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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

keeping fit during pregnancy - give me a break!!

44 replies

BBLucy1891 · 07/10/2015 12:26

I'm 27 weeks, first baby. Before pregnancy I was quite fit, nothing major but did yoga twice a week and went for a short jog every evening. First trimester I felt like the walking dead - sickness, exhaustion, mood swings - couldn't exercise, could barely get out of bed.

Looked forward to second trimester energy "burst" - didn't happen - still exhausted every day, plus I have pelvic pain and some back ache. I sit down all day for work and study so I'm aware that I'm almost totally stationary, so I do pregnancy yoga once a week (which is very easy) and try to go for a short stroll (more like a waddle) every day for about 30 mins but that's it.

I would feel ok about this, if it wasn't for the barrage of stuff in the media about keeping fit, plus annoying Facebook posts by pregnant friends out running and climbing mountains!! It seems like every other pregnant person is out doing spinning classes and lifting weights and there's me eating Malteasers and flopping on the couch by 7pm. I feel like a total lump. My pregnant best friend cycles everywhere at 30 weeks. I slump from my car to my couch. All I want to do is sleep. Feel useless.

Am I just a wimp? Should I try to heave myself up and start doing squats or will that just aggravate my pelvic/back pain even more?

OP posts:

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Topsy34 · 07/10/2015 12:53

Everyone is different! In my first pregnancy i did not much at all.....this time round, i switched to pregnancy yoga from my normal class and continued pole fitness upto 30 weeks, i go swimming once or twice a week, usually once with DS and once on my own. Its blissful, so nice on my hips!!

But other than that, open the maltesers and make me a mug of tea!!!

Topsy34 · 07/10/2015 12:54

Other thing...think about an iron supplement, i take feroglobin, i get it from holland and barret, it made me alot better!

NoArmaniNoPunani · 07/10/2015 13:05

I managed spin classes up until 22 weeks. Now I'm 28 weeks and having trouble moving. I can manage a gentle swim and pregnancy pilates.

Runningupthathill82 · 07/10/2015 13:10

Completely up to you. In my first pregnancy I only ran to around 15 weeks, and did yoga/swimming/walking after that. Being so inactive didn't do me much harm cardio-wise, as I managed my first postnatal 10k when DS was 5 months old (and PBd!)

This time though, I'm determined not to lose as much fitness or muscle strength, so I'm still running and doing spinning, pump and circuits. Am 25 weeks now.

There's no right or wrong way to do it, but you can't win either way. I've got people judging me for still exercising, saying I'm putting my baby at risk and I should be sitting around eating chocolate!

If you've done nothing strength-wise for 6 months though, I'm not sure it would be wise to start chucking weights around now. If you do want to do a bit more, I'd take it slowly - maybe push ups on your knees, squats and tricep dips for starters?

Thefitfatty · 07/10/2015 13:14

I was like you with both my pregnancies. Puked for 20 weeks straight and actually lost so much weight my OB/GYN ordered me not to work out. Had about 8 weeks of feeling ok, then I started getting contractions (both times) and was on bed rest till DS was born at 34 weeks and DD at 36 weeks. Don't know how I was supposed to work out?

JaniceJoplin · 07/10/2015 13:21

Err I think most people are in the maltesers and tea camp btw, don't worry.

Junosmum · 07/10/2015 13:28

I'm doing pregnancy yoga and walking, that's about it. I rock climbed pre-pregnancy but couldn't find a pregnancy harness that wasn't extortionate, and I didn't feel well enough to climb any way.

Bishboshbash · 07/10/2015 13:32

Erm I would think it was more unusual to exercise a lot during pregnancy rather than the other way round. I don't know anyone who did anything other than walking and maybe a bit of pregnancy yoga but that's about it! Don't feel bad, you are growing a person remember, you need to rest!

Liltymop · 07/10/2015 13:38

I am still being sick at 20 weeks and all I can do is crawl to work, crawl back home again and sleep. I am usually a super fit, active, healthy eating person and can't believe pregnant me - this is not what I envisaged! I reckon do as your body tells you. If you're not solely eating junk, and are managing a daily walk, well done, have a nap!

Metalhead · 07/10/2015 13:41

Going for a 30 minute walk every day is more than many non-pregnant people manage, so don't be so hard on yourself!

I stopped jogging around 16 weeks as it was getting uncomfortable, also can't use my exercise bike anymore now (31 weeks) for the same reason. Like you, I try to go for a walk every day, swimming once a week and a pregnancy pilates class once a week, though the latter is starting to feel quite hard core and I'm not sure how much longer I can manage it.

I do usually feel better and less tired if I've at least done a bit of walking though.

CityDweller · 07/10/2015 13:45

Yes, give yourself a break over this. Do what you feel like doing - if that's sitting around eating cake, then who gives a fuck? You sound like you were fit and healthy prior to pregnancy and the daily walk is a very good thing.

Zamaz · 07/10/2015 13:46

I did quite a bit of exercise pre-pregnancy, 4-5 times a week: running regularly, yoga, swimming with a club, long walks and just generally being as active as a sedentary job allows.

In the first and second trimesters I felt fine to keep up with the same levels of exercise but as the weeks have worn on I have toned it down and tried to keep in tune with my body and what feels do-able / comfortable. I last ran at about 26 weeks.

