Doing too much/little?

[Aworryingtrend]

I am 22 weeks pregnant and since I got pregnant, everyone seems to have an opinion, albeit well-meaning, on what is a suitable level of exertion for a pregnant woman. I feel fine in myself except for dizziness when I stand for long periods and tiredness of course. I have been doing what I consider to be approppriate for me, but I am wondering now if I am being skewed by people's reactions and if I am in fact doing too much or being lazy!

Below is a list of some activities. Please could you tell me which you would or wouldn't do at 5/6 months pregnant?

• Swimming
• Do full house clean inc hoovering, reaching up to curtain poles
• Have family to stay for long weekend inc getting ready for them, cooking, stripping beds after
• go on a hen weekend inc dancing til 1am
• Pressure wash patio
• Drive 2.5 hours then do return journey next day
• Have party for 30 guests inc 12 staying over for the weekend
• Spend a day walking (with breaks for cake coffee)
• Climb 3 flights stairs 2-4 times a day at work
• Do weekly shop and lift into car then house

Interested to hear your opinions!

TIA

I would do whatever I feel fit to do, to be honest.

I'm only 13 weeks, but I swim, ride and run at least once a week. I would lift something heavy if it was comfortable to do so, I walk the dog twice a day and regularly drive a 3 hour round trip between my flat and DP's. I'm also driving from Germany back to the UK next month.

If you feel up to it, I would go for it. Beats sitting on the sofa for 9 months...

I think it depends on the person and how they feel really. If you are feeling ok to do the above- do it- listen to what your body says.

Personally i am and have been totally knackered throughout this pregnancy (hyperemisis and a low bp hasn't helped) - i'm 30 weeks now.

from the list above I wouldn't do a full house clean on my own in one go. I wouldn't do the hen night (i'm in bed by 9!) I wouldn't have a party for 30 (i'm in bed by 9!!) I couldn't spend a whole day walking. And as for the weekly shop- i get that delivered and have done since i had my 1st lo 5 years ago!

The rest is do- able but i'm knackered a lot so would probably avoid.

whatever you can cope with, i get odd looks for still attending zumba while pregnant, and still picking DS up if he wants a cuddle (hes 5yo) but if it doesn't hurt i'd say it's ok, your body will tell you if you are overdoing it!

sounds like you are flourishing in pregnancy, enjoy it :)

ps. I'm so bored of being pregnant because of not being able to do normal stuff- i feel my life is on hold- so if I felt up to stuff I definitely would! :)

I'm currently 20 weeks and I'd do all of those things. I went to a 30th birthday party last week and was one of the last ones standing at 2.30am (probably because everyone else was pissed) but luckily I don't have to be drunk to dance and have a good time.
I'm doing everything I used to do before I was pregnant, apart from distance running. I was in training for a marathon previously and scrapped that, though now I'm doing lots of walking, pregnancy yoga and pregnancy fitness DVDs.
Oh yes, and I'm still doing all the outdoorsy stuff such as camping and walking. The only thing I'm doing differently is not lifting as much heavy stuff as I would have done previously; stuff like running up the stairs at work doesn't bother me (yet).

I'm 26 weeks and how I feel can vary massively from one day to the next - on Saturday I cleaned our house from top to bottom, sorted out lots of bags for charity, did a full food shop and made a three course meal. Today I'm falling asleep at my desk and dreaming of being at home on the sofa!

I would have done/did most of those things at 5-6 months pregnant. I wouldn't have done all the cleaning in on day but that's mainly because I don't like cleaning and would get bored and just stop! I also wouldn't have hosted a party for 30 including 12 staying because there's no way we'd fit that many people in our house! The day's walking would completely depend on whether it included many hills, I'm still fine walking for a couple of hours now at 36 weeks on the flat (did three hours last week - unintentionally as I lost one of my dogs whilst on a walk!) but would really struggle with hills. Having said all that I've been very lucky in pregnancy so far, hardly had any sickness, haven't really felt any more tired than usual, no real aches and pains, am not particularly big, I know some people have a much worse time than me.

Just reading your list has made me feel tired! I am only seven weeks so at the exhausted stage.

I'd do whatever you feel up to tbh, but don't be afraid to ask others for help with the housework if you need it so you can save your energy for dancing all night

I'm 36 weeks now and would have happily done all of those things at 5/6 months. In the early days no, and now I would think twice about some of them but at 5/6 months I was feeling great and if you still feel good I would say make the most of it and do whatever you can

Thanks all, good to hear a range of opinions. Of all those listed, I do most regularly. The only thing I have decided against is hosting the partybut thats as much for financial reasons as anything else to be honest.

Sadly I am actually looking forward to giving the house a good clean this weekend, it is rather overdue...

I'm a week behind you, and tbh, just tired all the time. That being said, I'd probably still give everything a go except the hen party and weekend (and maybe a day of walking). Now I'm through the hell of the first trimester I find that some activity does help. I would not be too proud to give up if needed though!

On a related note, the last time I saw my obstetrician (three weeks ago) she gave me a big telling off for working too hard. Admittedly I was working all day, then evenings and some weekends, but only for three weeks or so and I don't have any children or major commitments. She's threatening to put me at 50% work time if the tiredness isn't much better next time I see her (in three weeks). It is a bit, but am still dragging myself through the day. But surely being at 50% working hours at 21 weeks pregnant is not right given that all my scans and so on are fine?

