Exercising During Pregnancy – Myths & Facts
There is so much information out there on what’s safe vs not during pregnancy it can be overwhelming. On top of just trying to survive the pure exhaustion of making another human, we’ve got to be able to sort through the facts on what’s best for us and baby. Today I want to address some myths and facts on exercising while pregnant to hopefully ease your mind when it comes to being active throughout your pregnancy!
Back in the day, women were encouraged to not workout or cut down on working out while pregnant due to unknowns. Today we know that not only is it okay to workout, but it’s encouraged! Research shows that exercising and being physically active during pregnancy can lead to shorter labor even.
Continue to read for some common myths and facts surrounding being active and exercising while pregnant!
Myth: Exercise isn’t safe during pregnancy -- FACT: Exercise during pregnancy is not only safe, but it has amazing benefits for both mom and baby. As with anything, always check with your doctor before starting or resuming any activities!
Myth: Exercise can be harmful to mama during pregnancy – FACT: Exercise has been clinically proven to help decreased back pain, decrease risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, and preps your body for birth. It can also help ease anxieties and promote better sleep habits.
Myth: Never let your heartrate get over 130 bpm during exercise – FACT: There’s no one target HR that’s right for all pregnancies because everyone is different! It’s only natural for a pregnant woman’s HR to elevate while working out because of all of the extra blood flow happening. Researchers now say that a better way to measure our level of intensity is by measuring our RPE, or rate of perceived exertion. This is a scale that determines your workload based on how you’re feeling while you’re working. During trimester 1, our RPE should stay below a 5. During trimester 2, our RPE can get up to an 8 or 9! During trimester 3, it lowers back down to a 5 or 6. Here is a chart to show you this scale!
Myth: No abdominal workout is safe during pregnancy – FACT: Working the core is one of the more important things to do during pregnancy, but you need to be sure you’re doing it safely. Our abdominal muscles (which include our pelvic floor muscles), must be strengthened throughout pregnancy and will help aid in labor and delivery, and recovery. It’s important to not put too much strain on our core as it could cause complications later in pregnancy. See my latest post on safe 1st trimester core exercises for some examples!
Myth: You can’t start a new exercise program while pregnant – FACT: Regardless of your activity level prior to pregnancy, you can absolutely start a fitness routine that is catered towards pregnancy safe fitness once you become pregnant (and you should!). It’s so important to find low impact and pregnancy specific workouts as to not put too much strain on your body but rather strengthen and improve your endurance gradually. It’s so much better to start a fitness routine during pregnancy than to avoid one all together! If you need help finding the perfect program for you PLEASE reach out to me and let me help!!
Myth: Pregnancy can make you more prone to injury while working out – FACT: During pregnancy, your body does produce a hormone called relaxin. This hormone is designed to lubricate joints so labor is easier, when joints are too “lax”, then the risk of injury does increase. BUT that doesn’t mean you’re going to get injured if you workout while pregnant. Once again it’s all about safe exercises and routines. Don’t do any deep muscle or joint movements (deep/heavy squats, etc). Know your body, if you weren’t the most flexible person pre-pregnancy then don’t push your body to do something it couldn’t do before!
As always, consult your doctor with any questions or concerns you have about working out while pregnant. It’s always better to be safe! But it’s 100% beneficial for both you and your babe to be active throughout pregnancy as much as your body can tolerate! So find something you enjoy and get moving!
