Starting an exercise routine during pregnancy?

[inspiredbutohsotired]

Ok so I'm 23 weeks pregnant. Used to work out a lot up until about 18 months ago then stopped due to work/life stress. Gained a bit of weight. Fell pregnant about 6 months ago - BMI 29 at booking in which midwife said was 'a good BMI'. I'm aware it's not really, but I think she just meant I'm still low risk. I'm young and all my blood tests and blood pressures have come back healthy. Baby is healthy.

However, up to this point I've gained 17lbs... not tonnes but I feel this is too much. I'm not being vain, I genuinely want to be healthy for my baby. I've been sticking to a healthy-ish diet the past few weeks but really want to start exercising again. I used to do HIIT workouts 4 times a week, and an hour of walking/jogging 5 days a week. Always over 10k steps a day. Now i do nothing, which i know is bad. I have a very sedentary job but I really want to start doing more. Would it be healthy to start an exercise routine now? I wouldn't do high intensity stuff but maybe yoga?

Any tips welcomed!

If you weren't regularly exercising before pregnancy then you should ease yourself in gently. Swimming would be great. Brisk walking/incline on treadmill would be another optio .

In terms of Yoga the prenatal yoga classes I have found don't involve much "exercise" other than kegels and breathing and certainly won't do much to help with weight control but I would be cautious doing normal yoga if you haven't before as a lot of moves involves twisting and balance that would need modifying during the second trimester and it can be easy to over stretch if you don't know your normal range on certain exercises.

Low aerobics classes would also be a good choice (less intense than normal aerobics and no jumping etc)

AS you haven't exercised in a while and heading into the last trimester, there aren't that many options- you won't be able to do anything of any intensity so walking as briskly as you can or swimming/ aquanatal for now.
Anything is better than nothing but you have to be realistic.