Exercise in pregnancy

[freelancegirl]

I would like to know what everyone else is up to. I am 9 weeks pregnant and really want to carry on with exercise. I've researched it a lot already - bought Pregnancy Fit book, had a session with an expert female trainer (who also has two kids) who I intend to see every few weeks and I am carrying on with a weight routine, just a bit lighter than before.

A year and a half ago (with the help of swapping writing skills for free training) I got very fit, from a reasonably fit and happy size 12 to a super fit, strong and REALLY happy size 8 to 10 (am 5'5 and age 36). I loved doing weights and found it so much better than the running I used to try stick with. But the male trainer I used to train with (ended 6 months ago) for free told me I shouldn't work out at all when pregnant! My research has revealed that to be tosh, hence why I had the session with the female trainer and will continue to see her when I can afford to.

I just wanted to know what everyone else was doing.

This is me:

I wasn't at peak fitness after Christmas then 4 weeks of travelling in early pregnancy so had 'softened up' a bit anyway. Have returned to the gym post-break and also now pregnant. Weight before pregnancy was around 9 stone, weight after holiday was around 9.3. Weight at 9 weeks PG is 9.7. A bit of that is because I am stuffing myself silly with carbs (was low carb before) as they make me feel less sick. And I am not going to watch what I eat when pregnant - within reason.

Instead of running for 10 mins to warm up I've been walking fast uphill. Happy to run as I realise it's ok to do at this stage but it makes me feel a bit queasy. May run a bit more soon but it will only be for warm up like I used to.

Weights: Lighter than before and more machines to keep balance. Leg curling (hamstrings) and leg lifting (quads) around 25 (down from 35-40). A few deadlifts, 25 instead of 35, squats - light weight bar, plenty of chest and arm weights using pulleys, again lighter weights than before.

Abs - very light ab curls - not even curls really, more just lifting upper body and just around 20 at the end of a workout. Am thinking this might be too little but waiting for another session with the trainer just in case.

Feeling like people in the gym must be thinking - what the hell happened to her! So looking forward to a) getting scan out of the way in 3 weeks and b) as long as everything goes well, a bump starting to show so I don't just look a bit chubbier and a bit weaker on the weight lifting!

What's everyone else doing?

I'm a runner, but, given two previous MC's, have been warned to lay off until after my early scan (due this week). So, I'm walking 4 miles 5 days a week to keep on my feet - but still feel like I'm losing fitness by the minute.
Am hoping to be cleared to run again, but will have to drop down maintenance milage (c.9-12 miles a week), rather than the 10 mile long runs I was doing previously.
Also doing yoga and some swimming - and was thinking of seeing a PT to work out a pregnancy routine. I've only really been using the gym on my X-train days when I was running or when injured up to now.

Giggle. I know what you mean re people wondering what the hell happened to her. I have a bit of a belly but no bump at 17 + 6 weeks and while I still get through a similar workout to pre-pregnancy (18 mins run at about 10 km/h; matwork like lunges, side leg raises, bridge with ball etc; 6 mins stepper; matwork; 12 mins bike; weights) I'm puffing and panting more. Not doing much abs stuff (a bit of dolphin if you know that one?) as I was advised not to but only after 12 weeks. The older fatter ladies who do aqua fit are very sweet re my being pregnant - I know one of them socially so they all engage in bump-spotting in the changing room! - but I really don't want to join their ranks just yet; feel like the longer I can keep going at a slightly moderated 'normal' the better I'll feel and the stronger I'll be. Btw I'm sure an advantage of exercising, if you can, is eating like a pig and not putting on much weight. I know we need to in pregnancy but I'm a healthy 67kg and 5 foot 7 so it's not like there's nothing there for baby to fuel itself with!

Congrats freelancegirl on your pregnancy! V excited to hear you're keeping going and sounds like you've sorted yourself out with a trainer who knows what she's doing. I was a 6x per week gym bunny pre-pg but not a hardbody: enjoying exercise for the endorphins and the licence to eat what I want and still get into a size 12 easily... (ah those were the days).

