Working Out During Each Trimester of Pregnancy

11/14/2017

Written by: Elizabeth MacDonald

Pregnancy is not the time to be sedentary – sitting around, eating for two, and allowing the weight to pile up. No, instead, pregnancy is the time to reevaluate lifestyle choices and spend 40 weeks (give or take) growing a baby in the healthiest way possible. This includes daily exercising.

While there are certain pregnancy and birth-related exercises that should be included throughout this journey, they are not equivalent to an actual workout. Cat/cow, kegels, child’s pose, and other labor-preparations should be done daily, as they help the body prepare to have a baby, but they do not raise body temperature, increase oxygenated blood flow, trigger sweat glands, raise heart rate, or aid in helping to prevent so many pregnancy ailments.

As a Pre- and Postnatal Exercise Specialist, I work with moms trying to conceive, pregnant at every stage, and throughout the postpartum period. The most amazing part is that they are all in the same class. Yes, the same workout can be completed by mothers at every stage of pregnancy, as modifications can be made to just about every exercise!

There are a few things to remember before jumping into a workout while pregnant:

1. It is safe to continue your current exercise regiment as long as you feel ok and you have no complications.
2. Your doctor should be consulted with any complications or questions.
3. Exercise cannot cause a miscarriage. A healthy pregnancy will continue as long as conditions are right.
4. It is never safe to workout in extreme temperatures, push the body farther than comfortable, or increase intensity to dangerous levels throughout the duration of pregnancy.
5. Now is not the time to train for a marathon if you are not a regular marathoner.
6. You will hold yourself accountable if you meet with a trainer, take a class, or workout with a friend.

The First Trimester

If you were not active prior to finding out about this pregnancy, now is the time to introduce your body to physical fitness. Your body is pumping blood at an increased level, as it is working hard to create a healthy placenta and environment for your fetus to develop. You will feel many changes, including exhaustion, hunger, nausea, heartburn, and many other ailments that detract you from a good daily workout, but finding the mental space to understand the importance of physical activity will help keep you balanced. Allow yourself flexibility to get your workout in as you are able.

There are no limitations to exercise while, as long as you are listening to your body. There are myths about raising the heart rate; there are myths about not laying on your back. The truth is that you can exercise to your full capabilities throughout the entire pregnancy. You just have to understand that your body will tell you as those capabilities change.