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You may have been told by your physician or Google that pregnancy means you have to dramatically change how you’re exercising, or stop exercising altogether. This is simply untrue, and outdated advice.
Many of our members of the LVLTN community are or may become moms-to-be, and want to know what the general guidelines are so they can move forward with a safe and healthy pregnancy. So let’s hop to it!
Common Concerns and Myths About Exercise During Pregnancy
The general concern (myth) that we often hear echoed is that exercise and weight lifting are inherently dangerous for a pregnant woman and the developing baby.
Fact: Research has actually shown that moms who exercise typically have shorter labors, less chance of preterm labor, fewer complications, and shorter hospital stays. Additionally, it is well-documented that exercise during pregnancy is beneficial for babies’ development and health longevity.
Weight lifting especially can be beneficial for a pregnant woman’s stability, posture, alignment, and helps adapt to her growing body. That said, there are some safety considerations depending on where you are in your pregnancy fitness journey.
Let’s Start With What’s True in All Trimesters
Great news: You don’t need to keep your heart rate below 140 bpm! Based on current research, there are no concrete heart rate guidelines for pregnancy, but it is commonsensical that pregnancy is not the time to go wild.
It is important to discontinue contact sports, high-impact exercises, activities that risk falling, or training in hot environments once you discover you are pregnant.
Generally speaking, in all trimesters, we do want to limit or avoid exercises that cause:
- Pain/discomfort
- Leaking due to pelvic floor weakness
- Belly bulging or straining of the abdomen
- Bulging of the perineum (the tissue between the anus and vagina)
These symptoms are more likely to show up later in pregnancy when there has been more fetal development, but pelvic floor weakness/leaking can show up in the first trimester.
Lastly, if you are brand new to exercise, this doesn’t mean you should avoid starting any kind of exercise regimen because you’re pregnant! It IS safe to start exercising while pregnant, even if you were not regularly active pre-pregnancy. Start conservatively, and don't hesitate to seek out one of our 6 pre and postnatal certified coaches if you’re needing some more personalized guidance for your nutrition and exercise during pregnancy.
First Trimester
Typically women do not need to modify exercise significantly in their first trimester. However, you may not feel your best during this time if you’re experiencing fatigue, nausea, morning sickness, or lethargy. This is a great time to listen to your body: take rest as you need, but generally speaking you won’t have huge exercise limitations here by way of exercise selection.
Second Trimester
- Avoid the “Valsalva maneuver” or holding your breath while weight lifting. This increases intra-abdominal pressure and can lead to pelvic floor dysfunction and an acute rise in blood pressure.
- If you feel any light-headedness or nausea, breathlessness, tingling in the legs, or general discomfort while lying flat on your back (e.g., barbell bench press), modify exercises in this supine position to be at a slight incline (e.g., incline bench press) or skip that exercise.
Third Trimester
- Avoiding lateral exercises may be helpful if you're experiencing pelvic girdle pain.
- Avoiding single-legged movements may be helpful if you're experiencing SI joint pain.
- Incorporating more seated exercises can give your pelvic floor some periodic rest from being under load.
- Reduce fall risk by lowering steps for step-ups and avoiding balance-based exercises like Bosu balls.
Our Goal at LVLTN Coaching
As certified pre & postnatal coaches, our aim is to help clients:
- Maintain some degree of physical activity throughout pregnancy.
- Reduce discomfort.
- Gain and/or maintain strength.
- Protect the anterior core and pelvic floor function.
- Prepare mentally and physically for birth and postpartum.
- Provide nutrition guidelines throughout pregnancy.
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