The Benefits of Exercising Whilst Pregnant

If you’re reading this it’s likely that you’re pregnant or trying to conceive. Firstly, I would like to say that every pregnancy is different and what’s important to remember is that it is YOUR body and what works for you may be very different to your friends, sisters or what you see on social media. Please do not feel pressured to have to conform to any form of exercises that isn’t right for you and your baby. There is no right or wrong.

For some people there is still a huge amount of uncertainty around exercise and pregnancy. Most of us now know that spending nine months with your feet up on the sofa on complete rest isn’t recommended anymore (with the exception of those that have been told from medical professionals to do exactly this). I’m going to do another blog post of the do’s and don’ts but firstly I want to address the benefits of exercising whilst pregnant.

Your body goes through lots of changes to accommodate your growing bump. Most women experience an increased lordosis of the spine and an anterior pelvic tilt. In simple terms, your bottom sticks out more and creating a larger arch in your lower back. This can often cause pain in your lower back and through your pelvis. Some women also experience a rounding of the shoulders from growing breasts and bump. This all effects your posture. Strength training throughout your pregnancy can help to alleviate the aches and pains that come with a changing body.

Any pre and post natal training specialist will ensure that they are targeting movement patterns and muscle groups that are important to prepare you for motherhood. Those car seats are heavy! Remaining strong and active throughout your pregnancy will also benefit you during labour. Having a good level of endurance usually helps (I’m not making any promises here though as again, every labour is different and there are many more factors involved).

As well as posture and strength, training your pelvic floor, core and back muscles is important. Your growing bump puts pressure on your pelvic floor and to help to avoid any dysfunctions, like incontinence, occurring these muscles need to be trained too.

Exercise in general is shown to improve sleep and energy levels which can also be very beneficial during pregnancy. Sleep is often disrupted and those energy levels can plummet, especially in the 1st trimester, your body is growing a baby after all. Gentle exercise, like walking, in those first few months, if suitable, can help with those symptoms and sometimes even the nausea. Again, only if appropriate for you.

Staying active and increasing your heartrate on a regular basis will help to improve circulation and can help prevent the development of gestational diabetes. The NHS recommend 150 minutes of activity each week.

Exercise can also be a way to make time for you. When you become pregnant and after your baby is born everything can sometimes become all about them. However, carving out time for yourself is still, if not even more, important. There are huge mental health benefits of exercising and if you’re working with a trainer having a good gossip and talking to them can be a big mood booster.

Last but not least, remaining active during your pregnancy can also help with a quicker post-partum recovery. I will talk more about this in another post as there is way too much too cover here.

If you’re looking for support and guidance on exercise I am pre and post natal qualified and offer Personal Training sessions. I also have a Holistic Core Restore ® Bump programme that you can find out more about here.