Advice please – exercising in early pregnancy

[BABK7]

Hi all,

Hoping you can help; I?m 6 weeks pregnant (first time ? very excited!!) and absolutely shattered. Had the best intentions to carry on being very active and doing lots of exercise but can barely manage three hours out of bed before I have the strongest urge to crawl back in!!

Does anyone have any tips on fitting in exercise when you?re feeling so rubbish? Everyone stresses how important it is to stay fit and active, but I?ve really struggled to make it to any of my exercise classes, or even leave the house for the past two weeks.

Thanks for any advice; worried I?ll turn into a couch potato for the next 8'ish months!!

X

The first trimester can be very hard. You'll probably feel much better once you get past 12 weeks, then exercise will be much easier. You've not got to run marathons or anything - just try to do gentle exercise if you can. Walk short journeys instead of using the car, walk (take it gently) up stairs instead of taking the lift at work etc. Try and walk once a day - to the post box or the shop or something. You'll probaby feel better for it. And look forward to blooming in the second trimester!

Don't start any new type of exercise when pregnant but do continue exercise from before but...

Also listen to your body and stop when it says stop.

I ran several times a week, did some free weights inbetween, cycled lots etc. Then I got pregnant and struggled with lifting a teacup to my lips without yawning. It's the first trimester and your body can tell you to slow right down. I found the 2nd trimester a hundred times easier.

Swimming's good, gentle and supportive. Walking's also manageable when you're feeling crappy, especially if you have a goal. You know, like walking to a cake shop.

Your body's telling you to rest. Do it. Your energy should come back. Eat well, sleep lots and it won't last forever.

Congratulations on your pregnancy.

Hi!

I am a regular at the gym and spoke to one of the trainers on Tuesday, I should mention I only found out on Monday that I was pregnant so I think I'm 4+3? I was told I could go on the bikes or treadmill in the gym as long as it's not too intense, but I have switched my circuits class to aqua fit, I'm in the pool with all of the grannies! I have to say its actually a good laugh and it's really nice to chat to other people you might not normally interact with so much. The last few months I have also been trying to get into swimming, apparently this is really good and I can keep doing that as I was.

The main points I was told about were to avoid any abs work,the reason why swimming is so good is because i keeps your body temperature cool and you should never start a new form of exercise when you are pregnant or do anymore than you have been doing previously.

I'm in a private health club and they have lots of different classes, apparently pilates or yoga is also good - although I can't comment as I have never been to either. I think most public gyms/swimming pools have aqua based classes and this is the route I'm going to go down.

I do also play netball but last night was my last session there as I just wasn't comfortable playing, which is such a shame as I love it, something to look forward to in 9 months!

A very close friend of mine who has just had her first baby kept up her gym work throughout the entire pregnancy and I am hoping to do the same, however everyone is different and come 7pm tonight when I have to drag myself to the gym hallucinating about the chinese takeaway I've been fancying all day it will be a different matter.... the one thing I will say though is that I always feel fantastic after doing some kind of exercise, that keeps me going and also I have got into a little routine now about certain nights being gym night so I think I personally would find it quite odd not being there!

Just listen to your body, if it's happy it will tell you!

Xx

ps I had a 30 minute power nap on Tuesday before heading to the gym - maybe that would help you?

Don't worry too much, and don't comapre yourself to what others have done/are doing, everyone's pregnancy is different. Like BeeBop and FeelMyWraith said, the first trimester is hard, you're likely to feel very tired and sick a lot of the time and keeping up your exercise habits isn't really practical. Just eat healthily, do what you can (swimming, walking etc) and wait until the 2nd trimester, when you're likely to feel a bit better and have more energy.

I was like you, I was so active before I was pregnant and found it very frustrating, and even felt a bit guilty, at not being able to continue running, biking etc. But after about 12 weeks I started going swimming a few times a week and that really helped. Congrats on your LO, just slow things down and get as much rest as you need.

Hi, Just in my 12 week and finally feeling a bit better!
I really tried to keep going, but after begin sick next to the exercise bike [hblush] and spending time in hospital I've given up! Well, almost! I did buy a pregnancy yoga/pilates DVD which has 10-15 minute sections on it, so I've been doing bits of that when I feel up to it. Now I'm feeling less tired and less sick day by day so hoping to start swimming once or twice a week. But I would second listening to your body and not beating yourself up about it!

Congratulations!
My advice. Sleep is way more important. A walk around the block will suffice if you're very desparate to exercise. The tiredness will ease totally for some, or in my case, a little, in second trimester, and I can also recommend swimming. Good all round exercise. It's also suposed to encourage babies to present 'normally' later on.

Thanks for all the advice, and the encouragement.

Sounds like things will get back to normal in a month or two? hopefully!! Really nice to hear that others have had similar experiences; sounds like chilling out a bit, the occasional power nap and lots of walking should help :)

Good to know that swimming is so helpful, even early on.

Thanks again :)

So some advice for me please, I'm 12 + 1, and a major fan of just dance on wii! Think its a great workout. There's the 3rd one just come out and wud like it, I don't excersice much although gt a toddler n a house to run if that counts? Anyway, is there any point me getting it to use as a form of exercise as long as I took it easy?

mumt1 Toddler-wrangling totally counts as exercise. I don't see why you couldn't give the game a go. Just remeber to take it easy and keep hydrated. Any pelvic pains, bleeding, etc and stop and see a MW before resuming.

Hhmm I have suffered from a lot of pelvic pain and bleeding already? Has been checked and is fine but would you recommend to not do it then? I do go college and work as well as toddler n running house as partner does NO cleaning

Humm, might be worth passing it by your MW/GP

Yea will ask her, the game is quite errrm fast

Mumt1 - I'm not familiar with the Just Dance Wii thing.

The main thing that is normally recommended when exercising pregnant is avoiding high impact.....so doing exercises that always keep one foot on the ground, rather than jumping in the air. This is because of the loosening of ligaments that you get in pregnancy.

There is some leeway depending what you did before pregnancy.....people who ran a lot pre pregnancy will be more likely to be fine to keep running but it's not an ideal thing to start when pregnant, for instance.