Well, I am entering into the home stretch of my second pregnancy and everything seems “so far so good.” I frequently get asked about my pregnancy exercise routine, in addition to the usual pregnancy questions like “How are you feeling?” and “Do you have any cravings?” This may come as a shocker, but there is no secret formula or routine that I abide by during pregnancy. There are some general guidelines that I follow, but I still continue to try to push myself during my workouts so that both mommy and baby will be strong and fit at the pregnancy finish line and beyond! Some women may fear that exercising while pregnant may harm their babies, but under normal circumstances it is quite the contrary. Some benefits to exercising throughout pregnancy include increased energy levels, fewer pregnancy ailments (e.g. backache, swelling, constipation, etc.), decreased chance of gaining excess weight during pregnancy, decreased risk of gestational diabetes, easier labor and faster recovery, and a leaner and calmer baby. Unless a woman is at risk for or experiencing any complications during her pregnancy, there is no reason that she should give up on exercise during this special time. Here are some things are some things to be mindful of when developing a prenatal fitness routine:- A pregnant woman should use common sense and listen to her body. If something doesn’t feel right or is too uncomfortable, then don’t do it. If she should experience more serious symptoms like vaginal bleeding, decreased fetal movement, uterine contractions, muscle weakness, calf swelling or pain, headache, chest pain, increased shortness of breath, dizziness, or feeling faint, then she should contact her caregiver immediately.
- It is best for pregnant women use the rate of perceived exertion in order to gauge exercise intensity for themselves. Exert yourself, but don’t over-exert yourself. The idea of staying within 140 BPM during exercise has long been abandoned by the American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
- Pregnant women are discouraged from performing any exercises that require them to lie flat on their backs after the first trimester. Doing so can cause the added weight of the baby and enlarged uterus to press down on the vena cava, causing reduced blood flow to both mother and baby.
- Abdominal and core work should be continued throughout pregnancy. Exercises that promote bracing and a drawing-in of the core muscles such as planks, pelvic tilts and bird-dog should be used. As a pregnant woman’s belly expands, a condition known as diastasis recti occurs in which the abdominal muscles will naturally stretch and pull away from their tendinous connection (called the linea alba). Abdominal separation compromises the integrity and functional strength of the abdominal muscles and can increase lower back pain and pelvic instability. Abdominal exercises that promote flexion of the spine and cause a bulging of the abdominal wall upon exertion can exacerbate diastasis recti and should be avoided. Another type of “core” exercise that a pregnant women needs to add to her routine is something called a Kegel exercise. I am about to get a little descriptive, so I apologize for all of our male readers out there. Men, you’ve been warned! A Kegel exercise is designed to strengthen and restore the pelvic muscles that surround and support the bladder, uterus, rectum, and urethra. These muscles are attached to the pelvic bone and act like a sling that holds the pelvic organs up and in place. The action of a Kegel exercise is comparable to the feeling of stopping and starting the flow of urine, however, they actually work to contract and lift the muscles of the pelvic floor. Strong pelvic floor muscles may help to relieve some pregnancy ailments such as pelvic pressure, pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence, and hemorrhoids.
- A pregnant woman’s body produces a hormone called Relaxin that helps to loosen the joints and prepare her body for childbirth. This in can turn can increase the risk of injury for pregnant women while exercising as the joints are less stable, so such things as “heavy” squats, lunges, dead lifts and excessive stretching should be avoided. Any weight amount that is going to cause a pregnant woman to hold her breath and exert excessive force should be avoided. It is fine for her to conservatively push herself during exercise, but now is not the time to be trying to break any power lifting records or set any personal bests with weightlifting.
- A pregnant woman should be mindful of any fitness activities that greatly challenge her sense of balance. Due to a growing belly, her center of gravity shifts forward and causes her to be a less stable on her feet. The fact that her sense of balance is off even more during pregnancy may justify the need for moderate balance training in an exercise routine, but she should remember to use common sense! If she decides to do some balance training, then she needs to keep it simple. She should use basic techniques like standing on one foot or standing on an Airex pad. Again, now is not the time to be pushing her limits. Trying to stand on a stability ball while doing squats is probably not a good idea! However, that’s something that I would advise against for just about everyone!
Now that I am done with my personal trainer jargon, I will talk about what I have been doing lately for my exercise routine. I have to admit that I am not as consistent with exercise as I would like to be during these last few weeks of pregnancy because sometimes a short nap takes precedence over working out for me! When I do get into the gym to exercise, I usually follow an upper body/lower body split routine—mostly because I tend to do more exercising than most people. Trying to do a full body routine for me right now is usually utterly exhausting!
Sometimes though, I’m a glutton for punishment! My routine will vary slightly workout to workout as I like to switch up the repetition and weight ranges. It includes exercises like push- ups, seated rows, shoulder presses, squats, and bridges. For my core, I keep it basic and perform planks, bird-dog, and of course, those wonderful Kegel exercises! With regard to cardiovascular training, it is possible to get an aerobic training effect from strength training if you apply a circuit style method to your routine. However, I am not exactly up for moving quickly on my feet these days, so I will try and hop on the elliptical trainer 3-4 times a week for about 30 minutes for a little bit of metabolic training. Right now, I am more concerned about maintaining my strength and endurance. After baby number two arrives, then I will focus on trying to uphold and expand on my nickname “Mighty Mouse” gym reputation. One-handed pull-ups for 3 sets of 15 reps, here I come!
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