Exercise in early pregnancy

[freddysays]

How much how little, how often? I had been working out before I found out as I wanted to get fit for next year, (planned on starting to try for baby no. 2 then, but we have been caught out. I still want to get fit adn not gain the weight as I did last time. It took a year to loose it after DS1

Any tips from the active sensible mums

[louloubelle]

Hi. All the guidelines say that as long as you are experiencing no bleeding or pain, in the first trimester you can do as much but no more than you did before you got pregnant. I am pregnant with no 2, and go to the gym 2-3 times a week, and tend to do 1/2 hour of light cardio vascular work, eg walking fast uphill, cycling, bit of step machine and cross trainer. I did do a bit of jogging in the first few months, but found it uncomfy. Also , it is not recommended that you do weight lifting, unless as part of a specific pre/post natal class. So no Bodypump! Hope this helps.

[LizzylouDonkey]

I've been swimming twice a week, am still huge but not half as wobbly as last time, plus it feels "safe". Mind you, I was not a gym bunny 28 weeks ago, so bit silly to start now!

[freddysays]

Thanks to you both for your messages. It really helps to hear others experience. Especially hearing that louloubelle is still going to the gym. I am going 3 times a week and want to continue that until I feel different. Lizzyloudonkey I also didnt go before my first but have been active and going to gym most of this year, so I feel pretty confident about carrying on and will start on the swimming when I get bigger and it gets a bit warmer BRRRRR. Cheers.

[LizzylouDonkey]

Congrats by the way, hope you have a healthy and happy pregnancy!

[hotmulledwinemama]

Oh congrats.

As long as you have been doing exercise then you can carry on for the first trimester - and this includes doing stomach crunches etc - as per my personal trainer at the gym. However, when get to 2nd trimester plus then you shouldn't be lying on your back and lifting legs etc. Also have to ensure that heart rate doesn't go up to much etc. If you feel O.K then can carry on for the whole of pregnancy - especially swimming which takes pressure off joints etc. HTH

[Chuffingoodtime]

freddysays I did spinning the whole 40wks while pregnant with dd. I also did body pump till about 6mths but I was having a bit of back problems so stopped that. You can't lie flat but you can put 3 cubes under one side of your step and 2 under the other side and be on a slight tilt. If you do body pump knock the weights down for all overhead activities and do pelvic floor when they do abs as it is a good excuse to do them.
Heart rate shouldn't go above about 60% of maximal heart rate so for me it was recommended not to go over 140beats per minute which I measured with a heart rate monitor.
Good luck with your pregnancy, I stuck with the heart rate rule right from the word go even in first trimester too.
Hadn't heard the weightlifting thing louloubelle, it was recommended to do those machines that work your inner and outer thigh as it can bring on labour as it can be hard on the pelvis but doing some biceps, triceps etc I'm surprised.
I would recommend seeing if your gym has an antenatal trainer or somebody who has done a 'course' in this as they can be really helpful just for a 5-10min chat even if it isn't for a 'new program or personal training'.

[kiskidee]

you can still do BodyPump if pg. I did until 34 wks. Just drop the weights progressively. I was only going thru the motions with the bar and no weights by the end of it. The instructor will tell you how to alter certain exercises and which to avoid when it is necessary.

[freddysays]

Great tips..but not sure what bodypump is so is suppose as i havent done it already not best to start now, also what is spinning...sounds giddy my Freddy would love it I bet. Anyway, the fact you all have been really active makes me feel much more positive. I did nothing with my first pregnancy and suffered as a result but he didnt, he really healthy great birth etc, so the fact I am doign more these days somtimes makes me feel a bit concerned (you never know whats round the corner) I am sensible though so i will trust my judgement. I will get the gym to sort me out with a heart rate monitor as this sounds like the best way of keeping it all in check and safe. Here goes for some sweating....

[louloubelle]

Hi..Bodypump is really a form of weightlifting/sculpting the body, without necessarily building muscle. You do about 5 mins on legs, biceps, chest, triceps,shoulders, abs, back, with a warm up and cool down, using a bar bell with adjustable weights that can change for each exercise, all done with little co-ordination needed to loud music. It is really good fun, and did actually change my body shape for the better!! Spinning, aka RPM is a stationary cycling class, again done to very loud and motivating music. Not my cup of tea as I don;t like cycling, but great for cardio fitness!

[Steppy1]

hope this helps as am qualified preg & pn exercise insturctor. Great advice, continue with what you're already doing PROVIDING you have no contraindications during your pregnancy (blood pressure, bleeding etc etc) which is pretty common sense anyway. The talk about weight training is usually based around two things and mainly when you're lifting heavy weights rather than what we'd all consider toning. All pregnant women produce a hormone called "relaxin"from the moment they become pregnant- your pelvis needs it to "loosen" and allow your baby the best possible transition down through the birth canal. Unfortunately, it's not that much of an intelligent hormone and instead of just going to your pelvis, hits every joint in the body which can be ONE of the factors that women suffer from pains in their joint throughout pregnancy, so you need to take care not to over extend the muscles that support the joint. As fas as abs are concerned, they are stretching to allow baby to grow in the uterus (think of an elastic band stretched to full capacity and then pulled out sideways too !) so traditional sit ups are not a good idea (you're exercising them effectively "stretched" )but you can still work your abs by simply pulling your tummy in (won't hurt the baby) This'll also help engage your pelvic floor too. Hope this isn't too confusing and helps. Keep up the good work and go with what you're body's telling you and try NOT to concentrate too much on the weight gain thing. the great news is that if you exercise regularly during pregnancy it can help your labour and certainly helps your post natal recovery whatever type of birth you have......Regular exercisers (3 - 5 times a week of 45 mins or more aerobic type activity) also statiscally have "leaner" babies (not underweight just less body fat) with labours ocurring between 38 - 40 weeks rather than 40 - 42 weeks (studies by James Clapp in the States) As you can probably gather I find this topic fascinating and if you'd like more input would be happy to help !!!! Good luck

[suepervixen]

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[hillee]

Hi, I was still doing BodyPump until 34 weeks and modified the exercises as I went. Then I hit Christmas and it was too effing hot (Australia), so started swimming instead. It depends on your level of fitness prior to pregnancy and what your doctor says etc, but I found it excellent and it really helped me keep the weightgain to a slow and steady pace... except for the last three weeks when I sat on the couch and drank frozen coke pretty much 24 hours a day...

my obstetrician was very happy for me to continue as long as it wasn't causing any back pain etc.

essentially, do what feels right.