Exercise during pregnancy

There’s no doubt about it - growing another human is exhausting. Sometimes the last thing you feel like doing is exercising, especially if you’re battling side effects like nausea, vomiting and fatigue.

Keeping active in a safe and comfortable way is important for your health - and the health of your baby, but timing is everything. There will naturally be times when you feel more energetic than others, so listening to your body and exercising at times that are right for you is key.

Once you have the ‘when’ sorted out, the next question is often ‘what exercise is safe to do during pregnancy?’ There is a lot of information - and misinformation - online about exercise in pregnancy.

The problem is that there is a real lack of strong, clear research about what is best. Because of this, you may have read conflicting guidance or even had your medical and health practitioners give you contradictory information.  

At Thrive, our approach is to work collaboratively to support you during your pregnancy. While we can provide you with some general information, like in this blog post, every pregnancy is different. We’ll work with you, looking at your prior activity levels and medical conditions and provide an individualised and personalised plan to help you stay active during and after your pregnancy - in a way that is both safe and sustainable.

The importance of exercise during pregnancy

Your body goes through a lot of anatomical and physiological changes during pregnancy. Physical activity and exercise during pregnancy is important and can bring many benefits to you and to your baby.

Some of those benefits include enhanced mood and a smoother transition to returning to pre-pregnancy fitness levels. Keeping active during pregnancy can also lower the risk of complications in pregnancy, including hypertension and pre-eclampsia.

Other benefits of regular physical activity during pregnancy may include:

  • Fun and relaxation

  • Improvement in energy levels

  • A decrease in back and pelvic pain

  • Preparing your body for labour

  • Lowering the risk of delivery complications

  • Quicker recovery after labour

  • Strengthening the pelvic floor

  • Better circulation

  • Relief from stress

  • Lower risk of anxiety and depression

  • Better sleep

  • Improvement in physical strength in preparation for parenthood.

Current guidance for pregnancy exercise

The most current, evidence-based guidance on exercise during pregnancy suggests that if you were active before pregnancy and your doctor advises that it is safe, you can continue to exercise during your pregnancy. If you were inactive before pregnancy, take advice from your doctor or midwife, start slowly and build up your activity. As your body changes throughout your pregnancy, the particular exercise and activities you do may also need to change and adapt.

Some good general aims for pregnancy are: 

  • Be active on most days of the week 

  • If you’re exercising at moderate intensity, aim for 2.5 - 5 hours a week

  • If you’re exercising at vigorous intensity, aim for 1.25 - 2.5 hours a week

  • Add some muscle strengthening to your exercise routine at least 2 days a week

  • Change positions often - don’t sit or stand for long periods at a time

  • Do some pelvic floor exercises each day

Remember that after 28 weeks you should not do exercises lying flat on your back. Instead, tilt your upper body to a 45-degree angle or do the exercises lying on your side.

Your pre-pregnancy activity levels explained

The latest government guidance suggests that exercise during pregnancy should be individualised depending on the activity levels the person had before pregnancy. While the majority of pregnant people are encouraged to stay active, the level and type of activity will change from person to person.

Previously inactive people are encouraged to participate in physical activity during pregnancy; they are advised to start slowly and gradually progress towards meeting guidelines above. 

Previously active people are encouraged to continue with their activities during pregnancy. Those with a regular physical activity/exercise program can continue, but may need to modify their activities as pregnancy progresses. 

Provided they have a pregnancy without complications, previously highly active women, including athletes who are already exceeding the amount of physical activity described in the Guidelines, may continue with their physical activity/exercise program, but should modify their activities as their pregnancy progresses, with advice from an informed health professional. 

What exercises can’t you do during pregnancy?

As we discussed earlier, there is not enough research on this topic to draw clear conclusions, so exercise plans should be highly individualised and take in each person’s history and specific circumstances.

But there are a few obvious things to avoid, such as contact sports and lifting very heavy weights. Activities that have a high risk of falling or involve significant changes in pressure (such as scuba diving) should also be avoided. 

It is important to note that pregnant people are not vulnerable creatures who need to be looked after at all times. Some people even reach their personal bests in certain types of activity during pregnancy.

Can a chiropractor help with exercise during pregnancy?

At Thrive, we take an individualised and collaborative approach to your pregnancy exercise journey. We have respect for each individual’s autonomy and understand that you know your body best. With that in mind, we help develop programs and guidelines that will give you control and allow you to feel your best.

Chiropractic care may help with relieving some of the tension experienced in the body during pregnancy, allowing for a more active lifestyle during this time. Some other ways a chiropractor can assist with helping you maintain your exercise levels during pregnancy include:

  • Assisting with keeping joints moving correctly as weight distribution and stress on the body increases - leading to a greater ability to stay active

  • Educating on lifting techniques and other lifestyle factors to reduce spinal stress. 

  • Recommending exercises to assist in maintaining spinal health.

The timing of resuming physical activity after childbirth is different for everyone. A gradual return to recommended levels of activity is generally safe after your 6-week postnatal health check, but this might vary depending on your individual circumstances.

Contact us or book an appointment at our clinic in Canberra.

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