"Don't lift heavy" rule...can you define "heavy lifting" here?

[carlablack]

Ok so I started exercising but this issue is buggering me. Doctor told me not to "lift heavy objects" as it's a generic pregnancy rule, but what does that mean exactly? I used 2 pound dumbbells while exercising, does that count? Or do they mean housework stuff like lifting milk jars and pushing sofas?

Everytime I touch a dumbbell I get a side eye from my DH, whereas the pregnant ladies in videos are working with 5 pounds in each hand? This is getting annoying lol

My toddler weighed a lot more than a few kg when I was lugging him around at all stages of my 2nd pregnancy !
Keep using your dumb bells.

5lb is not heavy lifting 😂😂😂😂 they mean hauling furniture or carrying an entire load of shopping or pushing a car.

However how do you think single pregnant women manage? I lifted a heavy chest of drawers with my dad at 6 months pregnant.

It's so that you don't damage you by the way as your joints and ligaments loosen. no harm will come to baby at all.

I think they mean lifting beyond the weight you usually lift. My toddler is much heavier than that but I lift him constantly anyway.

Some ladies are weight lifters before pregnancy and go ahead throughout because they're use to it 🤷🏼‍♀️

As above I had a large 18 month old by the time I was due to have my second. I also had 3 horses, so was regularly pushing barrow loads of poo, lifting 25kg bags of feed and bales of hay. But that was normal for me.

The guide with exercise and pregnancy is if you did it before you were pregnant, it's fine. But it's probably not the best time to start on a fitness regime when you've previously done nothing.

Two x two pound dumbells is probably about four tins of beans. So if you regularly carry shopping bags you're fine OP.

Was the doctor you saw male out of interest?

I had placenta previa and was told not to lift anything over 5kg

Thanks everyone! I'm gonna up the weight today as I used to lift over 10 pounds each before I got pregnant :D

@GenevaMaybe I have this restriction due to low lying placenta as well (not previa though) so thanks for mentioning that upper limit! Will still ask the doc though.

@Fatted Yes! How did you know?

Like with anything in pregnancy, proceed with caution. Early stages are most advised not to lift etc, but having a toddler and being pregnant for the second time around has made me realise that my body can definitely handle a bit of heavy lifting. If you feel pain after exercising or during, then that would be an indication to stop, go very slowly and listen to your body

I helped my husband lift a fridge downstairs at 6 months pregnant 🤣