Can You Start Working Out While Pregnant and Which Month to Start?

05 Jan Can You Start Working Out While Pregnant and Which Month to Start?

Pregnancy is all about welcoming new changes in your body.

From hormonal changes to mood swings and even physiological discomfort, pregnancy is just a roller coaster ride.

Most new mothers like working out not only to prepare for pregnancy but also while they are carrying their child.

Science suggests working out can be the best thing you can do for yourself to make your pregnancy easier and less tiring.

This blog addresses the concerns of all new mothers, whether they just want to continue an exercise routine or are thinking about working out for the first time in their lives for a healthy pregnancy.

Can You Start Working Out While Pregnant?

A clinical review conducted of the articles available on exercising during pregnancy led to positive revelations on the effects of workouts during pregnancy.

According to the review, it is both safe and beneficial for a woman to indulge in moderate workouts during this phase as it can:

• Reduce the chances of cesarean sections
• Help maintain adequate weight for both the mother and the fetus

So, if you have been working out before you got pregnant, there’s usually no harm in continuing with moderate activity, unless you have some complications, which we will discuss later on in this blog.

Similar reviews and studies have also highlighted many more benefits of exercising during pregnancy:

1. Reducing the intensity of back pain during pregnancy
2. Easing constipation that women often go through during pregnancy
3. Improves blood circulation through the muscles
4. Strengthens the heart and blood vessels for good blood flow
5. Reduced risk of hypertension
6. Can prevent the risk of gestational diabetes, or diabetes that develops during pregnancy

Although working out seems beneficial during pregnancy at this point, what if you are starting a workout routine while pregnant and not just keeping up with your usual routine?

Since pregnancy is not exactly the time when you start a new intense sport or workout, one must be more cautious when starting exercise while pregnant.

What If You Haven’t Exercised Before?

A very important step when you are thinking of starting a workout routine while pregnant is consulting your doctor.

Since your doctor will know better about your condition during pregnancy and the specifics of your case, his/her advice matters the most.

While most doctors advise working out during pregnancy, in some cases, they might suggest otherwise.

Such scenarios occur only when you have a complicated pregnancy.

Hence, getting active and dropping off your old sedentary lifestyle when pregnant is possible.

But even after your doctor gives a green signal to your workout plans, another major step in starting a new regime is finding an instructor.

For ladies new to the workout genre, it is advisable to look out for instructors who are trained in guiding pregnant women.

Why we lay such importance on an instructor is because pregnant women cannot perform all activities. They can only participate in activities that don’t pose any harm to their baby and their pregnancy.

Once you are done with both of these steps, you are almost ready to start this new journey. But make sure that you plan this new journey according to your trimester, as different trimesters have different complexities.

Which Month to Start Exercising While You Are Pregnant?

The timing of when you start exercising during pregnancy depends on many factors including your mental and physical health status before delivery, and the health status of pregnancy.

Generally, if you were into workouts before pregnancy, you can continue working out with general modifications.

But if you are starting to workout while pregnant, you must be cautious about the trimesters:

1. First Trimester

It is characterized by the nauseous feeling accompanying fatigue and tiredness with morning sickness at its peak. All of these make working out a little difficult, but you can start workouts during this phase with much ease as compared to other trimesters.

Performing exercises during the first three months will also help you have better control over your emotions and hormonal levels.

You can try waist-twisting exercises or exercises that do not involve contracting the body; for example planks.

But make sure you don’t overstrain yourself with exercises like crunches. Rather go for low-impact exercises and keep yourself hydrated.

2. Second Trimester

The second Trimester is more appropriate for increasing the intensity of workouts that you started within the first trimester as your body is more energized than before.

You can try adding up lower-body exercises like split squats and even sumo squats.

But the restrictions in workouts are still applicable, and exercises that involve jumping like abs exercises are a strict no-no. Also, avoid lying on your back or any movements that need you to lie in this position.

3. Third Trimester

Since the belly grows during the third trimester, your workout routine demands modifications that include lowering the intensity.

Restrictions for the third trimester are the same as the second along with avoiding exercises like push-ups and even the workouts that involve lying flat. Performing the latter can cause improper blood flow to the uterus, making the pregnancy complex.

In short, the first trimester works fine for most women who are planning to start working out under their doctor’s supervision.

But despite the numerous benefits that healthcare professionals speak of, not every pregnancy is possibly fit for working out.

Who Should Not Exercise During Pregnancy?

Generally, exercising with your doctor’s advice is safe during pregnancy, but there are certain medical conditions and complications with pregnancies that make workouts unsafe.

Some of these conditions are:

#1. Women suffering from lung and heart diseases

Pregnancy exerts additional pressure on the heart, hence worsening the pre-existing heart conditions among women.

During such a time, performing workouts can amplify the pressure, and hence lead to severe complications.

#2. Cerclage

Cerclage is a surgery performed to prevent early premature delivery or miscarriages among women by placing a band around the cervix.

In postoperative care, healthcare professionals advise women not to indulge in any such activities that exert pressure on the cervix.

