swimming in pregnancy

[onceipopicantstop]

Hi I'm not pregnant yet, just ttc! But I really enjoy swimming and I'm keen to keep it up during pregnancy. But I swim quite hard, getting breathless - is this ok in pregnancy? And what about tumble turns - will the baby just get all tangled up?!

Asked my midwife at my booking appointment as was a regular swimming and she said great carry on. Fairly slow anyway so just take it gently and can't do tumble turns so don't know about that.
Think the advice for exercise in pregnancy to still be able to hold a conversation while doing it. Baby is floating in its own pool so don't think it would get tangled up.

Until you find that you physically can't anymore, anything that you were doing before pregnancy is fine during - providing you're not also bungy jumping

Swimming in particular is great because our weight is supported and I should be doing much more of it

I swim once a week, try to take it easier than I normally would but I'm 35 weeks now.

You're unlikely to hurt yourself but just listen to your body I guess. I find it relieves my back pain quite nicely and it's also nice to feel light again for a little bit!

I was told by midwife it was fine to keep exercising just not to get breathless. Personally I found it difficult to go to the gym and not push myself so stopped at around 5mths.

I have however carried on swimming, i've found I've naturally had to slow it down as I've got bigger and I'm not going as regularly. But still going now and was swimming this morning at 38+4

Once you're pregnant you can discuss with your midwife - or a woman's health physio. I swim fast and usually about 3 times a week. I found that I naturally slowed down as my pregnancy progressed (as your lung capacity decreases as baby forces your ribcage up). I moved from fast to medium to slow lane by week 40! Also, you must not hold your breath, ever - so blowing bubbles etc when swim. I stopped doing tumble turns as I found it awkward with a bump. Just don't do breast-stroke legs!

I'm planning to swim on a holiday when I'm about 18 weeks and was wondering the same thing! I can only really do breast stroke so was worried about the movement of kicking out my legs in that shape and whether that might open up my cervix if it's weak? Does anyone know?

Why no holding breath or breaststroke legs??

I swam throughout all 3 pregnancies,1-1.5k quite fast 3x a week and stopped doing tumble turns at about 32 weeks when bump was just too big.

Its fine and its good to continue if you are a regular swimmer.

I swim distance, 80 lengths breast stroke with tumble turns and carried on in my pregnancies. I stopped doing tumble turns when I got too big but carried in swimming and its fine to get a bit short of breath etc.

The concern is taking up new exercise but if its a routine you normally do then moderate exercise is fine :)

I think it's just breast stroke legs at the end of pregnancy.

Breast stroke
legs are fine unless you have pelvic problems, I actually had SPD but could still do breast stroke. For some people out can be uncomfortable, and of it is then your body is telling you to rest.

www.babycenter.com/0_great-pregnancy-exercise-swimming_7822.bc

Here you go, swimming is recomemded I pregnancy as is breast stroke :)

I continued 1-2K swimming sessions all through pregnancy, including tumble turns right up till early labour in pg1. It used to put the babies to sleep for a bit after!

I swam hard thought my first pg and the advice was keep doing it if you're used to it but don't start anything new. I tumble turned till I couldn't go it any more (20ish weeks) and found I naturally slowed/became breathless more easily. Listen to your body: avoid overheating and take the rest you need. I found a US resource, Fit Pregnancy, online and really appreciated their approach.

I stopped at 21wks this time for a number of reasons/risk issues mostly because I didn't trust myself to not "compete". Now 35 wks and desperate to get back in the pool! I may just do that next week.