Exercise advice during pregnancy
Pregnancy is a time of transition and adaption, each day your body may feel entirely different to the day before. It is an exciting time where you want to make sure your body is well nurtured and prepared for the challenging journey of pregnancy, childbirth and new parenthood.
It is well documented that exercise in pregnancy has many benefits. It can help reduce rates of gestational diabetes, improve duration of labour, reduce weight gain in pregnancy, improve mood, improve sleep quality and help you adapt to your ever-changing body. A strong and active pregnancy will also help prepare you for life with a baby which inevitably involves lots of carrying, lifting and rocking, all of which can be tough on someone who has not just carried a baby for nine months and given birth.
The Department of Health and Social Care recommended 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week while pregnant, to include strengthening and aerobic exercise. There are some common-sense restrictions to exercise in pregnancy, including avoidance of activities that may harm the baby or bump e.g. scuba diving and contact sports, and caution around any sport where there is a risk of falling e.g. horse-riding or cycling, however there is no evidence that exercise will harm baby.
There are some things to take into account while exercising in pregnancy, such as avoiding spending prolonged periods lying on your back and making sure you are well hydrated, however you are encouraged to keep as active as you feel able.
As great and beneficial as doing exercise sounds, there can be times where it can be more challenging or the information feels overwhelming and anxiety-provoking.
You may have stopped exercise at the beginning of pregnancy due to fatigue, sickness or anxiety. You may have never had a regular exercise routine but now you are pregnant you would like to improve your strength and fitness. You may have an established exercise routine but be unsure about how to adapt it at different stages of pregnancy. You may have tried exercise and it caused pain or discomfort. You may have a complex pregnancy and feel unsure about what you can and can’t do. You may have had no problems with a previous pregnancy and are finding things harder in subsequent pregnancies.
At the White Hart Clinic, we take everyone on an individual basis and tailor our advice to you. We want to empower you to stay as active as you would like to be and can do this through adapting exercise programmes you already have, reassuring you, providing new exercises to target specific problem areas you may have. We can tailor exercise programmes to help with pelvic girdle pain and/ or pre-existing musculoskeletal conditions as well as taking into account your fitness level and experience.
We include some useful links and references below, but if you are in any doubt, book in to see us and put your mind at ease.
References:
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/exercise/
https://www.activepregnancyfoundation.org/_files/ugd/4c66ce_88e9ebbdad8748e7ab75d67815c76dcc.pdf