Exerting any external pressure on the cervix post-cerclage can cause the cervix to open up during pregnancy, leading to miscarriages.

However, you can still consult the doctors for their opinion on moderate exercises like brisk walking.

#3. Women pregnant with twins or triplets

When you are pregnant with twins or triplets, the functional demands of your body increase, as the uterus expands to accommodate the fetus.

This expansion also exerts additional pressure on the cervix, which increases the risk of preterm labor and even cervix incompetence.

Performing exercises during such a pregnancy doubles the risks of preterm labor and can even cause further complications.

#4. Women with placenta previa

Placenta previa is a condition characterized by the placenta covering the cervix partially or completely.

Since it already poses a threat of vaginal bleeding among pregnant women, exercising is not recommended in the condition.

Workouts during this phase can cause displacement of the placenta, leading to heavy vaginal bleeding and can result in hemorrhage during delivery.

#5. Women suffering from preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a condition where women show high blood pressure and elevated protein content in their urine during pregnancy.

It could be a serious condition for both the mother and the baby.

Since physical activities can further increase blood pressure among women, doctors advise avoiding workouts during this phase.

Other than complicated pregnancies, women undergoing the following conditions should also avoid exercising during pregnancy:

• Severe anemia
• Morbid obesity
• Underweight women
• Intrauterine growth restrictions
• Orthopedic limitations
• Seizure disorders
• Heavy smokers

Additionally, while there still exists certain rules for working out during pregnancy, one major rule is that of choosing the right type of exercise.

Exercises to Do During Pregnancy

There are many fitness centers and gyms around the world that have specifically designed catalogues for workouts that are safe for women during pregnancy.

Generally, there are two groups of exercises that pregnant women can include in their workouts:

1. Cardio
2. Strength training

NOTE: Remember to always consult your doctor before you embark on a new exercise routine of any kind.

Cardio Exercises for Pregnant Women

You can start with the following exercises when working out while pregnant first trimester:

1. Walking – According to fitness trainers and healthcare professionals, walking is the best exercise for pregnant women. They even suggest walking for 30 minutes daily to women who haven’t been into any exercise before their pregnancy. Walking is also less likely to trigger heartburn during pregnancy. Since walking does not jar your knees or exert any additional pressure, it also helps in little warm-up sessions.
2. Swimming – It helps train your large muscles, enhances the functioning of your cardiac muscles, and even reduces swelling occurring in your legs because of pregnancy. But usually, pregnant women love swimming because it makes them feel weightless despite carrying those heavy pounds.
3. Aerobics – The first trimester allows aerobic exercises that offer great strength to your heart and even prevent excess weight gain during pregnancy. However, make sure you only go to a trainer aerobic teacher to keep all those aerobic steps safe.
4. Dancing – This one is safe for your pregnancy because it can help train different muscles. But while dancing, we advise you not to get into routines that involve leaps and jumps as that can exert pressure on your uterus.
5. Jogging – Jogging has many health benefits for both the mother and the baby, but it’s mainly possible in the first and second trimesters. The third trimester makes it a little difficult to jog. Other things to keep in mind while jogging are the intensity and duration of jogging. Both of these factors depend on whether you are jogging for the first time or just in continuation of your routine. For beginners, start jogging at a slow pace, and gradually increase it to around 30 minutes a day.

The next group of exercises for pregnant women includes those moves that work on your flexibility and strength.

Strength Training for Pregnant Women

Strength training has many benefits for both the mother and the baby as it can help:

• Improve physical health for women
• Support easy labor and delivery
• Keep you calm and stable
• Support faster postpartum recovery

Hence, you can try out the following exercises:

1. Yoga improves muscle tone and makes your body flexible without exerting any additional pressure on your joints.
2. Stretching prevents back pain during pregnancy and also enhances your cardiovascular health. Some of the stretching exercises that you can try including in your workouts are neck rotation, shoulder rotation, and thigh shift.
3. Weight training should only be performed with precautions under an expert’s guidance, who has worked with pregnant women before, with the right technique to tone your muscles and strengthen them for a better delivery experience.
4. Tailor exercises help strengthen the pelvis, thighs, and hips.

The next step for working out safely during pregnancy is selectively avoiding the exercises that are not safe for pregnancy.

Exercises to Avoid During Pregnancy

Some exercises can prove to be harmful if you are performing them during pregnancy.

However, if you were performing these exercises before pregnancy, you should consult your doctor first if you wish to continue.

#1. Exercises that help you lose weight

Don’t get into exercises that help in losing weight as this could be dangerous for your baby and also pose a risk of miscarriage.

Some of these exercises that you can avoid include:

• Heavy weightlifting
• Abdominal exercises
• Exercises demanding a position where you have to lie down

#2. Contact Sports

It is best to avoid contact sports like soccer and basketball after the first trimester as your belly grows in size and can get injured during sports.

#3. Bouncing Activities

Bouncing activities increase the risk of jarring your knees as they become weak during workouts, hence increasing the risk of injury.

#4. Exercises That Need Balance

Pregnancy alters a woman’s center of gravity, which makes it difficult to perform balancing workouts. Hence, you must avoid balancing workouts like gymnastics.

