AIBU to worry about lifting 14.5kg / 32lb at 8-9 weeks pregnant?

[annabelfr]

I’m 8.5 weeks pregnant, had a scan yesterday showing a healthy heartbeat (169 bpm) and a visible developing placenta. Today I lifted my 14.5kg (32lb) toddler a few times, including lifting her into a trolley and her tugging on me / grabbing onto my hand and me pulling her up when she was falling off a bike (so I was supporting her whole weight and pulling her up with both my hands, plus the bike, as she was falling). I then felt a tense, crampy sensation in my upper abdomen that has lasted for 20 mins plus and is still continuing — no bleeding or lower uterine cramps. I’ve been worrying I might have caused harm, especially with a unicornate uterus. No pain in my uterus area now, just some anxiety!

Honestly don’t worry, you won’t be doing any harm. I lifted my toddler loads when pregnant. He almost ‘sat’ on the bump. Baby was fine. It will just be your ligaments stretching.

I’m pretty sure the only danger is to your back! There are women who weight train through their whole pregnancy. Just bend at your knees 😁

@Shinytapsthank you!! Do you remember how much your toddler weighed or how old?

OP kindly you don't need to be asking how much a posters child weighs and how old they were when they lifted them.

you will be fine. Lifting heavy things don't do any damage. Women weight train all the way through pregnancy and certainly lift heavier than a toddler. Perhaps speak to your midwife about your anxiety. Good luck!

You will be fine. This isn't something to worry about. There will be sooo many other things to worry about instead..

@RogueApple I was asking relevant information because there’s a difference between lifting 8kg or 20kg

But it's fine to lift either of those weights in pregnancy.

do you usually have anxiety?

Nobody has ever lost a baby from lifting their other kid up. People lift toddlers up when they’re pregnant all the time, people who have children with some additional needs lift even older children up, people in caring and medical professions may even lift adults up. The only harm you may potentially have caused is to yourself and your back but your baby will be absolutely fine.

Don't worry OP you'll be fine, your body is way more prone to cramps and achey muscles during pregnancy.

My toddler weighed in at 14kg a good 4 months ago and recently she plonked herself down HARD on my belly, I was 11 weeks at the time. The pain was excruciating and I actually screamed out, for a good 5 minutes I couldn't move. The pain lasted a few mins then went away, all was fine at my 12 week scan shortly after. Midwife said there's nothing a toddler can do to hurt a pregnancy.

@RogueAppleNo, I don’t suffer from any anxiety — I just like to be well-informed so I can make the best choices for my body and baby

if you’d been doing it all pre pregnancy, I don’t think there’s any evidence to say don’t.
just watch for the Relaxin as you move through your pregnancy, as it can open you up to injury

Really, many pregnant carers have to lift fully grown adults while pregnant. And you'll have to continue to lift your toddler too. Because sometimes there's just no other choice

@Emilysmum90thats super reassuring, thank you

I lifted 22kg around a week or two before birth. Had to get my dog over a ditch. I also hopped/jumped whilst carrying my pooch to avoid her getting dirty.

The kid I was pregnant with is alive and well, now 8. Eats a lot, very sporty. Not sure if that's anything to do with my weight lifting. The dog is doing well too.

@CottageGoblini guess I’m used to lifting her, just isn’t very usual to have to lift her and the bike whilst pulling it all up, as a sudden movement.
Thank you though!

@Mindyourfunkybusiness glad the pooch is well!!

I was lifting my 99th percentile 3yo (19kg or so) well into the last weeks of pregnancy with DD2. The risk is of damage to you, really, not the baby. You’re just more likely to damage your ligaments/muscles.

At 8/9 weeks especially, there’s not really any mechanism of injury from lifting a toddler that would cause a miscarriage or anything like that. The baby is minuscule and well protected, even impacts to the stomach at that stage are unlikely to have any negative effect. And merely lifting something heavy won’t cause any harm to the baby, but it might cause harm to you further down the road in terms of back pain etc. due to the relaxin.

Kindly, it really isn’t an issue to lift things during pregnancy. Otherwise no woman would safely have more than one child!

My third baby is a few weeks old. I often had his 18kg, 4 year old sibling on my shoulders up until the week I gave birth, and was sometimes carrying both him and my 15kg 2 year old. Probably not ideal for the pelvic floor but not really an issue for the pregnancy.

My friend weightlifted all the way through pregnancy but did reduce her weights - but she was lifting 80kg

Either would be fine in terms of the baby. The main thing I’ve found is that I’m much more prone to pulling muscles - apparently it’s to do with the extra relaxin in your body and I’ve been aware of it since about six weeks pregnant. I’ve been able to keep doing my strength and cardio training pretty much as normal though, just being slightly careful about rapid movements and twists. You might’ve tweaked something lifting, but my understanding is that there would be nothing to worry about with regards to the baby.

If you like to be informed, there’s a fab book called expecting better which takes a realistic look at lots of things you ‘shouldn’t’ do during pregnancy.