Do/did you exercise during your pregnancy?

[KeyboardMum]

Hello Mumsnetters!

All over the internet, people are singing the praises of a consistent exercise routine. Whenever I browse the web for pregnancy tips, exercise advice seems to pop up quite regularly (next to folic acid intake).

There are so many benefits for both expecting and non-expecting women (and men). Maintaining a healthy heart, keeping our serotonin levels high and getting the bowels moving when constipated are just a few of the massive differences it can make to your daily life - as well as keeping you lean and feeling sexy.

It's easy enough to natter about, but lets face it, in this age of convenience fast-food, sedentary office jobs and busy schedules, keeping your fitness up can be challenging. Even more so if you have never even seen the inside of a gym.

I'd really like to know what the expecting ladies in this community do to keep fit during the 9 months when your body wants you to do nothing more than lie on the sofa, and eat whatever the cravings tell you to eat, whilst wondering when Luke Skywalker will arrive and order you to hand over the Wookie and Han Solo.

I'm 25, and I'm now roughly 9 weeks LMP (first pregnancy). I'm actually a dedicated runner and have been running for a good 5 years now consistently. My personal best for a 5k jog is 23.5 minutes and the farthest I have ran is a half marathon. I run roughly 3-5 times a week for at least 20 minutes. I love running because it makes me feel happy and sexy. It's also a brilliant way to clear your head and problem-solve when something particularly confounding is getting to you. I think that keeping in shape (as well as eating really healthily) is important and I want to be a good, healthy role-model for my child. But I have to admit ladies, it's getting difficult. I don't want to lose my fitness, but I also don't want to accidentally cause any problems for myself during pregnancy.

So here's my questions to you lovely lot!

Do you have a particular routine? Or is their a certain exercise that you think would be more suited to an expecting mother?

Do you use any exercise aids? (Like those bog, squishy balls I've seen some women rolling their bums on)?

Do you find it beneficial to exercise in a group, with your other half or go at it alone?

Do you think that there are some exercises that should be avoided like the plague?

Do you think that pregnant women should avoid exercise completely and focus on the pregnancy first, and then get their fitness back after the birth?

What do you do when your body doesn't want to let you stick to your routine? Do you go for it anyway, or do you bypass the treadmill and beeline for the kitchen?

Do you find it easier to exercise at certain times of the day?

Looking forward to your responses!

Keyboard.

@Nicky333 - What a trooper! I'm frightened of falling over too, luckily we've got a treadmill at home, so I can plod on that. It's not the same as running outside though.

@TeamSteady - Oh that sucks :( a few ladies in this thread have mentioned swimming, it might be worth doing that instead of running. Plus, there's the bonus that you aren't too far away from the toilet or a glass of water if you start to feel funny whilst swimming. Whereas if you're running outside, you might be a few miles away from home.

@hazelnutlatte - I'm starting to wish that I didn't ask so many questions now! It's good that your instructor was pregnant, I have been wondering whether or not I should join some kind of class or community, because I think I would find it easier to stay active if other pregnant women were doing it too.

I did circuit training 3 times a week until I was 38 weeks, with both pregnancies. It was perfect as I could adapt each exercise as I got bigger, and go at my own pace.

It was great giving me some energy!

With 1st pregnancy I struggled to keep fit and stopped after 3months(being lazy really).
Now I am trying to keep with at least 3 classes per week(7 weeks now),but already find it difficult to motivate myself as sofa feels so good;) I do pilates,spin and abs classes,had to stop with more intence classes like full body circuit,kettle bell class and insanity.
Hope to keep going with classes as long as I can and its true that after you get to the gym it's easier.The difficulty is to convince myself going there.
I find the best time to exersise during lunch time. Evening is the most difficult,as when I come from work all I want is to eat and to lay on the sofa and not to go to the gym.

A compression sports bra was the solution to sore breasts.

I think if you do manage to exercise through your pregnancy, you really benefit afterwards.

Keyboard mum - I also love running and pre pregnancy would run 5-10k a few times a week at a similar pace to you.