I took one of the instructors at my gym into my confidence really early on as I didn't want to stop moving and the advice I got, and choose to listen to, was so long as you're used to it, keep doing it, take care not to overheat, don't exercise on an empty stomach or when tired, drink plenty of fluids and listen to your body. At 28 weeks I've definitely slowed, and I'm not upping my weights/durations - I now do a lot less bouncing/jiggling but still get a good workout. My goal is being strong for the birth, rather than a, say, 25min 5k or whatever it might have been before. It's a great motivator.

I packed in the Ab crunches very early on though there are other things you can do eg planks, running stopped at about 18 weeks when I got bladder-bump-bounce too uncomfortably (and started worrying about falling or getting into trouble somewhere with no help), and I had to stop tumble turning in the pool when I could no longer bend in the middle. I enjoy cardio classes, whilst I was pleased to have an excuse to pack in spin I have kept doing body pump (do things like push ups instead of laying on back now baby is bigger), body combat and body jam too, just gradually taking down the levels as it gets too much (eg a bump and fast high knee lifts don't work).

One thing I'm learning about pregnancy and you'll see a lot of it on here is that you are now public property and everyone can comment. EVERYBODY, including DH, has a point of view on what I can/should be doing, and apart from the trained instructors in the gym who know their stuff, all seem somewhat anxious about most of the exercise I continue to do. I swim regularly with a club interestingly no one else seems to mind that even though it's probably the hardest workout of my week!

I've now dropped down to 3x bodybalance a week and an aqua class if I feel up to it at 33 weeks.

I too was a 5/6x a week bunny. Stopped running at 20ish on advice of ob/gyn, cut weights out at 28 or so as I was just getting too tired and I wanted to keep the flexibility/core strength work up.

I can't wait to get back and have a proper workout.

And people almost certainly wondered what had happened when I cut out ab work etc but had no bump. It didn't arrive until more than half way through! Now they look at me in consternation like I may pop mid-sesh...

Oh I am so glad you are all exercising too!

Snap and FeralGirlCambs I know what you mean about cutting down on the ab work - I feel like a pathetic gym newbie when I am doing just a few feeble crunches. I know it doesn't matter what people think of you but I admit there's a certain shallow pride involved when I am at the gym 4-6 times a week lifting weights with the boys :)

But on the other hand it is nice to actually take it easy when you don't feel like it and know you don't have to feel bad about it at all, because it's all healthy exercise.

And dizzy77 sounds like you have a great routine there! Impressive. Beedus sounds like you are doing the right things in terms of making sure everything is okay with the baby and I am sure all that walking is still fab.

I have a friend who is a tiny size 8 naturally and doesn't exercise and she went through a hideous birth. I know there are many reasons this can happen but I think having strong, supple muscles and a good level of cardio fitness can only help with childbirth.

What I am also worried is how the hell will we all be able to do this with a baby? I would SO miss my gym sessions. I work from home and the gym has become a sanctuary for me and one of the few places I get to actually talk to people. I am thinking I might be able to find a local new mum who was also a gym fan and we could swap child care whilst each of us runs off to do a workout.

congrats on your pregnancy! i think you should carry on doing what you have been doing and listen to your body -- that's the most important thing. the doctors in this country are too conservative imho. 90% of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities rather than other factors, such as physical activity.
i was doing dynamic (viniyasa and ashtaga) yoga 6-7 times per week during 1st trimester and was warned by a few incompetant instructors that i would miscarry until i found a real expert who reassured me that if i were fit before and an advanced practicioner and felt well (i didn't have any morning sickness), i could just carry on... so i did, and i felt really good. now i am 30 weeks and doing yoga 3-4 times per week and swimming 3-4 times per week. still put on 8.5 kg ... good luck!

I'm 9 weeks too, and still going to pump and balance each week as well as lots of walking. I used to run a lot, but find that my boobs are too sore now! I think I will start swimming instead. I am still biking as well. I'm not doing as much as before, but still going. It's so important, I love the headspace I go into while in the gym and would miss that.

I am much weaker though, I used to be able to do loads of pushups on my toes and now can only manage 3 or 4. . I am having to take my weights down in pump class, and hope I start to show before I start lifting warm up weights for the whole class!