I dunno, guess I'm just a bit confused as to what is going on and what I should be doing...

I'm 33 weeks and still cleaning a Drs surgery every night which includes lugging Henry Hoover up 3 flights of stairs and mopping bending emptying bins etc and lugging old ppl around ie pushing wheelchairs getting them up an into bed etc Im still alive :)

Oh and we hosted a jubilee BBQ last wkend at 6pm which was after I had been at work most of the day !

I find I can still do pretty much the same as I used to, albeit somewhat slower. The only difference is that once I am tired that is it, mind of matter ceases to work and I HAVE to rest.

I think staying active (obviously if you are fit and healthy and not having any pregnancy problems) is terribly important for mind and body, even if you have to pace yourself.

Currently 24 weeks and do all on your list plus chase after a 3 year old every day and work.

Got a week off next week and will be prepping walls in baby's room to get them ready for decorating & hopefully lifting laminate floor. Will be doing it in stages as I've got the energy & if I run out of steam, DH can finish it when he's home from work.

You should just do what you feel able to & are comfortable with and don't mind what anyone else says.

Just enjoy feeling good :)

Like everyone above I would do whatever I felt I was up to.
I am currently 33 + 5 and would still do most, if not all of your list. I am renovating half of the house at the moment and trying to get the garden into a easy to manage state and so I still do a lot of lifting, wheeling wheel barrows etc etc. I certainly find that everyone thinks that because you are pregnant that they can express an opinion including (and frequently) when not canvassed. Personally, I am aiming to maintain my own council and trying to be sensible!

staceym I am really interested to hear you're still doing Zumba. I did it until about 12 weeks, but then when I told the instructor I was up the stick, she really put me off by saying that "the Latin dance moves aren't good for little one" - and generally looking a bit concerned that I was there.

So I haven't been for the past 4 weeks but am really missing it, and feel upto going, if you know what I mean?

How can gyrating your hips around like an embarrassing dad at a wedding, to Ricky Martin, be harmful to your unborn baby??! Does this sound like a loa of old toss to anyone else??

DangerMousey, I have never done Zumba, so can't say for sure, but I don't see why it would be problematic. I think the issue with gym teachers who aren't specifically trained for ante-natal is they get worried when they see a pregnant woman that if something happens, they will be responsible.
I've had yoga teachers who won't let me do anything at all then others who are happy with me doing headstand and balances and all sorts. I think your body tells you if something doesn't feel right. If it does, then stop. If not and you enjoy it, then carry on.

dangermousey my instructor is great, i have strict instructions of no tummy pumping do low impact where possible do not overheat and drink lots and lots of water also wee for england half way through

but i can still be there, she does keep an eye on my blood pressure though (from my notes), although not sure if she's checking for low/high (or either i suppose) tbh if she wasn't quite so confident i probably wouldn't still be going, but i trust her to tell me the right things and she trusts me to only do as much as i feel comfortable with.

If you want to go back maybe there's another instructor in your area you could try/speak to to see if they are more informed on zumba in pregnancy?

I'm 6 months pregnant & to be honest I don't think I physically could do any of those things on your list. I am knackered all the time, get short of breath & feel sick & get backache if I do anything for more than about 20 minutes.

I'm sure I wasn't this decrepit during my last pregnancy though

oh and my instructor currently has 3 pregnant instructors in her company and 1 who has just had a gorgeous baby girl, so she's got a lot of knowledge lol!

I would make the most of it while you still can. Do whatever you are comfy with. The end of the third trimester can be pretty restrictive sometimes so make hay while the sun shines.

I'm over 41 weeks and the only thing I wouldn't do now is the hen party and hosting the party, mainly cos I'm not feeling massively sociable the past couple of weeks - I get sick of talking about pregnancy and me when we see other people. I'm cleaning the house from top to bottom every few days at the mo . Should I not be?

I've done all kinds.

Only things I have not done that I normally do is go camping because I have SPD and didnt think sleeping on the floor would be useful.

Oh and the only other thing is I carried two internal but fully wooden doors from the back garden to the front garden - this was too much and I pulled my stomach muscles but I think it was more having to carry it differently due to bump being in the way.

I think your body lets you know if you have done too much so if you are feeling ok then go for it, just watch what you are doing and be mindful of how you carry things.

at 6 months i would of done all those things on your list and in fact did do quite a few of them! also went out clubbing till 3.30 twice (having not been clubbing for about 2 years before that!) and outlasted many on a hen do.

Now i'm 7 and a half months i'm not sure i could go clubbing although i went to a music concert the other week and enjoyed it, but i stayed at the back and didn't go right into the throng as i was scared of my bump being knocked.

we constantly have guests (live in cornwall) and so am always doing a pre guest tidy up/ strip beds/ sort out bathrooms etc and it's only now that the bump is huge that i'm starting to struggle with it. Mainly the leaning over to scrub bath/shower that i can't do easily.

I don't think i could do a days walking now. I went for a 45 min walk yesterday and had pelvic pain all night, so i think my days of rambling across cliff top paths are on hold for now!

Do whatever you feel you can and your body will tell you when to stop. But perhaps just plan for if you struggle (like take a bump support when walking as they really help).