TRAINING DURING PREGNANCY

Wondering what the deal is with training while pregnant? How should you train? Is it dangerous? What can I do? What can’t I do? There is so much misinformation out there on this topic, hopefully I can help clear it up.

Everyone will have different experience and journey through pregnancy and after birth and it is so important to acknowledge that your body is going to go on an incredible and transformative journey. Every day will be a different day, so take the time each morning (and throughout the day) to check in with yourself and how you are feeling, both mentally and physically.

If exercise has always been in your routine, there is no reason why you shouldn’t continue to exercise and exercise in the forms that you really enjoy. Training for maintenance is important rather than training to increase fitness, strength, or get personal bests. It is important that you don’t overexert yourself and only train to a maximum of 7/10 on your effort levels. Meet yourself where you are at now on your movement journey, not where you used to be before pregnancy. Sometimes it can be more challenging mentally to train with less intensity, remember moving your body is always a win no matter how hard you are going.

During trimester 1 there can be increase in fatigue and tiredness and you might feel nauseas, as the hormones start to change, however if you are feeling good you can take part in all variations of exercises (as long as you feel good and comfortable doing it). During trimester 2 energy levels generally rise and everything starts to balance out, meaning you will probably be more up for moving your body, trimester 2 and beyond is where crunches, sit ups and high impact exercises should be avoided to look after the muscle tissue in your abdomen and pelvic floor.

Try to educate yourself on what exercises to modify and what with, for example press up might become increasingly more challenging getting all the way down and with the increased weight and pressure in the trunk of the body, so they could be modified by elevating the hands to a bench or wall and putting the knees down or standing.

Sit up could be modified to a deadbug (if you are comfortable lying on your back). And if single leg exercises cause discomfort in your pelvis at all you can change it bi-lateral movements e.g. split squats > squats- sumo or box, steps ups or single leg deadlifts > sumo deadlift or good mornings. Generally, lying down for a few minutes at a time is fine, be sure to roll onto your side as you transition into this position. Towards your 3rd trimester it might become uncomfortable to lie down, so this is where modifications will be helpful.

Kegels are important to maintain a strong pelvic floor before, during and after pregnancy, it is also recommended that you take time to consciously relax your pelvic floor, so that it gets full function throughout the day and is not overtrained.

Training has a multitude of benefits on physical, mental and the baby’s health including easing the symptoms of pregnancy e.g., aches and pains in the lower back. It is mood enhancing and helps to promote a natural hormone balance.

If you are doing group sessions always give yourself enough time to arrive at the studio, let the trainer know they will be there to support you with anything you need.

Jodie