Now (at 33 weeks) I still try do something 4-5 times a week, even if it is very small. I take regular walks (at a comfortable pace which is much slower than in the past, for 30 mins or so), swim (anywhere from half a mile to a mile depending on what I feel on the day) and do (very gentle) pregnancy yoga once a week. I figure my body is working really hard as it is, and as long as I am doing enough to keep myself sane (LOVE the stress-relieving properties of exercise!) and ticking over then that's enough. Phys can wait and will probably play second fiddle to baby for a long time to come!

Everyone is totally different in what's right for them, and pregnany is easier on some bodies than others! It sounds like you're doing a fair amount of 'keeping active' to me, even if it's not climbing mountains or going to Crossfit!

If you're able to and enjoy it, swimming is lovely - my back thanks me for it, and I feel chilled and unwound afterwards, and it is so nice to have the weight of bump held by the water instead of my poor ligaments and muscles for a bit of time!

Zamaz · 07/10/2015 13:48

PS: The time spent not exercising is spent on the couch eating Malteasers...

Fluffy24 · 07/10/2015 13:50

I think pregnancy affects everyone differently. I wasn't 'good' at being pregnant, I certainly didn't enjoy it (permanently tired, worrying about everything, sore back, sleepless nights, urgh) and if I ever glowed I missed it.

Ignore everyone else!

On the plus side it made for a really positive contrast during the early weeks with my baby, I felt much better than I had for months which really helped!

Sighing · 07/10/2015 13:50

I'm generally lazy. I do second swimming. I am managing to swim. It's actually delicious relief on all the aches, but I can kid myself it's actual exercising.

Fluffy24 · 07/10/2015 13:52

Ignore everyone else!

On Facebook I mean!

HumphreyCobblers · 07/10/2015 13:53

Women experience pregnancy differently, so I would not compare yourself to others. I was fairly active with my first but with the last two I could not manage anything really. It hit me very hard. I also had SPD and pushing yourself with that is definitely not recommended.

A daily walk sounds very good and more than most non pg people manage.

HazleNutt · 07/10/2015 14:59

Women are different - but in my case, if I did actually drag myself to the gym, I felt significantly better and had more energy after a good class than after spending the evening on the sofa. Try, maybe it's good for you?

CoffeeAndOranges · 08/10/2015 07:47

I thought I was going to be one of those pregnant women who are active all the way through as when I got my bfp I was training for a half marathon and was also at the gym twice a week. Now I am struggling to walk to the bus stop and have put on 3 stone at nearly 34 weeks.

My reasons? Morning sickness and 1st tri tiredness put a stop to exercise for a couple of weeks. I then managed a few weeks of gentle workouts and walking to work (1/2 hour each way). Then spd hit in about week 19 and I couldn't walk far without getting pain and feeling discomfort, as if the baby was pressing outwards. I managed a few swims in weeks 28-32 but since then I've had a dreadful cold and am now struggling with just the days at work. Will do a bit more swimming when I finish work in a couple of weeks time.

I have had to learn to pace myself, to know when to stop and rest and to not feel guilty for doing so. Keeping active is great if you can but pushing it and making the pain worse is not a good idea.

I am hoping that once baby is here I will feel better and will enjoy having my body back - can't even curl up on the sofa!

poocatcherchampion · 08/10/2015 08:11

Ha - we clearly have no friends in common!

Who does exercise when pregnant???

5hell · 08/10/2015 08:23

it's just one of those things, some might be lucky enough to feel ok and can keep up lots of exercise, some feel dreaful and can barely do anything, and many are somewhere in between.

i had great intentions of keeping active and fit during pregnancy, then i had bleeds at 6w (x2) and 7w and was told to rest by epu - no sex, no exercise, no lifting etc etc. now 15w and have been given the all-clear, but have so far only managed 2 yoga classes, 1 spin class and one pump class (which has taken my thighs all week to recover from!). so i just fugure as long as i'm not literally lying/sitting around ALL day, and manage something occasionally then that will have to do! for your part, a bit of yoga and walking sounds just fine :)

mudandmayhem01 · 08/10/2015 08:38

I am very sporty and train pretty hard normally. In both pregnancies I just walked and did a bit of yoga( early bleeds and sickness forced the issue) I loved having a break from training, niggly injuries disappeared. Took it easy after birth just walked for the first 4 months and came back stronger and fitter than ever. Sounds like your approach is fine

WiIdfire · 08/10/2015 08:55

My last run was at 8 weeks ish, then from 14 weeks SPD meant I couln't even walk without pain and that was that. I recommend swimming though, I did a few aquanatal classes at the end and it was bliss!

HumphreyCobblers · 08/10/2015 09:03

Pushing yourself when you have SPD is a very bad idea, it will only make things worse. I

EdgarAllenPoe · 08/10/2015 11:00

I'm 27 weeks too.

I wasn't sporty prior to getting pregnant but I did manage to swim twice a week, usually a mile or so each time and I was getting better at it (started about 6 months earlier).

Nowadays I go swimming once a week, but I think I spend more time floating about than actually swimming. I don't walk far anymore since if I walk for more than 30 minutes my hips kill me for the next 2 days.

I do quite a lot of DIY at weekends, which must be some level of activity because I am SHATTERED most of the time from this!

Do what you can, but don't worry too much about it. I figure I have the entire rest of my life to get my fitness back up once bubs is born.

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