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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

no exercise in first trimester? should i feel guilty?

15 replies

missperelman · 13/07/2011 19:14

hello
i KNOW gentle exercise is never going to harm anyone, pg or not, but i wondered if NO exercise during first trimester is going to harm my baby. i am 10 weeks and haven't had the energy or inclination to do any yoga or anything for weeks now. i am so tired. i do eat well and i have a walk every day and do the housework which is fairly strenuous. is this too little do you think? i'm of the thinking that our parents and grandparents' generations didn't worry so much about going to yoga/exercise class as much as we do. in fact, yoga was hardly heard of. do you think i am worrying unnecessarily by not exercising right now? i am certain as my energy returns from the second trimester onwards, that i will be back on the yoga mat
x

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mo3d · 13/07/2011 19:20

I've had 3 healthy babies who are now 16, 13 and 9. I never exercised at all during my pregnancies (oh except a few water aerobics classes that I was dragged to when I was heavily pregnant with no. 1). So no, I don't think you need to worry about not exercising in your first trimester. In fact, I'm sure that worrying is worse for the baby than not exercising. So chill missperelman and do what your body is telling you to.

MissMarjoribanks · 13/07/2011 19:24

No. Really. If you're eating well but are knackered not doing any formal exercise will be fine. I could barely scrape myself out of bed when I got home from work, let alone exercise in my first trimester.

figgygal · 13/07/2011 19:28

God you think that is bad i am now 19 weeks and havent done anything for weeks and my healthy diet is very sporadic (i had chips for tea tonight). I want to start swimming or doing Davina's pre and post natal exercise dvd over the weekend.

I think you need to start making little changes and build some more activity in.

Original poster

missperelman · 13/07/2011 19:29

mo3d, i love you! thankyou so much. i have actually lost weight so i don't think i'm becoming a big unhealthy lump.

i'm on my own a lot, so worrying about a lot of things, and haven't yet told my signif other about the pgncy as, about a week after conception he started having massive doubts. well, more than that. he has 4 children from a previous relationship, (he had them very young). i keep worrying about everything as i have done the 8 weeks (i.e. the 8 weeks that i have had an inkling - then a definite knowledge - that i've been pg) solo. he has been working away for 3 of those. i have to tell him when he gets back tomorrow. i'm a bit scared! sorry, i've gone off on a massive tangent here!

OP posts:

flamegirl77 · 13/07/2011 23:03

Every pregnancy book/website bangs on about healthy eating and exercise constantly. Yes, it's SO easy when you feel like crap. I've stopped worrying about it. I eat what I feel like and I do a bit of walking. I've been doing pregnancy yoga since about 20 weeks but it's more to relax than anything else! I'm thinking of doing some swimming but again more for the floating than to exercise (am now 33 weeks.) I definitely had more energy after 18 weeks. Don't make yourself do anything, your body is working hard enough just now.

mo3d · 14/07/2011 15:48

Have you told him yet missperelman? I have my fingers crossed for you

lalababy · 14/07/2011 15:49

Hey - I am 17 weeks and still not exercising at all... still feel pretty good :)

Bartimaeus · 14/07/2011 16:04

Do NOT worry about exercising!
I used to do 4 hours karate a week before getting pregnant. I literally stopped overnight and found it hard just walking to the underground to go to work.
I too worried as the pregnancy books say you should keep exercising but until 20 weeks I had NO energy whatsoever. Plus anytime I did anything vaguely energetic (ie. a 30 minutes stroll) I ended up being sick.

At 24 weeks I started swimming once a week, but had to stop because I had cystitis and haven't yet gone back (am 28 weeks).

I think the best thing to do during pregnancy is to listen to your body. Your body is doing something amazing and very hard and if you want to go to sleep at 8pm then do it. If you want to get up on a Saturday, eat your breakfast then go back to sleep for 2 hours, then do that! (can you tell I'm talking from experience? )

Maybe around 4 months you'll have more energy and actually want to do some exercise. Maybe not. Every pregnancy is different, do what feels right for you.

Good luck telling your DP! I'm sure he'll be pleased

annekins · 15/07/2011 10:41

I did nothing for the first trimester and only started doing more walking at weekends at week 15.

I was absolutely exhausted, barely eating enough anyways due to all day and all night sickness , let alone with exercise on top of that, and could most often be found asleep on the sofa with my car keys still in my hand at 5.30!!!

Like Bartimaeus said, your body is pretty awesome doing what it's doing, and listen to what it's telling you...

lolajane2009 · 15/07/2011 14:20

i did major exercise just before my pregnancy but broke my bike a few weeks before conception. Haven't done any exercise since though as i am too exhausted most of the time. i am now 31 weeks.

goodnightmoon · 16/07/2011 16:57

the official guidance from many yoga teachers is to take the first trimester off so you absolutely shouldn't feel guilty. Same with lots of other forms of exercise - it's probably fine but it's the time when miscarriage is most likely so better safe than sorry. (no offense to anyone who does exercise - it's obviously safe for the vast majority)
you will almost certainly have more energy in the second trimester, and your blood pressure and all that will have stabilised.

NearlyHeadlessnickelbabe · 16/07/2011 17:02

you should do as much or as little as you feel capable of doing.

I exercise regularly, but kept not going when i was in the early weeks- i'd get home form work and just want to sleep.
I also found that walking to work took nearly twice as long because my whole body felt like lead.

You will feel better soon, and then take that chance to exercise.
as long as you're eating well, you have no worries.

KikiRC · 16/07/2011 19:30

I'm just five weeks, and I get exhausted walking to the shops! Honestly, I had no idea I'd be so tired this early on.

I think as long as you try to keep reasonably active it's fine. I've never really exercised 'properly' anyway, but I walk and cycle and would consider myself fairly fit.

Conchita · 17/07/2011 12:40

Hi Missperelman, I didn't do much during my first trimester due to exhaustion and morning sickness and I felt DREADFULLY guilty, especially as I could only stomach bland, rubbish food and hardly any veg or fruit.

Towards the end of first trimester I felt much better and attended my usual pilates ball class (do tell your teacher that you're pg if you go as she'll tell you to take it very easy on the core muscles) every week.

I thought that in 2nd trim I wouldn't be able to do anything but I feel much healthier at 16 wks and my gym have devised a special gentle workout for me (if anyone's a gym member NAG them to do this for you, I was pretty much ignored and made to feel weird first time I asked, but why should I waste £40 per month?) Also I think brisk walking, swimming etc would be fine but as I say I like the gym and am in a contract anyway so want to get my money's worth!

I agree with other posters that you shouldn't push your body to do anything you don't feel like doing, you will know when you're ready.

Hope telling your OH went well, too. It's so much easier not to fret when people around you know.

Eviepoo · 17/07/2011 13:00

I was doing bootcamps twice weekly before PG....then PG sickness and tiredness struck and I felt like crap, anything except getting through the day was out of the question.
I'm now 35w and I still feel crap. I eat well and what with work, house stuff having a DD to run after etc etc it's not like I still on my arse all day, I've also not gained too much weight. I'll do yummy mummy pilates, baby bootcamp and swimming after - when I feel better.

Don't get stressed - your body is working very hard just now as it is :)

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