Need encouragement - PG, working out after recent M/C
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wonderflair
Posts: 19 Member
This could be long, so I apologize now.
I had a pregnancy loss in July. I'm over 40, so I already had some concerns. I knew I was not in a great place nutritionally. I continued working out pretty intensely, thinking that as long as I felt up to it, it would be fine. And then one step class was particularly warm, and I got quite overheated. It was around 6 weeks, and I got really concerned about that one class. And then there were some problems starting around 7 weeks, and I lost the pregnancy several weeks later.
As soon as I felt up to it, I started walking and then exercising more strenuously on the elliptical. I tried Body Pump once during that time, and it triggered some bleeding, so I assumed my body had not sufficiently recovered.
I am now pregnant again. I am a little over 5 weeks, and I have been staying active. I walk almost every day, and kayaked and hiked almost every day of my recent 2 week vacation.
So... I decided last night that I would go back to Body Pump. I reduced my weights to the minimum recommendation, and tried to be aware of my breathing. I did breathe harder after the squat track, the back track, and the lunge track. I did not do any jumps or plyo. I really really tried to keep myself from getting out of breath at all. I was breathing a lot harder after the lunges/squats near the end, but I *think* I could have conversed, although with a lot of harder breathing. Yes, I did break a good sweat.
I came home and soaked in a 96 degree tub (yes, I checked the temp), so that I wouldn't be sore, since it had been several months since I had really been training. I didn't want to take OTC pain relief.
But now I am going over everything in my head and I am terrified that I worked out too strenuously and could have harmed my baby. I tried to be so careful, but now I am afraid that perhaps I was not careful enough. I am trying so hard not to stress, but I am afraid of yet another loss.
Have any of you worked out hard in this time period in the first trimester, and gone on to continue healthy pregnancies? How hard is it ok to work out? How do you keep from raising your core temp? I am not the most fit person, but I have been working out pretty consistently for the last 2 years, and I am much stronger than I was before that time.
Any words of encouragement?
I had a pregnancy loss in July. I'm over 40, so I already had some concerns. I knew I was not in a great place nutritionally. I continued working out pretty intensely, thinking that as long as I felt up to it, it would be fine. And then one step class was particularly warm, and I got quite overheated. It was around 6 weeks, and I got really concerned about that one class. And then there were some problems starting around 7 weeks, and I lost the pregnancy several weeks later.
As soon as I felt up to it, I started walking and then exercising more strenuously on the elliptical. I tried Body Pump once during that time, and it triggered some bleeding, so I assumed my body had not sufficiently recovered.
I am now pregnant again. I am a little over 5 weeks, and I have been staying active. I walk almost every day, and kayaked and hiked almost every day of my recent 2 week vacation.
So... I decided last night that I would go back to Body Pump. I reduced my weights to the minimum recommendation, and tried to be aware of my breathing. I did breathe harder after the squat track, the back track, and the lunge track. I did not do any jumps or plyo. I really really tried to keep myself from getting out of breath at all. I was breathing a lot harder after the lunges/squats near the end, but I *think* I could have conversed, although with a lot of harder breathing. Yes, I did break a good sweat.
I came home and soaked in a 96 degree tub (yes, I checked the temp), so that I wouldn't be sore, since it had been several months since I had really been training. I didn't want to take OTC pain relief.
But now I am going over everything in my head and I am terrified that I worked out too strenuously and could have harmed my baby. I tried to be so careful, but now I am afraid that perhaps I was not careful enough. I am trying so hard not to stress, but I am afraid of yet another loss.
Have any of you worked out hard in this time period in the first trimester, and gone on to continue healthy pregnancies? How hard is it ok to work out? How do you keep from raising your core temp? I am not the most fit person, but I have been working out pretty consistently for the last 2 years, and I am much stronger than I was before that time.
Any words of encouragement?
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Replies
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As a general rule don't undertake any exercise that you didn't do regularly before you were pregnant. However one strenuous exercise session shouldn't do any harm, as I'm sure many women everyday have done so before realising they were pregnant. l would take it easy on yourself now and work on maintaining your fitness through less intense workouts. If you're a runner slow down a tad, if you're a walker shave off a mile or two, if you do Zumba then miss out the jumps - you get the general idea. Exercise doesn't have to stop if you're healthy, but does have to slow down, especially once into the second and third trimesters. Listen to your body and know when enough is enough. And congratulations on your pregnancy!0
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^^ What she said. If you're looking to start anything new I'd suggest talking to your health practitioner first.