Have you read "Exercising through your pregnancy" by Clapp? It is really good, evidenced based but easy to read and basically says that exercise is important throughout your pregnancy.

I'm 26 weeks and have just started swimming again properly. This is going to be DC3, so it's much harder to exercise with 2 DC's around. Very different from when I was pregnant with DC1. I swam, ran, cycled and did ballet right up to the day I went into labour (contractions started at ballet class ). It is hard to continue with everyone making negative comments but I do think that being fit helped me during labour.

As for afterwards, can you find a gym that has a creche? Otherwise I found an exercise DVD that I liked (the perfect postnatal workout) and did that while DS was sleeping - or sometimes he just watched. Didn't quite get round to it with DD, but this time I am determined to spend a bit more time on myself after the baby is born.

freelancegirl I know exactly what you mean re hoping not to have to give up the gym - I work from home too and feel exactly the same about it. Childcare swap sounds like the way to go... I guess you don't live in Cambs?!

I agree with what the others have said - continue doing what you're used to, don't start anything completely new (except pregnancy-focussed exercises) and listen to your body! I'm 30 weeks and am still doing Bodypump and Pilates - although I'm finding that it does get harder the bigger you get, simply because your range of movements decreases and you get out of breath a lot quicker! I started pregnancy yoga a few weeks ago and really enoy it - although it's far from a strenous workout . Swimming is also meant to be v. good, especially in the later trimesters.

I've stopped doing abdominal exercises and lowered my weights gradually as I went through the trimesters...which I found harder on my pride than I thought! But I think as long as I'm doing something, it doesn't matter, and pregnancy is not the time to increase your weights. I spoke to the instructors at the gym who teach the classes, and they have been very supportive and helpful, giving me alternative exercises. I've also bought a pregnancy fitness DVD (Erin O'Brien) that I really like and will probably be doing more frequently in the coming weeks.

All in all I think exercise has helped me, not so much with the weight gain, but with keeping up my energy levels and making me feel good about myself.

Hello Penelope1980 and welcome to the 9 weeks gang! CamDancer, JBrd, lilly13 et all you are all an inspiration.

FeralGirl Sadly I am in South East London and my gym is in Canary Wharf. But if anyone in those areas wants to team up as a gym/childcare sharing buddy I am game.

Just reading about what you are all doing makes me feel so much better. I went to the gym again today and it still feels really good. Part of me is still suffering from that loss of pride when looking like a lightweight on the, well, lighter weights, and the other part of me is quite enjoying feeling it's ok to slack off if I want to too.

For a previous 'low-carb on weekdays' zone (and much what I wanted on weekends) it's really nice to have things like cereal and toast again if I want it too. With wild abandon I bought some Crunchy Nut Cornflakes yesterday...

On the flip side, baby brain meant I have a) left the gym without washing shampoo out of my hair - only realising later when I noticed I had a weird 80s hardened wet look going on and b) visiting a gym in Brighton on the weekend, seem to have forgotten to re-pack my fave sports bra, work out pants and vest top and left them (never to be seen again) in the changing room!!

I know what you mean about loss of pride, once I start to show/get to 12 weeks I don't think I'll mind, but at this stage I am frustrated not being able to tell me why I am lifting half the weights!

I have talked to a trainer which has helped, she's given me some good advice. I don't know about your gyms, but mine has a 'bodypump/balance/ in pregnancy pamphlet with good advice about what we can and cannot do.

I've also started wearing a pedometre, now I am much more tired walking is more of an effort than before so it helps me keep perspective ie not to feel bad about not going to the gym if I still did a lot of steps. Walking used to feel like nothing, but sometimes now it feels like a workout in itself! Anyone else finding that?

I played badminton once a week through the first trimester, ran (but only 3 miles once a week) through to the end of the second trimester. Carried on cycling and climbing until 37 weeks.

Am pg again, but have struggled to get to pre pg fitness (damn pelvic floors), but plan to carry on running once/twice a week and climbing as before. I don't ride my bike at the moment nor play badminton. Although I think I'll start pilates again (just a DVD though, been a bit slack with that). Also for the first trimester I plan to carry on increasing my run distance as per my running plan I already had in place, just to 8 miles, at 6 currently.