#5. Deep Sea Explorations

Never go for deep-sea explorations when pregnant, not even during the first trimester, as the changes in the pressure pose a great risk to the developing fetus.

Moving ahead, other than keeping track of exercises to do and the workouts to avoid during pregnancy, we must also pay attention to not believing in everything that people say about pregnancy.

Yes, there are many myths about pregnancy, and when it comes to workouts, the myths keep on increasing.

So, before you get ready to start with your workouts, make sure you go through the following myth-busting session.

Myths About Working Out and Pregnancy

Whether you’re wondering if it is safe to start working out while pregnant or if is it too late to start working out during pregnancy, there are myths that you need to stay clear of.

Every time you hit the gym, you might hear some of these myths circulating like fire around you.

But the option to believe it or ignore it becomes clear only when we bust the following myths.

#1. Myth – If you never did any workout, you shouldn’t start it during pregnancy.

It is never too late to start a workout, and pregnancy is the ideal time to get active and start a fitness journey. According to several healthcare professionals and training experts, pregnant women must do moderate exercises for at least 150 minutes every week.

If you haven’t exercised before or were not in a regular habit of working out, the only step you need to take is to consult your doctor first.

#2. Myth – Athletic women must continue with the same pace and intensity even during pregnancy.

Although exercising is usually safe during pregnancy, not all exercises fit into the “safe” word.

Athletic exercises that involve vigorous exercising with high intensity must be avoided during pregnancy as that could exert additional pressure on the cervix.

Since athletes might have a better tolerance to fatigue and cramps, avoiding these exercises is the best thing as they might misunderstand the signs of their body giving up to minor cramps.

#3. Myth – Exercising during pregnancy only helps you lose weight.

Exercises help to a great extent in losing all that weight you gained during your pregnancy. But there are additional benefits too which most people are unaware of.

For example, it can prevent complications in pregnancy, reduce difficulties during pregnancy, and even help in a healthy delivery.

#4. Myth – Exercise during pregnancy can harm the baby.

Exercises have benefits both for the mother and the baby. When done correctly and under a qualified doctor’s guidance, it cannot harm the baby in any way. Rather, it can help maintain the healthy weight of the baby during delivery.

#5. Myth – Pregnant women should not exercise during the first trimester

We have heard many misconceptions about “Can you start exercising in early pregnancy” as women are not aware of the role that it can play during the early phase.

Usually, the first trimester is the best time to start a workout. Exercising is safe in all the stages of pregnancy, it’s just that some modifications are required to keep the baby safe during these stages.

However, the demands of your body do increase when you work out during pregnancy stages. Thus, it’s important to take care of your body when starting a workout.

General Tips for Starting Working Out While Pregnant

While you are already aware of the exercises to select and avoid during pregnancy, there are also some key tips that you can use to maximize the benefits and reduce the harms:

#1. Starting Slow

If you exercised daily before pregnancy, then continuing the pace works well, but if it’s your first time, always start slow.

Begin with 5 to 10 minutes of exercise, gradually increasing it to 30 minutes a day.

#2. Warm up and cool down

Make sure to warm up your muscles before workouts to prevent injuries during the workout.

Since warm-up increases your heart rate slowly, it makes sure that the effects of exercises are well distributed and not constricted in one area.

You can start with low-intensity workouts as your warm-up before the high-intensity workouts kick in.

To avoid any post-workout discomfort like cramps, stretching can be done as a way to cool down your muscles.

#3. Don’t overheat yourself

When working out, the temperature of your body rises because of the high metabolism and the increase in blood flow.

While minimal heating of the body is safe, when the temperature becomes more than the safe levels, then it’s called overheating.

To avoid such temperature changes:

• Avoid working out during humid and hot weather
• Wear loose-fitting clothes
• Dress in layers
• Stay hydrated

Take care of all these measures before you start exercising while pregnant.

#4. Diet and Water

Keep your body well nourished and hydrated during workout sessions as you need extra nutrients to feed your muscles.

If your BMI lies in the healthy range which is between 18.5 and 24.9, then add about 340 calories, added to the calories you took before pregnancy.

As the third trimester kicks in, add 450 calories, added to the calories you took before pregnancy.

Balancing the diet will keep you safe and also maximize the benefits of workouts.

#5. Listen to your body

Don’t overstrain your body and work according to its demands. For example, when you feel exhausted, don’t push yourself during pregnancy.

Take breaks between workouts to keep it fun and healthy, instead of making it more of a challenge.

Have a Safe and Healthy Pregnancy

Is it okay to work out while pregnant?

Not just okay, but it’s more fun and loaded with benefits to workout during pregnancy.

But working out during such a time is not the same as what you had before pregnancy.

It requires certain modifications and special attention to what your body says and what it needs.

While exercising could be fun, it could also be a reason behind the high risk of miscarriages, if not done correctly.

Hence, make sure you are well versed with all the care tips that one should take during pregnancy to have a safe and healthy pregnancy. The most important aspect of all is to consult your doctor who is looking after your pregnancy as they know what’s best for you during this special time of your life.