The more active you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain. It will also help you to cope with labour.
Remember that exercise is not dangerous for your baby. Active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour.
How much exercise do you need during pregnancy?
The amount of exercise that’s right for you during pregnancy depends on what feels comfortable for your body. If you are comfortable with regular exercise, continue it during pregnancy. 150 minutes of weekly exercise can make a massive difference for pregnant mums.
Continue your regular daily physical activity or exercise (such as sports, running, yoga, dancing, or even walking) for as long as you feel comfortable. If you were not active before getting pregnant, do not suddenly start taking up intensive exercise.
A great way to gauge your fitness during pregnancy is to see if you can hold a conversation while exercising; if not, you should lower the intensity.
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Tips for exercising during pregnancy
Here are our top recommendations for exercising when you are pregnant:
- Always warm up and cool down.
- Spread out your activity so you get daily exercise; anything is better than nothing.
- If the weather is hot, avoid intensive exercise.
- When attending an exercise class, ensure your instructor is qualified. You should also tell them you’re pregnant and let them know how many weeks pregnant you are.
- Drink lots of water.
- Try swimming, because the water supports your added weight. Some pools will even provide aqua-natal classes.
The best exercises to achieve fitness during pregnancy
If you're unsure about how to create a pregnancy exercise plan that works for you, try using the exercises listed in this section to develop one. These exercises will strengthen your muscles and joints, ease aching, and improve circulation.
Walking
This is one of the easiest exercises to incorporate into your daily routine. Additionally, if you didn’t exercise before you were pregnant, it’s one of the best exercises to start with.
Swimming
Swimming is one of the best exercises for birthing people because the water supports your added weight. Some pools will even provide aqua-natal classes.
Running
We only recommend running during pregnancy if you were an experienced runner before you were pregnant. If you are new to running, we recommend walking instead during pregnancy.
Prenatal yoga
Prenatal yoga is perfect for helping your body relax and relieve tension and aches. It involves combining modified stretching and breathing techniques to promote physical and mental wellbeing.
Stomach strengthening exercises
You may notice increased backache as your baby grows; these exercises help strengthen your stomach and can help ease backache.
- Start in a box position: place your knees under your hips, hands under your shoulders, with your fingers facing forward, and engage your abdominal muscles.
- Raise your back and pull your stomach muscles in; remember not to lock the elbows.
- Hold for a few seconds, then return to the starting position. Always ensure your back is straight in the starting position.
- Repeat this exercise slowly 10 times. Only move your back as far as is comfortable.
Pelvic tilt exercises
An exercise that is great for improving core strength, pelvic tilt exercises are beneficial and easy to incorporate into your routine.
Stand with your bottom and shoulders against a wall, keeping your knees soft. Then, pull your belly button towards the spine, so your back is flat on the wall. Hold for 4 seconds, then release and repeat up to 10 times.
Pelvic floor exercises
These exercises are critical for strengthening your pelvic floor muscles, which will come under strain during pregnancy and labour.
Learn more about the best pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy here.
We also go into detail on pelvic floor exercises after pregnancy, including the best time to start them.
Exercises to avoid
While there are a variety of exercises we would recommend during pregnancy, there are also some you should avoid.
- Exercises that involve lying flat on your back for long periods. This is especially crucial after 16 weeks, as the weight of the bump will press on the main blood vessel, which can cause you to feel faint.
- Scuba diving, because your baby will have no protection against gas embolism and decompression sickness.
- Contact sports, such as judo, boxing, kickboxing and squash.
- Any exercise 2500m above sea level, as you and your baby will be at risk of altitude sickness.