Exercise during pregnancy

[CupOfBrownJoy]

I know that all the info says "just carry on as you were before" but it also seems to say you shouldn't do anything too strenuous, i.e you should be able to talk and exercise at the same time....

But I've just started running again a couple of months ago. I love it, it keeps me trim, fit and sane. I'm only 5 weeks gone and I'm feeling very positive and full of energy; no sickness, cramps etc (yet!)

Would I be ok to continue with my twice weekly run? I do about 8-9k and I only go slow, it takes me just over an hour (a 7 or 8 minute kilometre ). I will definitely ask the doc but my appointment isn't until next week and I want to try and get out a couple of times before then.

My other question is about horse riding. Some of the literature just says "don't", but I ride a very very safe old plodder, and we mosey around the back lanes at walk or trot once a week. I really, really want to continue with this if I can. As far as I can see the risk of having a bad fall under these circs is minimal...

I would be interested to hear peoples' opinions on this. Obviously I don't want to do any damage, but I'm also aware that there will come a time when I won't want/be able to get off the sofa and I'd really like to make the most of feeling fit and well at the moment!!

So, do I stop? Or continue as I was?

Thanks

I am continuing on more or less as I was before, but I'm doing everything a bit slower/easier. I actually started a thread on it a week or two and received LOADS of helpful advice. I was just really worried about overdoing things.

Riding is a source of argument between my husband and I. I think that (in the first trimester, certainly) the baby is pretty well cushioned. He things that riding is just inherently risky. We are also arguing about cycling, however as we have only one car and live in Cambridge he's realised that I have to cycle anyway.

www.amazon.co.uk/Runners-World-Guide-Running-Pregnancy/dp/1579547478

This book is a good starting point. I struggled to run during trimester 1 due to sickness, but still cycled. During trimester 2 I did a lot of walking (5 or 6km) as obviously I hadn't run for a while! Then towards the end started running with my running club again, at the back with whoever was recovering from injury so I always had someone to chat to me (although they had to wait for me during my frequent dissapearences into the bushes, ahem). So I continued running until it was too uncomfortable.

As long as you are only maintaining your levels and not trying to push it and improve your ability you should be fine until you feel you don't want to continue. Listen to your body though.

Regards horse, well, I have no horse riding experience but 2nd pregnancy I went mountain biking at about 6 months. On a really easy forest track but with downhill. It felt wrong. I stopped! I went climbing at about 7 months pregnant but at a very easy level, it was a lovely sociable day put with people we knew. I knew enough not to join in with the physical 'drinking' games in the evening as they involved stretching in awkward ways!

Make sure you do your kegels! Start now if you haven't already!

Congratulations :)

I've just got back to running (well, jogging now) at 15w. Between 6w and now I just didn't feel up to it due to nausea and exhaustion. But if you're feeling fine, I'd say go for it as long as you're careful to not overheat, dehydrate or exhaust yourself. Maybe even try a shorter route, 5k or so, the first time and see how you feel?

I don't have any experience of horse riding, but I'd imagine it's the vigourous bouncing and risk of falling that's the issue? So if you're just plodding slowly, and you think it's fine, it's probably fine.

The only other thing I would say, perhaps more about the horse riding than the running (but maybe only because I know running but don't know anything about riding), is that there was part of me that wanted to wait until my 12w scan before getting back to exercising anyway because (touch wood, God forbid etc. etc) if anything did go wrong I'd possibly blame myself for exercising, or at least wonder if I should have taken it easy.

I'm 26 weeks and am carrying on as usual. I run, spin, swim and do Pilates. All seems to be fine so far. Just keep going I say

Thanks everyone.

I think I'm happy to continue as usual, and listen to my body for signs I am overdoing it.

I went out yesterday and did 9k, I took it slow and felt fine. Feel good today too.

I've got my fingers crossed that I stay feeling well enough to leave the house!

I just saw an article somewhere about a women who ran a marathon at 39 weeks and then headed off to the hospital to give birth! (OK - she ran half and walked half but still....)

Velo!

There was a showjumper too who was competing up to about 8 months... I'll have to Google her name.

Insane! But lucky them that they felt up to it

Also Cambs - cycled till the week before due date, but stopped riding horse about 25 weeks as could see instructor getting nervous! See how you feel, be prepared to alter your plans, and don't fall off!

I think it's quite personal, as what is right for one person isn't necessarily right for another. I have stopped running as my sister had recurrent miscarriages, until she slowed down and I don't want to go through the same. Other people seem to carry on without a problem though. I'm 22 weeks now and to be honest I think anything more than a short jog would be very uncomfortable and would result in me needing a wee every 200 yds

Exercise really helps with things generally so keep it up as long as you can!

I honestly think if you feel ok doing something its ok - I was still doing handstands on a wall a few weeks ago, now 35 weeks, (at normal ashtanga yoga and I've done Capoeira for 8 years) and felt actually great doing it, but hadn't been able to a few weeks before. In the first trimester you begin to get all the extra blood which has to be oxygenated by the cardio vascular system, so to my mind keeping this going is a good thing to help you adapt? You may just fund suddenly one day that an hour is just too much, so just walk if needed - I liked simply walking my usual route if too much to jog.

Actually I realise some of the Capoeira squats and gentle dance moves would have been fine if anything very beneficial more recently, its just that the classes clashed with antenatal classes and major house renovations have curtailed space at home. Just this week bending and lifting stuff is niggling my back, but before then I've not been too worried about shifting stuff etc as I literally have not been affected and yet stopped jogging at 9 as my lower back really hurt. Continued cycling till around 30wks, again only stopped as havent had anywhere to go on the bike and can't be bothered!

My personal opinion on an old plodder around back lanes (as one who used to ride) is that I'd carry on within the boundaries of what I knew - imo cycling probably less predictable due to idiots on road but I took back lanes and cycle tracks. Maybe wear a big fluorescent over jacket? I seriously considered designing a 'baby on.board' thing for the bike.

9 months is a long time not to do the things you enjoy, - I'm so glad I kept the cycling, swimming and ordinary yoga going (with adjustments) as I'm seeing the benefits now in my muscle strength and hip flexibility which is going to be necessary for labour! Look at getting the 'active birth' book by Janet balakas for some anatomical stuff which might help you. And yes pelvic floors!

I am still riding at 16 (17 tomorrow) weeks on a safe old plodder! I am definately not as strong and get breathless more easily but am still enjoying it. I don't jump and mainly just ride in the arena. I can honestly say that I would not get on any other horse but this chap is very calm and quiet. My midwife quite happy with the idea of me still riding at the moment - she has said to be careful and once the bump comes along and my centre of gravity changes to think about jacking it in.

As far as other exercise is concerned I haven't really had the motivation as I have been very tired and nauseous. I do feel a bit better now so am planning on going swimming and perhaps trying pilates to replace the riding as the weeks go on.

I ran all the way through pregnancy with DD1. My last run was 2 days before she was born. Other than the first trimester, where I could barely run around the block, I felt absolutely fine - while not exactly breaking any world records, other than that for "Most Lumbering and Comic Jogger in SE London". It kept me sane and fit and definitely helped me re-group after the birth.

My pelvic floor definitely suffered so, as others have said, do the kegels. Also, a physio I met at an antenatal class gave me a piece of Tubigrip that was big enough for me to wear around my hips/waist under the bump. If you can get something like that, I found it really supportive and comfortable as I became bigger. Sort of like a sports bra for the bump.

This time around I'm training at a gym and doing a lot of weights/resistance/core strength work. While I miss the running, I have to say that my back has not given me a moment of twinge or ache (unlike last time) and I'm nearly 29 weeks gone.