I'm walking/running. I had just taken up lifting around the time I got pregnant so I gave that up for the time being just to be safe.0 -
I'm so sorry for your loss. My mom had 7 miscarriages / stillborns, so I know how difficult it can be to lose a baby. The minute I found out I was pregnant, I stopped exercising. Besides walking, I am not undertaking any strenuous exercises at all just to be on the safe side. I'm only about 6 weeks now and haven't had my first ultrasound appt yet, so I'm very nervous to do anything that may put me at a higher risk for a miscarriage. I will talk to my doctor in 2 weeks to ask what her opinion is about working out while pregnant, but I think I'm going to stick to walking and swimming. It's very cold here in Chicago, so I can't really walk outdoors. I'm going to take my son to the mall each morning to walk laps before the stores open. Also, there is a Belly Kicks class offered at my son's swimming school, which is free for all pregnant women. It's just a 30 min session in the pool. I think they may incorporate some light water exercises.
I know many people may not agree with the precautions I'm taking, but I just don't want to take any risks. I can amp up the workouts after baby is born. Right now my only concern is a healthy baby!0 -
I am sorry for what you went through. I also had a miscarriage so I know what it is like all too well. The truth is that there is probably nothing that you could have done to cause the miscarriage or to prevent it....it most likely would have happened whether you exercised or not. Having miscarriages at our age (I'm 39) is unfortunately very common....in fact, I think the percent goes up to 50% after age 40 but I could be wrong. I personally would not start a serious exercise routine in early pregnancy if I hadn't been doing it previously but nothing wrong with some moderate exercise. Listen to your body. Mine told me that under no circumstances was I to do any more heavy squats (paid for it for weeks afterwards last session) so I listened, lol! I am hoping the best for you and sending some baby dust your way!!!0
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I am sorry for what you went through. I also had a miscarriage so I know what it is like all too well. The truth is that there is probably nothing that you could have done to cause the miscarriage or to prevent it....it most likely would have happened whether you exercised or not. Having miscarriages at our age (I'm 39) is unfortunately very common....in fact, I think the percent goes up to 50% after age 40 but I could be wrong. I personally would not start a serious exercise routine in early pregnancy if I hadn't been doing it previously but nothing wrong with some moderate exercise. Listen to your body. Mine told me that under no circumstances was I to do any more heavy squats (paid for it for weeks afterwards last session) so I listened, lol! I am hoping the best for you and sending some baby dust your way!!!
**This! When I miscarried earlier this year my Reproductive Endocrinologist went out of her way to ensure me that it was nothing I did. She said that at my age (34 at the time) they estimate close to 40% of pregnancies end in miscarriage, but it is often so early that women don't even know that they're pregnant yet. When I got pregnant again, I did keep my heart rate in check (when I run it gets crazy high) but generally just listened to my body and here I am....34 weeks pregnant. I have NO DOUBT that this one was just "meant to be" and the other one was not. Please don't beat yourself up about anything. As sad as it is, these things happen and I honestly don't think we're meant to understand why. Wishing you a happy & healthy pregnancy
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Thank you all for your replies.
Lisa and Jen, thank you SO MUCH! I would not say that I worked out strenuously, but it was a moderately work out. I did exert, for sure. I will probably keep going back, because I have been doing Body Pump for 2 years, other than the almost 4 months I missed due to the MC. But I will back off even a bit more, just so I don't stress myself out like this again. Or maybe not. LOL! We'll see. I so appreciate those words of encouragement re: loss. They were exactly what I needed to hear.
Also, I am so sorry for your losses, as well.0 -
I must say I agree with most of the previous posters: having a miscarriage at week 6 or 7 is not uncommon and there's nothing you can do about it. It's not something you did and it's not something you can avoid either. It often only means there was something wrong with the genes.
Good luck!0 -
Thanks so much!0
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i am so sorry about your miscarriage! :flowerforyou: i am excited for you that you're pregnant again, and i am amazed that you have the energy to do all of that! i worked out regularly (spin classes and lifting heavy) before getting pregnant, and right around the 6 week mark, i felt like i just got totally knocked out. i've never been exhausted so much in my life! i would always work out in the morning before work, and i always felt so good. now i can barely get up and make it to work on time. i am hoping that in the 2nd trimester (just around the corner), i will have more energy and can get back to regular exercise. even then, i'm going to be taking it easy. i definitely echo what other ladies have said - be careful, and listen to your body. i think that the walking and swimming route is a great way to go. i also looked online and found a ton of great youtube videos with exercises developed for pregnant women. and definitely run everything by your doctor!!! hope that this pregnancy progresses well for you!0
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Good advice here - just wanted to add that the vast majority (around 70%) of miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities and they are very common. There is no evidence that exercise causes miscarriage so please do not beat yourself up. Chances are very high that the first baby pregnancy was not viable and this is why it ended - definitely not because of something you did.
I have kept up my twice weekly gym sessions and I'm 25 weeks. I do the elliptical which I really like because I control how fast I go on it.0 -
you should always check with your Dr, but I never changed my routine when pregnant, until I bacame too big to do certain things like pushups. I also get severely sick and with all my pregnancies I end up with a PICC line and that can get caught on things and make it harder, but for the most part, I continue to run, lift, squat, etc.0
