Exercise in Pregnancy
Pregnancy is often a time when women experience a shift in their approach to exercise. When treating pregnant women in my clinic I find that it can go both ways. For example, previously very active women will feel fearful of continuing and significantly reduce their daily activity, but also, previously inactive women will choose this time to focus on their health and wellbeing and begin to participate in exercise more regularly.
In most cases women do feel that they want further guidance, and may have been given very contradictory advice from family, friends or health professionals which leaves them feeling less than confident about what they should or shouldn’t be doing.
I hope in this blog to clarify some of the advice and direct you towards some helpful resources for keeping active during pregnancy.
For women who are experiencing a straightforward pregnancy the recommendations for exercise are as follows:
150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity per week
Plus 8-12 reps of strengthening exercises aimed at working all of the key muscle groups in the body twice a week
For further clarification, ‘moderate intensity’ is best measured by your ability to be able to still hold a conversation while exercising.
Current statistics tell us that only 3-15% of women meet these expectations during pregnancy, meaning that many will miss out on the benefits of keeping active while pregnant.
In the case of starting from a previously inactive lifestyle then it is sensible to gradually introduce physical activity into your routine, building up the amount and level of effort over a period of time. You should remember that physical activity doesn’t have to be scheduled exercise sessions, but also includes things like housework, climbing the stairs at home and walking to the shops. If you’re experiencing morning sickness, or fatigue while pregnant, which limits your ability or motivation to exercise these daily activities are really important contributions to your weekly target.
For those who already exercise frequently, it may be that exercises do need to be modified throughout your pregnancy, to accommodate for your changing body, endurance level and to ensure you feel comfortable. Listening to your body is really important when exercising anyway, but particularly while pregnant as your body is changing all the time. As a general rule-of-thumb if an exercise feels pleasant and comfortable then continue, and if not - pause and seek the advice of a professional before continuing.
Exercising during pregnancy is an experience which varies for every individual, since your ability will be affected by your previous level of fitness, your medical and injury history, your pregnancy and many environmental factors. Try not to compare yourself to others, and be cautious to do what feels right for you.
As you progress through different trimesters there may be some positions or types of exercise that are no longer suitable and seeking the guidance of a Physiotherapist or pregnancy exercise specialist can enable you to keep active throughout your pregnancy, with the confidence that you are taking care of yourself and baby.
Exercising during pregnancy is an experience which varies for every individual, since your ability will be affected by your previous level of fitness, your medical and injury history, your pregnancy and many environmental factors. Try not to compare yourself to others, and be cautious to do what feels right for you.
For further advice and information here are a couple of useful resources to take a look at: