I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to help two of my friends maintain a fit lifestyle during a very special time in their lives…each is expecting her first child. (Congrats again M.M. and S.M!) Each week, as I prepare their plans for the following week, I can’t help but think about those who may be pregnant and looking for a bit of fitness advice. After all, it was just last year that my wife and I were blessed with our first child.
I remember the all too familiar feeling of asking our health professional fitness-related questions during the pregnancy and getting less than stellar answers. Our OB and the midwives we saw were very well versed on pre- and postnatal matters, but didn’t offer much along the lines of prenatal fitness aside from some very basic information. I knew enough to fall back on my pre- and postnatal fitness education as a trainer, but I decided to devote even more time to the study of fitness as it relates to moms-to-be. Below are 10 things that I feel everyone should know…
- A fit pregnancy begins before conception. If you begin an exercise program after becoming pregnant, you’re asking the body to adjust to the demands of pregnancy as well as increased fitness requirements.
- Exercise during pregnancy should not be about athletic performance or restricting weight gain. The goal is to provide the healthiest environment possible for mom and baby.
- Heart rate may be a poor indicator of workout intensity since different people respond differently to pregnancy. Gauge workout intensity with the “talk test.” If you can comfortably carry on a conversation without laboring too hard while exercising, you’re working at a safe intensity level.
- The most important thing you can do to prepare for the physical demands of childbirth are to strengthen your core muscles – particularly the inner transverse abs and pelvic floor. Kegels and pelvic tilts should be performed daily and can be performed all the way up until birth. Exercises that focus on your entire core are also very helpful.
- You’re not eating for two. Pregnancy only requires an average of 300 additional calories per day. (That’s about half of a large blueberry muffin.)
- Water intake is important in hydration and in helping to prevent lower leg cramps.
- Avoid exercises that have you lying on your back after the first trimester. It’s possible that lying on your back could restrict blood flow after your fourth month of pregnancy.
- As your belly gets larger, your center of gravity changes. The result is the common “pregnancy lean” where soon-to-be moms lean back from the hips to maintain their balance. This change in posture causes some muscles to weaken (upper back, glutes, abs, pelvic floor, and quadriceps) and some to get tight (shoulders, chest, hip flexors, lower back, hamstrings, and calves). In order to maintain a strong posture and decrease back pain, exercises should focus on building those muscles that tend to weaken, and stretching those that get tight.
- Water exercises are a favorite among soon-to-be moms. The added buoyancy comforts the body, helps with circulation, and helps regulate body temperature.
- Walking is one of the best exercises pregnant women can do. Besides the low-impact cardiovascular benefits, walking helps to strengthen the pelvic floor, an extremely important muscle group for pregnancy and childbirth.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions on a fit pregnancy. You shouldn’t have to settle for generic information during such an important time in your life.
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