I often get asked by clients if is safe to exercise during pregnancy. Unless you have an underlying health, condition which prevents you from exercising during pregnancy or are experiencing complications, I believe that it is perfectly safe, and I would encourage anyone to do so. This is mainly because there are many proven mental and physical benefits of keeping active.
Clearly you must be sensible; listen to your body and adopt a balanced approach – it will do you no good to become obsessive. Now is not the time to exercise for weight loss and in my experience, this is what concerns most pregnant women. Keeping fit during pregnancy however will help with weight loss once the baby arrives and some studies have shown that it can help you cope better with labour.
During my first pregnancy I started to develop back pain and bloating. I was commuting into London every day and then sitting at a desk for 8 hours. Although I did not feel like it, I joined a gym and began to exercise for 30 mins, 3 times a week. Some days I would just do a set of light weights, some days it would be Pilates type exercises. After most sessions, I felt looser, and I found that my energy levels increased. I was in a more positive mood and my afternoons at work were more productive. I was more alert at my desk and concentrated more on my posture. In addition to this I found that I was less tempted to reach for unhealthy snacks which in turn made me feel better about myself. If I were lacking in energy it was sometimes a struggle to motivate myself, but 9 times out of 10 I would mentally feel better afterwards and would often sleep well.
I chatted to a client recently who I trained during pregnancy with her second child. She believed that due to her training programme she was in much better shape after the birth. She felt stronger and went back into her normal clothes much quickly than she had done after her first pregnancy. This in turn had a positive effect on her mental wellness.
What you decide to do depends a lot on your current level of fitness. If you are used to regular exercise then it is probably fine to carry on, adopting changes along the way. If you are brand new to it then I would advise hiring a personal trainer to guide you through some safe exercises you can do during your pregnancy. Your baby is cocooned by fluid in the amniotic sac which is surrounded by organs and muscles- it is a very safe environment. Even with this protection I would still avoid high impact exercise or any activity that could lead to abdominal trauma (jumping, bouncing, twisting) or anything too intense. But again, this will come down to the individual and their fitness levels.
During pregnancy, many changes happen in your body. Hormones lead to joints and muscles to relax more leading you to believe that you are more flexible. Your centre of gravity is shifted to the extra weight from the baby which can affect your balance and put additional strain on your hips. These factors alone will affect the type of exercise you do. I always found that light weights and Pilates type exercises were the best for me – moderate exercise and not putting too much pressure on my body.
In summary, regular exercise can help you cope with the physical changes of pregnancy and build your stamina. If you are pregnant and have not already thought about exercising, now might be the time to start!
If you have any questions or need some direction, please call me on 07734263913. Gill
