Exercise in pregnancy

[babybumpfor2021]

Hi

I'm 4weeks today, I really want to continue with my daily yoga exercises, I started in December and do 30-40mins daily. I'm definitely no pro and still have a lot of strength to build.

Do the think this is ok, nhs website just states to continue with normal exercise as long as you can hold a conversation and nothing hurts.

Thanks

That will be fine! My midwife said that you can carry on basically everything as normal, apart from contact/extreme sports.

You may want to look up specific pregnancy yoga though as you go through your pregnancy.

Also keep in mind that you may not feel up to it all the time and that's ok too :)

Agree with @Andthenanothercupoftea - yoga needs adapting quite early on in pregnancy. Will be available online, presumably. You need to be careful with some twists and bends, and watch your balance as your bump grows.

In general, exercising in pregnancy is one of the best things you can do.

@babybumpfor2021 you'll be absolutely fine to continue, so keep at it!! They say as long as you can still have a conversation whilst exercising the you're fine!! Plus it's good for you to keep active and I'm told will help you through labour!?

Just to keep you reassured, I'm 38 weeks and still doing 3x work outs a week in terms of HIIT and my baby is completely healthy or so I am told at each MW appointment.

Congrats on your pregnancy, xx

Yep it's encourage you continue things so long as not too intense.

I'm still powerlifting. I have ditched my paused reps day as I have to hold my breath too long. Reduced the max weigh I use by up to 25%. Stopped wearing my lifting bet as it's uncomfortable, was by 9wk and currently 11+6. I'll be in the gym this morning doing deadlifts, military press and some arm/shoulder isolation work. I'll lift as much as is comfortable for as long as possible but adapt as I need to.

This is great news, I have modified some of the twists already, I was worried I would squish my belly too much with ab work too, so topped that for now.

I'm improved with the gym workout at 38 @TallulahTaboo, that's dedication!

That's fine, you won't squish anything at 4 weeks, it's way down in your pelvis until 12 weeks so ab work doesn't have to be modified until then.

I've kept practicing yoga throughout my pregnancy (now 28 weeks and hope to continue up till birth). I've definitely modified what I do (avoiding certain poses and actions). In first trimester I ended up being very tired and and nauseous so had to take it easy. In trimester 2 I was able to do most things (bar those not recommended during pregnancy). Now my bump is bigger that's a limiting factor, but there's lots of decent pregnancy specific yoga out there.
Three of the people I've been following are Lucy Flow yoga (I bought the subscription for her flows for 2nd &3rd trimester, but she has some free videos and a good Instagram), The Yoga Doc (free videos on YouTube), and Bettina Rae (free videos on YouTube inc some for exhaustion in 1st trimester).

Im a powerlifter and carried on through pregnancy as well as running and riding and mucking out my horse. It's good to exercise throughout pregnancy with a few little adjustments.

I think the key is to carry on what you usually do as long as it doesn't cause discomfort. A colleague carried on cycling to work until the end and a friend jogged parkrun the day before giving birth.

It's not the time to take up cycling or running though.

I am continuing with using my exercise bike and do a pregnancy aerobics workout. I didn't do much aerobics earlier on as I had constant nausea bug at 9+2 am feeling much better so have upped the aerobics. I think you should do as much as you can without exerting yourself.

*but not bug

Hmm I think with yoga you need to be a bit careful as not all poses are suitable, and extra stretchy ligaments can be an issue. Usually pregnancy yoga classes say wait to the second trimester. That’s not to say don’t do it but I’d do some more research before carrying on with your normal routine - which I know is different to general advice on exercise. I’d highly recommend yoga for 2nd & 3rd trimester though (I’m too boaky in early pregnancy to manage anything other than breathing exercises and lying down)