Swimming

[Sastra]

Hi all, before pregnacy I was a very keen runner. However, I've not done much exercise (apart from walking) since about week six, when sickness struck.

I'm 30 weeks now and still sick at least in the morning. I really want to do a bit of exercise, and was thinking of swimming as I've just moved very close to a pool!

A) will it be okay do you reckon to do some gentle swimming, as although I was very fit, I haven't don't much for 24 weeks and

B) does one need a maternity costume (I will obviously try on my normal costume, but I thought I'd ask others before I depress myself by becoming Moby Dick-ed).

I know I could ask my midwife, but I always feel I get a very generic answer about stuff like this (eg exercise, not whether I look like Moby dick!), and I wanted to know what others' experience was!

Swimming is meant to be the best exercise you can do in pregnancy as it's not weight-bearing and all our ligaments are loosened at the moment. Just take it gently and stay well within your capabilities.

Word of warning - don't take the receptionist's word for it that, because it's the same instructor, aquaerobics is as suitable as aquanatal. Well, not if you're me and think you're fitter than all the retired ladies in the class

You only need a maternity costume if you can't get into your normal one.

Oh, and yes you'll need a maternity shaped costume to be comfortable. Or a bikini. All part of the changing body shape!

No medical qualifications but I swam up to my edd. I think your base fitness will probably still be fine & whilst the advice is usually "don't start anything new", gentle swimming is often recommended. Midwife generic advice I second includes "listen to your body" and "don't overdo it". I loved feeling long and light in the pool.

Re cozzies, ime it's less getting into them than getting out of them with a bump and often a desperate need to pee. I'd suggest something with a low back rather than the training type as the aperture is larger. I had speedo maternity ones, quite robust & roomy.

I'm 26 weeks and going to start aquanatal with a friend in a week or so.

I've bought a mat tankini from mamas and papas, bit nicer looking than big standard mat cossies!
Def go for swimming though, think its the best form of exercise as it takes the weight off your feet.

Bog standard!*

Swimming is great, I did it until about 37 weeks. My maternity costume was good. The thing I hadn't considered was that I'd still be wearing it four months after, as can't yet get into my normal one again!

Fab.

See, you can't get swimming cosi advice from your midwife like this!

I've got a M&P voucher. I was going to spend it on LO, but sod it, she's got loads of stuff

I swam 20 lengths everyday up until 38 weeks when I started getting pelvic pain when walking and I found the swimming made it worse. It was great and I always felt fab afterwards. I had a huge baby and a massive bump and loved the feeling of weightlessness. I didn't bother with a mat swimsuit. I just wore a bikini with a big best over the top. I'd say go for it!

Where I live you get free swimming from the council which is great - but I've found it hard to do breaststroke (something feels weird and painful in my lower back when I do it) which means I have to do front crawl! Also I pushed off from the side quite hard one day and managed to pull a muscle in my tummy like a wally. Please learn from my mistakes...!

PS I have a lovely maternity one piece from Topshop. All my normal cossies too small on the boobs so squashed them or gave me obscene cleavage.

I swam in both my pregnancies, right up to the week before they were born. In fact, DS2 arrived at 36 weeks, and I was swimming two days before.

I had a maternity swimsuit both times. I tried going up a size in a tankini at first, but not comfy. In fact, because of the way it went back into a "normal" shape, I wore the maternity costume for the 6 months after as well, and it didn't look weird.

I bought a tummy control one from Primark for £8. It's gathered at the front, and i cut out the internal control panel bit. Fits fine at 25 weeks...

I bought a swimming suit that was two sizes too big from sports direct. It was £8 and a known brand (can't remember what it is now) and its quite comfy. It has a boy leg so don't need to worry about any lady maintenance. I'm 26 weeks with quite a large bump and it is comfortable.

I agree with TheJoyfulPuddlejumper, the feeling of weightlessness is lovely but does all come back with a thump when getting out. But I did really enjoy swimming.

The suits are down to £6.50
www.sportsdirect.com/sale/ladies-sale/ladies-sale-swimwear

Swimming left me in total agony! Mobility scooter/wheelchair for a week agony! Avoid like the plague if you have a whiff of SPD... [SAD]

No need to remove a costume to pee, you can just pull the crotch to oneside. Horrible trying to wriggle back into a wet costume, even if not pregnant.

I just wear my bikini as its quite low slung and my bump fits on top.
I find breast stroke gives me back pain and some pelvic pain but front crawl is fine and is actually a nice cardio workout. I am definitely a lot slower than I used to be though!

Definitely! I swam right through to the end of pregnancy with dc1 and it felt great, with dc2 I didn't (just due to having dc1 with me all day) and I really noticed I felt much worse in the last few weeks of pregnancy. I think it helps massively. I would buy a maternity costume, when I tried my normal one on I stretched it so much it has been un-wearable since!

I was running 10k three times a week both times I got pg, and also stopped due to sickness around 7 weeks. I took up swimming at about 20 weeks in both pg, and swam a mile the day before DS was born. I also did Aquafit. The instructor knew I was pg, and shouted at me what not to do!

I got a maternity costume for boob support and a bigger tummy. My ordinary one fitted until about 25 weeks.

Yes, my physio said that breastroke is not so great as it arches the back too much. Just see how you get on.

I got my mat costume from Mothercare (I have a very long body and one of theirs fit best)