The tiredness was really hard in the first trimester and I would change pace according to how I felt.

People in the gym won't be analysing your every move

I had trapped nerve issues which was the main reason the aerobic activities got dropped first. Limping home after badminton was not fun.

Hello,

I'm 18 weeks with dd 2 and still gym 4 times a week or run 5 k. I still do the same ish workout but no circuits as I would push myself too far. I also was good last preg but gave up and went to aqua aerobics from 32 weeks, which was fun but fustrating!
I have found excersizing really good for keeping me sane and the gym is the one place I feel comfortable!
Don't worry about weight gain, most will be fluid I have put on 10 pounds am usually 10 stone size 10 but I needed the forbidden White bread!
I also went back ( very light workout) from 2 weeks. I have not suffered from it and the expressing and letting dp give dd a bottle of my milk alone really gave him confidence!
I've had a bad start to week as. Didn't go Monday but yesterday was good at gym.

MrsVidic. How do you manage to get to the gym four times a week with a small child? I ask because I REALLY REALLY don't want to give this up so any tips are useful. I also love the fact that you went back to the gym after 2 weeks even for a light workout.

Hey talking about white bread: today I have had a bowl of crunchy nut cornflakes, some plain yoghurt and honey, then FOUR pieces of white toast (2 with grilled tomatoes and 2 with peanut butter and thick strawberry jam). I am going to Carb Hell.

Penguinarmy Love the idea of climbing up to 37 weeks :)

Hi everyone,
I've found reading through your thread v helpful & reassuring! I'm v early days in my pregnancy but already wondering whether I need to change my exercise routine, but based on all your experiences I think I should be ok. I run couple times week, usually only 5-10 k, swim once week & also go to body conditioning class at the gym. I've not wanted to say anything yet to my gym instructor or running club coach as it seems v early days & I don't want to jinx it! How long is it safe enough to do ab work do u think? I've been ok so far but notice I'm even more tired than usual after a work out. Would like to be able to keep it up for as long as possible.

I think your body will tell you what you can do.

I used to work on the principle that I wanted to exert myself 7/10 so stopped the sprint finishes and the more faster runs etc. Speak to your doctor or MW. Mine said basically everything is OK except horse riding, which was fine by me. I think telling your instructors in your second trimester is fine.

hi seasalt, congrats on your pregnancy! you can do ab work during the 1st trimester -- just don't overdo it. as your pregnancy progresses, your stomach muscles will loosen anyway and eventually become very weak under the influence of the hormone relaxine. I did some ab work until 14-16 weeks as part of my yoga practice, but then it became pointless anyway. as far as running is concerned, it is okay as long as you are not pushing yourself over the limits, eg racing, etc. just listen to your body and be slightly more gentle to yourself.

Tips for maintaining your frequency post child:

Understand that the gym is going to take up time so I have a 45 min work out and go first thing before work, twice a week then when Dp is off. He goes after work so we both get to go without sacrificing family time. I run in the evening when I'm struggling for time, easy in the summer.

Running pram, little nipper sport is fab. Really helped early days with dd. Plus there also fab for snow walking as they are like a 4x4 pram!

Plan when you go and be strict about your time for you. Have faith in your Dp / dh to look after your dc. This helps everything

2 sports bras

I'm only 4 months, so nearly half way!
I've been swimming three times a week, yoga once (plus some DIY yoga at home) and I've been jogging three times a week.
I was pretty active and fit before this pregnancy, so it's all going ok.

I found some great yoga poses to help with pregnancy symptoms from this site
www.fittamamma.com/section.php/3/1/exercise_in_pregnancy
They're workouts are really handy if you don't fancy the gym or buying a dvd!

Hope this helps!xx

I'm only 4 months, so nearly half way!
I've been swimming three times a week, yoga once (plus some DIY yoga at home) and I've been jogging three times a week.
I was pretty active and fit before this pregnancy, so it's all going ok.

I found some great yoga poses to help with pregnancy symptoms from this site
www.fittamamma.com/section.php/3/1/exercise_in_pregnancy
They're workouts are really handy if you don't fancy the gym or buying a dvd!

Hope this helps!xx