Swimming- What should I aim for (lengths)?

[mrspaddy]

Hi I am joining local pool for three months tomorrow ( it's only an 18 metre pool).
I was relatively fit before pregnancy but have only managed walking etc. so far. Though I am not tired at the minute.
I am keen to push myself but not overdo it. Asked my GP and she said don't overdo it .. but wasn't specific. Any advice appreciated. Also if you swam in pregnancy did you find it beneficial/ any tips.

Many Thanks. MrsP

I loved swimming in my last pregnancy, especially as I became bigger as the pool was the only place I felt comfortable.

If you're not used to swimming then just take it slowly, rest after each length and listen to your body. I was swimming 40 lengths each time which translated to about 30 minutes of swimming but I had been swimming regularly before my pregnancy.

Thank you.. maybe I will play it by ear tomorrow. If I do half an hour gently and see how I feel I can always speed up. Should help to be a bit fitter anyway.

That sounds good mrspaddy, I started swimming again recently and do 45 mins with a coach ( so stopping and starting, mix of strokes) one evening then about half an hour on my own a second evening in the week. Am 16 weeks.
I'm knackered when I get home but I don't feel like I overdo it. Monitor yourself closely, warm up and down and be particularly careful of over stretching. I'm mainly swimming front crawl and backstroke and if I do breast stroke I do butterfly or front crawl legs--there are different views on whether breast stroke legs are ok or not, I'm just opting to not do them.

I had developed relatively mild SPD and then made the mistake of doing 40 mins breaststroke, which felt fine at the time but left me in agony for 3 days afterwards. Thankfully the pain went back to what it was previously but I would definitely give breaststroke a miss unless you are completely confident you don't have any SPD/PGP.

take it at your pace, I swam through pregnancy (with a friend due to other health issues) and managed my mile swimming both front crawl and breast stroke, but I am a swimmer and my friend and I are lifeguards so I felt very safe.

Just remember to take your time when you get out, the pool will take all the weight off your stomach and back so when you get out you will feel very heavy.

If you've not swum much before - take it very easy. In my first pregnancy I was advised not to swim (I'm very fit and active normally by the way) because I'd not done it for a while. An aqua class might be a better idea. Pregnancy is not a time to start taking up exercise when you've been fairly inactive before (after your 6 week post natal check up is a different matter though).