Strength training in pregnancy

DawnieB1977

Hi, I've also put this post in the pregnancy forum, but was wondering if anyone can help.

I'm 26 weeks pregnant today and have been doing strength training at the gym still - squats, lunges, weights etc - but I'm not sure what is/isn't safe at this stage.

No-one at my gym is pre-natally trained, and the personal trainer I used to have isn't either, and won't do a session with me as he's worried about me and the baby! I was asking him about squats, for example, and he said some people say they're fine and help with labour, and others say not to do them as it can result in premature birth.

I exercised until 34 weeks pregnant with my first, but all cardio, no weights or classes.

Currently I'm doing Zumba, aerobics and step, and was doing spinning until a week ago, but I felt a bit uncomfortable so not sure if I'll do it again. A lot of the classes have a weights bit at the end, so I've still been doing chest presses, bicep curls, lunges, squats etc in those, and also in workouts at the gym on my own.

I want to keep working out until my due date if possible.

DavPul

what does your ob/gyn say?

DawnieB1977

I'm English, we see a midwife here, not an ob/gyn, and they don't know anything about exercise in pregnancy, beyond the 'carry on with what you've been doing' line! They all have different advice too.

DavPul

the "carry on with what you've been doing" is what plays here in the States too, unless otherwise directed by your doctor. if a midwife is who monitors your health while expecting, I'd go with whoever had the most knowledge of my specific condition. that, plus use common sense whenever i'm in doubt.

good luck!

jillymurdoch

Just be careful with your a) balance i.e. walking lunges and b) pushing/straining the core and pelvic area i.e. squats. I'm also pregnant and was told "now is not the time to try to increase your strength, but maintain what you have", so make sure you aren't increasing your weight load. Makes sense, given we want all our nutrients to go to the baby and how much energy it takes to repair muscle. You also have to be careful in the 3rd trimester of all the relaxin being released to loosen things up.

DawnieB1977

Thanks for the responses!

I've been using lighter weights...although I still have to pick up my kids (age 2 and 4) sometimes lol. They're pretty heavy!

I've been carrying on as usual, but dropped some classes early on such as boxercise, LBT and core stability because of the focus on abs work. I don't do exercises lying flat on my back now, and I don't do any abs work, apart from some modified exercises in the YouTube workout I found.

I guess I'll just stick to my workouts I've been doing as they've been fine so far, and be careful with squats!

3dogsrunning

Just be careful with your a) balance i.e. walking lunges and b) pushing/straining the core and pelvic area i.e. squats. I'm also pregnant and was told "now is not the time to try to increase your strength, but maintain what you have", so make sure you aren't increasing your weight load. Makes sense, given we want all our nutrients to go to the baby and how much energy it takes to repair muscle. You also have to be careful in the 3rd trimester of all the relaxin being released to loosen things up.

This. I've read that walking lunges are not recommnded at all. At this point (past the 1st trimester) you should avoid any exercise where you lay on your back.

I'm only 10 weeks along and my doctor's advice thus far is that I can do "anything". She did say that later on she becomes more concerned about lifting weights, primarily because of the risk of dropping the weight on the baby but she did not get more specific.

Here is an article someone sent me as well regarding this
http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-lift-weights-during-pregnancy_4345.bc