It has not always been clear what kind of exercise or amount of exercise is beneficial or appropriate for pregnant women. Some women have been scared or nervous to exercises during pregnancy as to not cause fetal developmental issues or miscarriage. One should ask their doctor if it is safe to exercises during pregnancy as some may have contraindications to exercise or certain exercise. Current research shows that for a healthy female without co-morbidities or certain risk factors, exercise can be very helpful for both mother and fetus.
If one has not yet started an exercise regimen this is a great time to start. If you are already exercising there are some changes one may feel that are normal. It is normal with positional changes to feel slightly dizzy and feeling slightly more out of breath during exercise in the first trimester. As one’s pregnancy develops, it is normal to feel one is not able to exercise at the same intensity level. Also, some exercises may no longer be comfortable later in pregnancy and it is important to recognize this then reduce resistance, duration, or intensity or perform a different activity that is comfortable.
It is beneficial to do both cardiovascular exercise and resistance exercise as this can help increase oxygen exchange, reduce extra fat gain and support joints and spine when there is more stress on these. Women need to have weight gain during pregnancy but will tend to have increased fat storage during pregnancy if not active. When one is able to exercise 20-45 minutes a day, this will reduce extra fat storage and subsequently help one be able to return to their previous weight following pregnancy. It is recommended to exercise at a moderate level as long as it is safe and comfortable.
There are some exercises and activities that one should not do during pregnancy which are scuba diving, waterskiing, and using saunas or hot tubs. High altitudes are a precaution especially if one lives at a low elevation and is going to exercise into a high elevation. It is typically fine to continue with activities that one has been doing but one should not try new activities that could potentially be dangerous if one falls such as skiing, skating, or horseback riding.
In addition to helping mom, exercise can be beneficial for the fetus as well. Exercise can help to decrease risk of a large birth weight, help fetus deal with stressors especially those of labor, and improve fetal blood flow.
Every woman is different and every pregnancy is different, therefore, there is not one exercise routine that is right for every person. If one needs help coming up with an exercise routine or is having low back pain, pelvic pain, or round ligament pain and would like exercise to help reduce their pain, visit your physical therapist that specializes in prenatal exercise and pelvic floor such as Casi and Renee!
