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Pregnancy

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

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Original poster

Just found out I'm pregnant - question about exercise

19 replies

Cheeser · 13/11/2011 20:36

Hi everyone. Found out last week that I'm pregnant - yet to see a doctor or midwife (appointment on Tuesday) and not too sure of dates as I'd just come off the pill, but I think around 4 weeks.

I haven't been to the gym for about a month, but now my gym partner is back in town and is badgering me about going to Spin class tomorrow. If I've not gone for a good few weeks is it safe? The guidelines I've read says you can continue doing exercise that you normally do, but I've not done this for a while . Before this hiatus I used to go about 2 times a week, doing classes mainly so Spin class and the odd body combat/tone type class.

What do you all think? Doesn't help that gym buddy is actually a colleague and I don't want him to know about my pregnancy yet.

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AKMD · 13/11/2011 20:38

As long as you're used to doing that level of exercise, you should be fine at this stage.

bumbums · 13/11/2011 20:40

I think that you'll be fine. Just be sure to be well hydrated before exercising and keep hydrated throughout and after.

Ticklemonster2 · 13/11/2011 20:46

If you are fit then there is no problem. Don't get overheated and don't raise your heart rate too high. Other than that all should be fine.
I cycled all the way through my pregnancy - until my thighs chaffed on my bump at 38 weeks!

Original poster

Cheeser · 13/11/2011 20:48

Thank you everyone.

Also meant to ask as well - do I need to be taking anything more than folic acid? Do I need to buy the super duper Pregnacare vitamins?

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VivaLeBeaver · 13/11/2011 20:50

You need specific pregnancy vitamins as you want ones without vitamin a.

Original poster

Cheeser · 13/11/2011 21:13

Thanks Viva - do I definitely need to get them though? I eat a really good diet and I'm taking folic acid already, do I need to buy the special pregnancy vits?

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KatAndKit · 13/11/2011 21:24

You don't need the pregnancy vitamins if you are taking folic acid. What you must not do is buy non pregnancy multivitamins, as they have the vitamin A in. So you have a choice of just plain folic acid, or pricey Pregnacare.

I went for the plain folic acid option and got my other vitamins from food. As I have been doing for the past 33 years! Also the pregnacare gives me constipation due to the iron in it.

Original poster

Cheeser · 13/11/2011 21:53

Thanks Kat, that's kind of what I thought, just wanted confirmation! I'm seeing the doc on Tuesday but I'm sure he'll just refer me to the midwife so not sure how much use the appointment will be...

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dreamfeeder · 13/11/2011 22:01

yes, I carried on mountina biking (which I often had 4 week gaps in), running- till 11 weeks, hill walkin etc all through my pregnancy. Well, that's a lie, I stopped mountain biking at 27 weeks, as the Braxton_hicks got really bad with effort cycling so I thought my body was telling me to give it a rest! The walking, and swimming a mile twince a week I carried on til the end.

I was a bit obsessed... I thought the fitter I stayed, the more I'd breeze through labour and cope well once the baby came. (didn't work for me, but that was only because I didn't go into labour after waters broke, had a horrible induction and whopping tear and was so anaemic I could hardly get up stairs afterwards- pg again though so can't have been that bad, in case I worry you!)

Original poster

Cheeser · 14/11/2011 07:49

Oh wow thanks dreamfeeder that's reassuring. I feel like that, the fitter I am the easier it'll be... but fully aware that it doesn't always work out that way! As your experience testifies! Also there's a part of me that hopes the more exercise I can keep up, the quicker I'll lose the weight after...

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Emily25 · 14/11/2011 14:44

i carried on doing my normal exercise at gym, in the early stages before i knew i was pregnant and i was fine. I think you will be find if you are a fit person and are used to it, maybe do spin class but just take it a little easier than normal.

smk84 · 14/11/2011 15:38

Yes I would still go, and take it easy. With my first PG I carried on going to the gym (doing cardio) until about 38 weeks. Now I am 10 weeks with DC2 and I can hardly get out of bed I am so nauseous!

nickelbabe · 14/11/2011 15:41

I kept up my exercise (make sure you tell your instructor at the class you're pregnant - they'll know to let you take it at your own pace then)

and I only took folic acid in the early days.

I did start taking pregnancy vitamins later on, but that was a "just in case" thing so that I didn't miss out on anything.
have to say, I've been crap at taking them, so I've prob taken them once or twice a week!

nickelbabe · 14/11/2011 15:42

I meant "i took folic acid only" - ie nothing but folic acid.

fretfree · 14/11/2011 18:58

I have carried on cycling, swimming and running jogging. The one thing I do find is that I am out of breath a lot easier when going up hills or stairs. I went hill walking at about 2 weeks in and thought that something might have stuck this time as I felt nowhere near as fit as normal!

Basically, keep hydrated, don't overheat and don't give yourself a hard time when you are not at the same level of aerobic fitness that you were - there are other things going on at the same time!! Good luck

Original poster

Cheeser · 16/11/2011 07:44

Thank you everyone

I've not actually been yet - have had a sudden wave of knackeredness but hope to go again soon. There's a personal trainer there who I was planning on taking some sessions with, he's already written me a guide for what to do with the machines etc, I think I'll talk to him and see how he suggests scaling down the intensity of what we've already done. I think I'll avoid classes - I tend to do them with my work colleague and if I tell the instructor beforehand, he'll hear!

I definitely need to go though. Had my booking in appointment yesterday and the doctor compared my weight now to that of a year ago and said 'My you have put on weight haven't you?' . Only 4kgs in a year... that's not too horrendous is it?!

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nickelbabe · 16/11/2011 11:24

I think comments like that are the reason why the midwife only weighs you at booking in and then at 35 weeks.
My MW says it's important for pregnant women not to be worrying about how much weight they're putting on, because it can cause dieting and then unhealthy eating obsessions, which are no good for the baby.
your GP was very rude and shouldn't have said that.

Original poster

Cheeser · 16/11/2011 11:49

Yes I thought it was a but rude too. I'm a size 12, bmi is 24 so the upper end of normal. But not overweight by any means. I did want to start losing sone weight (hence having a PT at gym etc) but now I'm pregnant I will just try and cut out fatty snacks and eat more healthily, hopefully that'll help.

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nickelbabe · 16/11/2011 11:51

:(
you'll be fine - just eat well, and do moderate exercise. that's the key.
lots of walking, and gentle gym work will be fine.
(your body tells you what you can and can't do - i didn't believe it till I'd gone through the different stages! 1st trimester, lucky if I can walk to work! 2nd trimester, active like it's going out of fashion, 3rd trimester, ½ hour's break for each 30 seconds of exertion!)

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