When I fell pregnant the first time, the first clue I was pregnant (before I'd even done the test) was that I went for a run and I had to stop after about 500m of running at my usual pace as I was so breathless and felt exhausted! A few days later I missed my period and got a positive test! I did continue running right up until 26 weeks. In the first trimester, sickness and exhaustion stopped me running as frequently, but whenever I was having a better day, I would try - though I would often end up feeling like puking in a bush on some of those early runs! I had to get a bigger sports bra too as my chest was expanding. I stopped running at 26 weeks as I was wearing a heart rate monitor from the start of the second trimester, to make sure my pulse didn't go to high and put baby at risk (as advised by a personal trainer friend), but it would shoot up even 100m of slow jogging! Also I felt my bump was huge and I was getting strange looks (not that that would have stopped me) and it was starting to feel uncomfortable on my bump. My pace slowly got slower and slower over the 26 weeks but I felt I was working just as hard if not harder than my standard pre-pregnancy pace. From 26 weeks onwards, I did a local pregnancy yoga course where I met other mums and we would go for a drink and chat afterwards. I really enjoyed this. I also did some pilates and yoga at home and lots of pelvic floor exercises. I actually set an alarm 3 times a day to do my pelvic floor exercises! I walked loads in the final trimester too. Baby came a week early (I attribute to all my walking and bouncing on a ball). Labour was natural no pain relief and I remember thinking how hard I found it, but also thinking, how much harder people not so physically fit must find labour. I was exhausted at the end, my legs were like jelly like I'd run a marathon (and I have run a marathon, so I can say that knowing what it means!).

I really really missed the buzz of pushing myself hard and exercising 'properly' during pregnancy. 6 weeks after the birth I went for my first very slow jog. I was breastfeeding and it felt a bit strange - I felt like I might easily pull a muscle in my groin and that my knees were wobbly - like all my muscles were still very stretchy. By about 8 weeks, I felt I could run like I did pre-pregnancy and within a short while I got my fitness and pace back - though finding energy to run with all the sleepless nights was a challenge!

I'm now 6 weeks pregnant with my second and plan to do the same.

Just kept doing my normal fitness classes - Bodypump, Bodycombat, zumba, various aerobics classes. With DC1 also running, couldn't be bothered with DC2. Exercised up till a few days before having them.

Very easy pregnancies and births were 5 and 3 hours respectively - of course impossible to say if exercise helped there of if I was just lucky.

No I certainly don't think pregnant women should avoid exercise, there is plenty of evidence about benefits of exercising when pregnant.

Several factors make me high risk and I have a history of miscarriage; nothing to do with the baby though.

I'm glad I've kept running this time, even if it's just the steady 10km a week over two sessions. I plan to continue into the third trimester and will hopefully then run/walk until I give birth. I think if I'd stopped in those early weeks when I felt exhausted, sick and everything hurt I wouldn't have been able to pick it up again. It's got easier post 20 weeks and my times are improving without me pushing it. The biggest issue is that my sports wear doesn't fit now; DH's old sports tops and leggings aren't my best look.

In this pregnancy I ran and did body pump to 24 weeks, when I was told to stop by the doctors after an emergency hospital admission. Now I'm just walking and doing circuits once a week, plus a bit of yoga.

In my first pregnancy I ran, did yoga and swam. Didn't help a bit with my horrendous labour - I think - though who knows, it might have been even worse had I been unfit.

Started running again six weeks after having DS, and got what was then a 10k PB when he was four months old. This time, i've got my first race booked in for 10 weeks after the due date, so am keeping my fingers crossed I don't end up with a section.

Keyboard Yes, it's difficult to accept that your body is being taken over by something you don't have any control over! But it is doing something amazing that no marathon will ever come close to
I also don't think that your fitness will help with labour or birth, maybe it'll help with a quicker recovery, but even that can be very random. Lots of women don't exercise in pregnancy, bounce back from birth immediately and are back in their pre-pregnancy clothes after 6 weeks lucky sods

I exercised 6 days a week throughout my first pregnancy right up until I went into labour at 40+4- mix of gym and running, including classes and weights. I used to run about 10k on the running days and kept that up until about 10 weeks when I dropped it to 5-7ks. At about 28wks I stopped running outside as bump was aching so swapped to treadmill for about 20mins.

