Weightlifting and Pregnancy

Options
pineygirl
pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm not currently pregnant but TTC our second child (DS is 19 months old). I'm actually undergoing fertility treatment (have PCOS and recurrent miscarriages...not because I have trouble conceiving).

I've lost 23lbs in the last 4 months and have been maintaining for about a month. I've been lifting heavy for the past 3.5 months and now that I'm eating at maintenance I'm really happy with how I'm progressing. I used to powerlift in high school and college and I'm not back where I was strength wise, nor do I want to be...but I can now do 3 sets of 8 reps of pull ups.

The thing is...I really love lifting. I forgot how good I feel afterwards. I love what it does for my body. I'm lean and look fit and healthy...not bulky or muscular.

So if I get pregnant in the near future...should I stop all together?

OB says don't lift more than 20lbs (my son is 25lbs and not hard to pick up at all)...um...ok.

My reproductive endocrinologist says I can still strength train but not to go crazy and try to increase the weight....if anything back off the weight a little and increase reps, and modify the exercises as my belly grows. The thing is...I'm lifting a lot of weight. Bench 95lbs, squat 135lbs and dead lift 160lbs. No where near where I was when I was powerlifting but still heavy for me now. I do 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Anyone know how to keep lifting safely while pregnant?

I don't want to make huge personal victories while pregnant....hey I'll be growing a human being...that's a huge personal victory. I just want to maintain some of what I have.

Replies

  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 178 Member
    Options
    I was in the same boat as you when I got pregnant! I had a 125lb clean and jerk and a 105lb snatch. They told me I couldn't lift more than 30 lb because they didn't want me to strain my abs. I chose to keep lifting and I will choose it again in my next pregnancy. I lifted with in their 30 lb guide line but I kept going. This website has a lot of information that I found helpful.
    http://www.girlsgonestrong.com/category/pregnancy/

    Best of Luck:-)
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Options
    Seems to me you would want to listen to your doctors, not sure why you would want to tempt fate.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    Options
    The thing is that my doctors told me two different things.

    My OB says nothing over 20lbs. That's sort of impossible because my toddler DS is at least 25lbs and I loft him all the time (and he's not heavy).

    I told my RE that I lift heavy. She says to just not increase the weight, and even reduce it, and just do higher reps. And that I will need to modify some exercises as my abdomen enlarges and my center of balance shifts.

    But I lift much heavier than 20lbs for most exercises. I do bicep curls with 20lbs.

    My RE's advice seemed more realistic.

    I do have a Prenatal workout DTD that does use weights....nothing close to how I lift now, but it would at least be something.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    edited March 2016
    Options
    You need to figure out what has been causing the miscarriages and act accordingly. I also have PCOS. I was exercising a few hours per day pre-pregnancies, had to spend most of my pregancies duration on modified bedrest because of repeated miscarriages plus on hormonal supplements, and when I was ok to move, exercise was strictly restricted to walking. You need to discuss this with your dr. Anecdotal stories about what has or has not worked for others, they will mean nothing to you. If the dr cannot be clear, then you need a new dr. Unless the terminology is different where you live, the RE has to do with regulating your hormoned to increase fertility, he/she does not monitor pregnancies. So you need to figure this out with the dr who will be monitoring your pregnancy.
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    Options
    I have PCOS, and have had 3 miscarriages. First was a blighted ovum discovered at 11 weeks. Had the tissue tested after the D&C..it was aneuploid...

    Second was another blighted ovum miscarried naturally at 7 weeks. Likely also aneuploid.

    3rd was a twin pregnancy, one blighted ovum and one measuring a week behind with an irregular slow heartbeat...likely both aneuploid.

    I also have had low progesterone in all my miscarriage pregancies. With my DS who was a Clomid baby I took progesterone supplements.

    My miscarriages are most likely caused by late ovulation and poor egg quality due to PCOS, plus hyperfertilty, meaning I allow things to implant that shouldn't.

    I was working out with the first one. Didn't even know I was pregnant until I was 6 weeks. But not the second or third miscarriage. I was pretty sedentary and not in great shape with those.

    I think I'm going to just use the DVD....it's really easy, but at least it's something.
  • kay_norton
    kay_norton Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    I feel like your RE would probably know slightly more about how exercise affects your body more than your OB, but who knows. When I first started reading your post or even your topic in the thread my opinion was just to decrease weight and increase reps.
    Keep in mind too that when you start getting, like, really pregnant (lol), you might not even feel up to performing a dead lift, let alone actually being able to bend over and pick it up off the floor!
    I honestly would just play it by ear as your pregnancy goes on. If you feel comfortable lifting while you're pregnant, then lift away. But I mean obviously if you physically feel like it's putting pressure on the baby, then either stop or decrease your intensity.
    I feel like lifting (especially if you supplement with milk afterwards) can do more benefit than harm to the baby.
    I mean I don't know much about pregnancy but that's what I would assume!

    -Kay
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
    Options
    I'm pretty sure deadlifting will be out in the 3rd trimester. I think it would be really hard to keep correct form with that huge belly...

    I was planning on keeping up most of what I do now in the first trimester, but reduce the weight by about 50% and increase reps to 12 to 15.

    Then in the 2nd I'll switch bench pressing to dumbell presses on a stability ball. Or maybe do push ups instead.

    For squats I'll eventually take the bar off my back and do goblet squats with a large kettle bell or dumbell.

    For pull ups I'll switch to lat pull downs.

    Not sure what to replace deadlift with....probably nothing and just skip it.

    Still not sure if I'll do that...or quit my gym and do the DVD at home.
  • nicolemarie999
    nicolemarie999 Posts: 91 Member
    Options
    20 lbs is like nothing.....a lot of pregnant mothers would never be able to keep to that limitation while caring for their other children.

    Sounds like you have thought out a good plan. I think it's important to stay active within medical advice. Just remember your ligaments get a little laxity and this happens early in the second trimester so be careful :).

    Good luck and congratulations!

Categories