Benefits Of Exercise For The Pre-Natal Woman

Training whilst pregnant? Surely not – right? Well, the truth is far less complicated than it sounds. 

It’s rare that pregnant women make the decision to embark upon a rigorous exercise regime mid-term. More commonly, many women who already train want to try and continue to train throughout pregnancy. We’ve seen numerous clients train happily and comfortably through their pregnancy until they feel ready to stop.

There are numerous benefits to training whilst pregnant, too. Obviously, physical fitness is paramount. Then there’s the reduced risk of gestational diabetes, easier weight management, the reduced risk of pre-eclampsia…

Then the less obvious ones: feeling better with your body image as your shape changes. Better posture to help relieve back pain. Potentially healthier and faster birth, and… reduced pregnancy constipation. Wouldn’t be a FitForIt blog if we didn’t talk about bowel movements at least once. 

The modern take is that – in the absence of any contra-indications – pregnant women should try to keep active, within a light to moderate intensity. Gone are the days of being told to “rest up”, or treated like you’re made of precious china. With the go ahead from your healthcare provider, keeping active is of huge benefit to you and your baby.

Assuming that you are already active, you will most likely be able to continue with your chosen fitness regime. Unless your activities include contact sports, hot yoga, diving, or any sport with high risk of falling. Those are generally advised against. Don’t play rugby whilst pregnant. Maybe don’t do kickboxing. You get the idea. 

Luckily enough for our pre natal clients, weight training and low impact aerobics/cardio training are ideal. 

We have found that most mums-to-be want to be able to keep up their usual activity for as long as possible. 

Let’s take a look at a women’s training regime, assuming there are no issues or contra-indications, when she falls pregnant. Of course, this is generalised. Usually, the process is tailored to the individual. 

We gradually taper back intensity from the 2nd trimester. We keep a much closer eye on your perceived rate of exertion, since pregnancy increases breathlessness and flushed faces, so we can’t just assess how you look. Less time will be spent supine (on your back) and less time will be spent deep stretching. Other things to consider: a more supportive bra and a small snack before training. Hydration is even more important too, increase your water intake!

Every woman will experience their pregnancy differently, of course. Communication is key, you must feel safe and comfortable while training, so never hold back if something feels unusual or you need to rest.

Of course, there are some red flags that let us know it’s time to stop training and seek the advice of a doctor. Things to watch out for include:

• Vaginal bleeding
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Muscle weakness affecting balance
• Calf pain or swelling
• Regular painful contractions
• Amniotic fluid leakage

Always let your trainer know if any of these symptoms are present. 

We have been so lucky to see many of our clients progress healthily through pregnancy, and then return back after birth. It can be an amazing time for a woman, but it is not without its challenges. It’s an especially rewarding time through which to train somebody, so if FitForIt pre-natal personal training can support you in any way, then we are glad to do so!