This pregnancy I have had dreadful morning sickness but am managing 6 days a week either a 5k run or gym session but only about 30mins total. Have had to be more moderate as feel awful but am still really loving doing it. Plus I think it made a big difference to my recovery after the birth last time and limited weight gain.

Go for it but just do what you can and want to - your body will tell you when to slow down.

X

First pg, once the Hyperemisis had subsided at around 17 weeks, I walked as far and as often as I could, swam several times a week and went to a pg Pilates class once a week.

Second pg my only opportunity for swimming was before work, but after I'd thrown up after my morning swim three times running, I stopped going. Managed pg yoga once a week though.

First pregnancy, I retired as a competitive dancer and just walked the dogs daily due to a touch of SPD.

This pregnancy (15 weeks), I'm running a dance school, so teaching for about six hours per week. It's getting harder and I keep forgetting I'm pregnant, then getting bump ache from unintentional core work

I'm going to tone it down bit by bit as I get bigger until I'm directing more than I'm demonstrating/joining in. Totally playing it by ear. Worst bit is the boobs - so sore. Sports bra no help. And I'm tiring faster and faster each week. Very frustrating!

I was still horse riding up until about 17 weeks when the bump started getting a bit too big to mount and dismount comfortably. Was quite a keen cyclist and did a long-distance cycle tour at 20 weeks. Now I'm 29 weeks and have cut down to cycling to work (4 miles each way) 2-3 times a week, plus pilates once a week. Can't find anywhere near me that does aquanatal classes which is a shame as I'd love to try them. I know walking's supposed to be great low-impact exercise but that's the only thing I'm not keen on - it's much more tiring than it used to be!

I'm an ultramarathon runner - or, well, I was until I got pregnant.

I was entered for a 12-hour race when I was just one week pregnant, but felt so sore in my stomach that I thought I had terrible DOMS because of my weak core muscles and stopped after 32 miles. Of course, now I know why that run felt so hard!

Since then, I have found out not only that I'm pregnant, but that I have a uterine condition which makes the pregnancy high-risk. I have spoken to a few other women who have experienced similar symptoms to mine and were told to avoid all impact sports (e.g. running), so I'm just doing the same. Though, to be honest, I don't feel any desire to run or exercise at all either, so it's easy not to do it.

My partner and I have been for a few walks, but I get out of breath and exhausted really quickly. The other week, I was completely done in after a slow 2.5-mile walk with breaks - which is a bit frustrating, given that I used to run a fair bit further on a regular basis...

Last week, we went swimming a couple of times, which was actually quite good fun. Normally, I don't like swimming as I'm a very bad swimmer and even a doggy paddle seems beyond me, but we were in a very quiet pool without other folk splashing about (which inevitably means swallowing water for me ), and it was nice to be in the warm water. Like mentioned above, it's a funny thought to think that the baby is swimming inside us whilst we're in the water, too!

Following those swims/paddles, I've been thinking about aquanatal classes, but I'm not very good with sticking to regular classes and they seem fairly expensive. Also, I would imagine most other women there to be very pregnant - I'm only 14+5 and would feel like a fraud!

Out of interest, are any of you doing core exercises? The messages seem to be somewhat conflicting: on the one hand, it's meant to be good preparation for labour, but on the other hand, seems we should avoid them during pregnancy! I'm quite confused and going for the safe option of not doing any (not least because I'd probably be too sore around that area anyway), but would be interested to hear what other women are doing. Thanks!

yes I did core exercises. And yes my abs are fine now, no issues, nice flat stomach.
You hear that you're not supposed to, as this could cause diastasis recti, but this study for example found the opposite:

The pregnant women who did not participate in the exercise programme exhibited a statistically larger separation of the Rectus Abdominis regardless of the location of measurement and the number of previous pregnancies.

A Diastasis of Recti in pregnancy could be prevented by; doing abdominal exercises that incorporate Traverse Abdominis (hollowing of umbilicus to spine with all abdominal exercises).

www.fitbackandbumps.co.uk/diastasis-recti-abdominis-in-pregnant-women/

augustina I stopped doing any core and abs work in the second trimester. I spoke to my Bodypump instructor about this (who has 3 children, so I'm confident she knows what she is talking about), and she advised that there really isn't much point doing, since your core/abs muscles will be pushed apart as you get further along. You can, however do exercised like side plank'leg lifts etc, which work the obliques.

