New Rules of Lifting For Women (NROL4W)

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Lifting While Pregnant?

swimmermama
swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
edited November 8 in Social Groups
Hello everyone. After some infertility treatments and one round of IVF, I am about 5.5 weeks pregnant. YAY! Has anyone read some really good information about lifting while pregnant? I'm looking for information right now about lifting in the first few weeks, but I know I'm going to need guidelines about safe lifting in the second and third trimester, too.

I know there have been news article about specific women who did crossfit up to the day they delivered... that's not what I'm looking for. I'm hoping for some science-based, solid tips on how to adjust strength-training techniques at each stage of pregnancy.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • DouMc
    DouMc Posts: 1,689 Member
    I am interested in this too (for possible future reference). I know I have read that with regard to cardio it is ok to keep going with what you normally do but not push yourself to do something new (so for example if you run then its ok to keep running but if you are not a runner then you shouldn't take it up during pregnancy) but I would love some information about this with regard to lifting.

    Congratulations on the pregnancy!!
  • Pmagnanifit
    Pmagnanifit Posts: 665 Member
    I have good info on this and will post it later
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    Pmagnanifit wrote: »
    I have good info on this and will post it later

    Yay! I <3 you!! :)
  • Pmagnanifit
    Pmagnanifit Posts: 665 Member
    Here is a position statement. There is a lot of data that exercise is safe and ebeficial if you use common sense in pregnancy.
    The efficacy of moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercise during pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial.
    Petrov Fieril K1, Glantz A, Fagevik Olsen M.
    Author information 1Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
    Abstract
    OBJECTIVES: The objective of the study was to assess the effect and safety of moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercise during pregnancy.
    DESIGN: Randomized controlled study.
    SETTING: Two antenatal clinics in Gothenburg, Sweden.
    POPULATION: Ninety-two healthy pregnant women.
    METHODS: The intervention was administered during gestational weeks 14-25. The intervention group received supervised resistance exercise twice a week, performed at an activity level equivalent to within moderate-to-vigorous (n=51). The control group received generalized exercise recommendation, a home-based training program and a telephone follow up (n=41).
    MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Health-related quality of life, physical strength, pain, weight, blood pressure, functional status, activity level and perinatal data.
    RESULTS: Functional status deteriorated during the intervention in both groups and pain increased. Significant differences between the groups were obtained only for birthweight. Newborns delivered by women who underwent resistant exercise during pregnancy were significantly heavier than those born to control women; 3561 (±452) g versus 3251 (±437) g (p=0.02), a difference that disappeared when adjustment was made for gestational age (p=0.059). Both groups showed normal health-related quality of life, blood pressure and perinatal data.
    CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that supervised, moderate-to-vigorous resistance exercise does not jeopardize the health status of healthy pregnant women or the fetus during pregnancy, but instead appears to be an appropriate form of exercise in healthy pregnancy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
  • Pmagnanifit
    Pmagnanifit Posts: 665 Member
    I think swimming is a great exercise in the third trimester
  • meglo91
    meglo91 Posts: 65 Member
    In the first trimester you should be good to go, pretty much. After that, your mileage may vary. The general consensus that I've gotten from doctors is that you can continue lifting SOME weight all through pregnancy. Should you do deadlifts and push presses while 7 months preggo? Possibly not. But it's very individual. I've certainly seen videos of Gabby Reece sitting on an exercise ball and doing curls and overhead presses with dumbbells at 8 months pregnant.
    You should both ask your doctor and also conduct your own research. I will warn you that a lot of doctors have extremely outdated, non-scientific information that they still give out to pregnant women. For instance, when I was pregnant with my first kid in 2010, my doc at the time told me to continue exercising but to keep my heart rate below 140. That advice is outdated and thoroughly discredited, but there you are.
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    meglo91 wrote: »
    In the first trimester you should be good to go, pretty much. After that, your mileage may vary. The general consensus that I've gotten from doctors is that you can continue lifting SOME weight all through pregnancy. Should you do deadlifts and push presses while 7 months preggo? Possibly not. But it's very individual. I've certainly seen videos of Gabby Reece sitting on an exercise ball and doing curls and overhead presses with dumbbells at 8 months pregnant.
    You should both ask your doctor and also conduct your own research. I will warn you that a lot of doctors have extremely outdated, non-scientific information that they still give out to pregnant women. For instance, when I was pregnant with my first kid in 2010, my doc at the time told me to continue exercising but to keep my heart rate below 140. That advice is outdated and thoroughly discredited, but there you are.

    YES. I adore my doctor but she seems thoroughly confused about whether I can continue my weight-lifting routine. She said yes but that I shouldn't lift anything "too heavy". She has also given me the advice about keeping my heart rate under 140 - which is SO HARD TO DO! Almost all of the research I've done says that exercise is beneficial but very little focuses on lifting weights and NONE of that is specific. Are squats safer than deadlifts? Are weight machines safer than free weights?

    And none of it is specific to IVF. I'm having to take progesterone because I tricked my body into becoming pregnant. I'm a little worried that what may apply to a super-fertile woman who spontaneously gets pregnant may be a little different for me...

    Thanks for your input!
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