Physical Activity While Pregnant

Hi. I'm not sure where I should post this so I apologise if it's in the wrong forum. Anyway, I was wondering if someone could help me out with a query. I was wondering what physical activity should be avoided during the early stages of pregnancy. For example, let's say someone played sport and they discovered they were pregnant. They would have played sport while being pregnant so would that be harmful to the baby at all? Also, what other physical activity should be avoided while pregnant? Lifting things is supposed to be bad isn't it? A lot of women continue to work when they become pregnant and don't leave until they actually have the baby. Anyway, I hope I have been clear enough. If someone could help me out here I would really appreciate it.

Thanks.

Generally you can keep doing the exercise you were doing before pregnant, unless the Dr tells you otherwise. So, if you normally go running, walking, swimming etc it's ok to keep doing this.

There are a few exceptions, because they are considered particularly risky - such as trampolining, horseback-riding, etc. (and I guess contact sports where you are likely to get hit in the belly!!).

If you have had bleeding, or other complications, the doctor may advise you to stop exercising for a while (I was on bedrest orders for a while after I had a bleed) - but everything is ok now & I'm back to walking regularly.

Lifting heavy stuff is a problem for you more than the baby (from what I've been told). You pull muscles more easily when you are pregnant, so reaching stuff up high, or lifting heavy things is more likely to pull a muscle/injure your back. I have certainly experienced this already!!

Hope that helps!

I agree with Ezz. Providint that you have not had any problems with your pregnancy there is no reason for you to give up sport unless it is a contact soprt.

Yep, I kept running (a lot slower & with walking in between) up until about 32 weeks (when I swear I would have peed myself because bub went head down :lol:)

The other thing I have been told is to keep your HR under 140 BPM. So if you are unsure just do a quick heartrate check. :)

I played netball till 12 weeks ( season had then finished). My Ob said not to take up a sport but it was fine to continue idf you were akready playing. I queried about having a fall and she said the impact would have to be similar to a car accident to cause injury to the baby. This is of course her personal recommendation.

After netaball had finished I did water aerobics and walking to stay fit and had a great pregnancy and delivery.

yep i have been advised i can keep up physical activity and this has been great for me.. i think if you were reasonably active before then there is little reason to stop except for the reasons ppl have said before (contact sports etc). It is important not to overheat or get heart rate too high....
I have chgd my routine and do a lot more swimming, yoga, pilates - i used to do spinning, pump etc bc that makes me feel better and I have had back pain etc. I was also walking a lot but needed to stop this a bit and only do 20 mins max at a time as i have had pelvic pain... (it is good for some preg women and bad for others apparently) - but i find all the exercise i do REALLY makes me feel good and many of the women in my yoga and pilates classes have done this up to the day or so around when they went into labour.
there are also heaps of classes esp for preg women and i think these are good as exercises are adapted and you are watched a bit - that helps me to know i am not going to do damage (worried about over stretching and hurting myself etc)

Hey, thanks for your responses everyone. I didn't expect this many replies. I'm a guy so obviously I'm not pregnant (I hope I'm still allowed on here though). So I guess something like say, wrestling, would be out of the question for someone who is pregnant. But about the contact sport...say a girl was participating in a contact sport and fell pregnant unexpectedly, should she give it up immediately?

Yes. A blow to the stomach especally early in pregnancy could cause her body to abort the pregnancy

LOL Dan - well I guess you don't have to give up the contact sports after all then ;) Welcome. :)

I would say that even unexpectedly, it would be a good idea to give up the contact sport. What sport is it exactly? I know a lot of people who continue with sports like netball. Not sure if that is considered to be a contact sport or not?

Hi,

I played Touch up until 18 weeks with my first and 20 weeks with no. 2 and 3 as this coincided with the end of seasons. My OB said it was fine as I had been playing before pregnant, but as others have said not to take up anything new to put extra stress on my body. I must say I was more susceptible to little injuries like pulling things or rolling my ankle, but oherwise fine.

My friend rode up until she fell PG. Her Ob told her because she could already ride it was ok to continue during pregnancy. She stopped at 32weeks when her bump got so big getting on and off was a problem. I think so long as it's a sport your body is fit to do you should be ok. Any girl wondering could easily check with the doctor that confirms the pregnancy :)

Bec

This has been a good thread to find, but was wondering if amyone knows what it means when the Dr say 'continue what you have been doing'...the reason for asking is that over the past 5yrs I've been running and going to the gym on a regular basis. Since moving in Aug last year, I have not really got back to the gym (although I have joined and am planning to get back into this week:pray:) but I'm back running 3 times a week (except when injured:doh:). I'm just on my first IVF cycle and am wondering if all goes well and we get pg, will the Dr let me get back to the gym, or will they advise against it as I've been out of it for a few months? Any thoughts?

As long as you, or your partner feels OK, I say most exercise is fine. I was one of those women who had to give up a sport because it was too dangerous for me to keep doing (karate), and due to terrible m/s, I haven't been to the gym for the last 2 months and am only just starting to consider heading back (obviously starting with much lighter activties than before :).

You just have to know what your body can do and what it can't

Farmgirl
there is no reason that you can not go back to the gym

PinkLilly
Giving up Karate was a very good idea lol

Hi Alan and PinkLilly - thanks for the info. Good luck heading back into the gym PinkLilly.