Augustina I am still doing all my usual core work at 11 weeks, and have been told by my midwife that it's fine to continue to do so until such time as I find any of it uncomfortable, at which stage I can adapt it accordingly. The advice that you must stop core work that involves lying on your back etc. after 12 weeks doesn't seem to be supported by the NHS or the medical profession - my midwife proffered that despite the general view that abs work is somehow bad in the second trimester, it's more just that AT SOME POINT in the second trimester most women become uncomfortable doing traditional core work and switch to something more pregnancy-friendly. So I'm just doing what I can but not pushing myself - e.g. I won't do a leg lift hold until it feels like someone ran over my stomach like I would have done pre-pregnancy! I hope that helps.

Augustina - I think there is confusion between "core work" and specific types of abdominal movements. You shouldn't be doing crunch type movements after the first trimester, but there are still plenty of other exercises that use the core, which are suitable to continue doing.

I personally find it quite shocking how few women seem to keep up regular exercise when pregnant (when there are obviously no medical reasons why they shouldn't remain active).

I am in the final trimester and doing 25-45 minutes exercise between 3-5 times a week. The only time I stopped exercising was when going through the worst of morning sickness, and when put on bed rest for five weeks.

I just use my normal exercise videos which I modify to be low impact, and use 2kg weights for a bit of extra oompf.

Personally I have avoided any sort of high impact exercise since the first trimester. I was under the impression running wasn't recommended during pregnancy due to the high impact nature of it.

I fucking hate exercise. I hated it before I was pregnant. Now I am pregnant I can't think of anything I'd like to do less.

I do a fair amount of walking and can't be bothered with anything else. Am too busy sleeping!

I have been so sick that I have struggled even to walk around, which is very unusual for me.

I'm trying to get to a gym class every day but it is all a bit of a struggle at the minute! Hoping it will ease off soon (I'm about 10 wks)

I have been feleing rubbish throughout my pregnancy, so haven't gone out of my way to exercise. However, I do walk the dog every day (even with fanny daggers and hip pain!). I also am a teacher so until I finished work alst week was on my feet most of the time anyway.

I bought a pregnancy pilates DVD but have to say I have struggled to get into their positions comfortably.

The biggest amount of exercise I have done is because of my restless legs at night. For the past month or more, I have been up in the night doing squats, stretches and using my mini-stepper - usually 2-3 times a night. Whether I get RLS or not doesn't seem related to how much activity I have done in the day, but the above exercises are the only things that stop them in the night. I now have buns of steel and the thighs of an elephant. And I am an insomniac!

2 runs, 2 swims, one strength training session and one prenatal yoga class a week at the moment - 23+2 now. I'm still getting around Parkrun in around 27 minutes, that's with a 23 minute PB for 5k. Still in the pool with my tri club too and not the slowest in the lane either. Gave up cycling a couple of months ago - feel very vulnerable on London roads and at this stage I can't even get comfortable on the turbo trainer.

Was a triathlete pre-pregnancy and completed an Olympic distance race at 8 weeks along (1,500m swim, 40km bike, 10km run) - I had trained for a ~2:55 but on the day kept the effort very easy and got around very comfortably in just over three and a half hours.

I ran 3x per week until 35 weeks, but went into labour at 37 (unrelated to running!). I was so slow towards the end but it always made me feel better and I'm convinced it made recovering afterwards easier. Still, it took me 11-12 months to feel physically 'back to normal'.

Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy

Hiya all, sorry about the late response! We have been moving house this week and bloody hell... it's hard work. I'm now 10 weeks + 4 days (dating scan booked in for the 14th Dec!) Contrary to my intentions, other then the moving, I haven't done any exercise this week!

@Likeaninjanow - That's brilliant! Did you do squats? I bet it gets a little awkward further into your pregnancy because your centre of gravity changes.

