t recommend you start off running now. You can start off with something else, maybe with walking. Running will be a lot of physical stress if you are just starting and that is not ideal. You can choose to other workouts such as:
- Gentle aerobics
- Yoga
- Walking
- Elliptical workouts
- Treadmill workout
Whatever you are doing, start small and work your way up. So if you need to start at just 5 minutes then do that and move up to 30 minutes gradually.
What the Research Says About Fitness Throughout Pregnancy
Research shows that staying fit while pregnant can help to reduce the risk of obesity and all obesity related complications of pregnancy such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. African American women are at a higher risk of obesity, especially when they are physically inactive during pregnancy.
Conclusion
At the end of the day it is recommended that you stay active while pregnant. All that you need to do is to do it safely. Follow the guidelines set forth or recommended by your healthcare practitioner and if there are some things that you may want to try, ask for their approval. At the end of the day, you just need to listen to your body and take it easy.
Cris