@Lavanda - I'm also finding it better to exercise during lunchtime. In the morning I feel too sick, in the evening I feel too tired. But an hour or so after lunch, your food has gone down so I find you have more energy and you avoid stitches.

@anotherdayanothersquabble - Thank you for the suggestion :) I'll see whats available after Christmas.

@Missingcaffeine - Thank you for your response, re: first Trimester - this is the same problem I'm having. I feel so awful all the time. The only time the sickness seems to abate is when I'm eating, or a small window of time after I have eaten (about an hour or so), which is when I'm slipping my fitness in. I've heard that some unfortunate ladies suffer with morning sickness throughout their pregnancy, so I'm really hoping it goes away. I would like a natural birth too. I'm thinking about a water birth, without any pain relief. I bet it's like running a marathon! My step-sister was in labour for 40 hours and was completely exhausted by the end of it. Congrats on your second pregnancy!

@KatharinaRosalie - Wow! I really hope that my labour is like yours.

@SaltySeaBird - That's really good, you seem to be able to power through it. I really can't run when I feel sick, I end up lying on the sofa with my hot water bottle and a glass of water. I've already nicked a few of my partners tops too!

@Runningupthathill82 - One thing I've found from this thread, is that the labour does seem random for every woman, regardless of fitness. There doesn't seem to be a common denominator :( baby just pops out whenever.

@cloudjumper - Urgh, I hear you! I don't feel like myself at all. As soon as they learn how to operate the kettle, they can make it up to me by brewing up ;)

@emmac3616 - Aww, thank you :) you body really does let you have it when you've over-done it during pregnancy doesn't it? Just moving boxes it making me tired at the moment.

@BikeRunSki - Your morning sickness sounds awful! I'm surprised that you were able to do the amount you did. Did you find any helpful ways to ease the sickness? I've tried ginger, and it helps a bit, but the sickness doesn't completely go.

@Bixxy - Your boobs get really sore, don't they? :( Mine really sting after a workout because they have rubbed against the inside of the sports bra. It feels like something is stinging or biting them.

@babybat - It is really tiring. Just vacuuming the house is tiring me at the moment!

@Augustina123 - Personally, I'm a little paranoid about doing core because it makes my bump-area hurt! But it looks like you got some good responses from the other ladies in this thread :)

@goodnessgraciousgoudaoriginal - That's a really helpful response. I haven't seen anything anywhere which discourages running, most of the information I have merely suggests listening to your body and toning down the exercise in conjunction with this.

@maybebabybee - I used to feel the same way. As a kid, I spent more time on my Nintendo 64 and GameCube, than I did playing outside with my friends. My parents never took me swimming, I did everything I could to get out of PE classes in school and politely declined tennis and badminton invitations at Uni. It wasn't until 5 years ago that I randomly decided to try and get fit that I started running... and it was really fucking hard. I hated it. My feet blistered, I got stitch, I was sweaty, my legs chaffed, I got horrendous calf cramps, I got this horrible metallic-taste in my mouth from all the capillaries bursting in my lungs, I even got headaches! But I just kept doing it, because despite how crap I felt at first, underneath the feeling of crap, I actually felt kind of good. Then over time, as my body got used to the running, I realised that I was starting to really enjoy it. It's a really good feeling, almost like a high. Which is why I feel kind of crap at the moment, having not exercised all week! It's a weird one, feels like it's come full circle :P

@LaPharisienne - We are in the same situation then! I'm 10 + 4 days, and mines still raging. I think it's because we are still building the placenta. As soon as it's built, the sickness is supposed to ease off. Hope it goes soon!

@MrsCrimshaw haha, brilliant!! xD I'm sorry about the lack of sleep, I'm restless too, but still managing to get about 5 hours. Do you feel irritated at night? I feel really irritable, and toss/ turn for ages which doesn't help.

@TriJo - That's fantastic! You're about half way through as well. Which swimming position do you find to be the best for your pregnancy? At the moment, I'm just bobbing along with a slow breast stroke. I hate getting water in my ears.

@ApplesTheHare - I reckon that this is probably how my exercise will go - as soon as this horrible nausea buggers off! Thank you! OH wants another after this one, but I think I'll have had enough by then haha.