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Prenatal Exercise 101
Fitness | September 12, 2017
It’s an important time in a woman’s life to be conceiving a child, and naturally, many of us want to stay in shape while also keeping our baby safe. A lot can happen during those nine months, so it helps to know how exercise fits into the equation.
The number one question most women ask once they get pregnant is, can I still workout?
Now, with every woman, it’s going to be different. There are a lot of factors to put in with each situation- were they active before becoming pregnant, do they have any preexisting medical conditions that could complicate things, or are there any physical complications that could put the developing child at risk? These are all very important considerations that need to be discussed and evaluated by a healthcare provider, so it’s important to get a full medical evaluation before committing to any exercise programs.
Your healthcare provider will be able to help you determine whether or not exercise is appropriate, and establish the proper guidelines tailored to your unique experience of pregnancy.
Once you’re in the clear to exercise, here are some guidelines to follow through:
- Stick to low-impact exercises that don’t involve a lot of plyometric jumps or explosive exercises.
A great example is the Pendulum Swing, which works the entire body and is excellent for building a nice butt while also providing you some cardio and conditioning.
I also recommend checking my Low Impact Full Body Workout series over at the ZGYM, which are great, effective alternatives to my normal routines. Even if you are a beginner or have worked out with me before, you can still do them once you’ve gotten permission from your doctor.
- Other activities you can engage in include walking, swimming, stationary cycling, and prenatal yoga, pilates and strength training exercises.
- Avoid doing any sports such as soccer, basketball, football, etc, or activities with a high risk of falling, which include skiing, surfing, off-road cycling, gymnastics, or horseback riding.
- Skip skydiving, hiking in rocky terrain and scuba diving.
- Do not do any exercises in hot environments, like Hot Yoga, Barre, or Pilates or outside at extreme temperatures.
- Avoid exercises that require you to lie flat on your stomach and back after your first trimester.
- It may help to work with a trainer or teacher that specializes in prenatal activities, so you’ll know the proper alignment for exercising. There are even specific classes dedicated to pregnant women, such as Prenatal Yoga or Prenatal Pilates.
- Be sure to practice proper recovery and relaxation after working out; avoid overtraining or taking exercise to any extremes.
- Remember to stay hydrated and take as many breaks as you can if needed
How do you know if your exercise program is working against you during pregnancy? First, listen to your body, always. This is especially important when you are pregnant, as you not only putting yourself at risk, but also your baby. Next, stop immediately and call your healthcare provider if any of these things occur:
- Headaches, dizziness, or feeling lightheaded
- A decrease or stop in fetal movement
- Pain or swelling in the calves
- Chest pain and rapid or uneven heartbeat
- Vaginal bleeding
- Uterine contractions that continue after resting
- Regular, painful contractions
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fluid leaking from the vagina
- Weakness in the muscles that affect your balance
- Pain in the lower back
Even though there are things to look out for and avoid during pregnancy, you can still enjoy the benefits of regular exercise. There are actual benefits from remaining active during this time. By choosing to maintain some level of fitness and exercise, you actually help to prepare your body for some of the physical challenges that come from being pregnant. You’ll also improve your sleep, give your mood a boost, stay energized, maintain or promote more strength, endurance and even a bit of muscle, and prevent excessive weight gain. Another possible benefit is cutting down the risk of developing gestational diabetes, which is a common complication from pregnancy.
So yes, it is possible to keep a workout schedule and stay active during pregnancy within reason. You will have to make a few adjustments and avoid certain things for a short while, but in the end, you’ll be doing yourself and your body and baby a service by choosing to remain healthy through regular exercise.
Private Member |
st. peter, minnesota, usa
I think being fit during pregnancy not only makes the pregnancy easier, but I also think it makes the birth easier and helps to get back to your previous size faster.
My own experience was probably not typical. I was training hard for races, to the point of not menstruating, so I did not realize I was pregnant until a couple of months in. My doctor gave me the ok to keep exercising, just to keep my heart rate below a specific number. I continued jogging, weight lifting, and using my bicycle to get to the university. I continued my normal work, including collecting fossils for research. I faced backlash from in-laws who wanted me laying on the couch for my entire pregnancy. I always told them: the pregnant monkey still climbs trees, the pregnant zebra still runs from predators, and the pregnant jaguar still hunts. I also always reminded them that my doctor approved my activities. In the end I gave birth to a healthy baby of a normal size. I had few issues during pregnancy (except the feeling squished inside part near the end) and my labor was short (only 5 hours). I only had 10 pounds to lose after birth, and that went away quickly from breast feeding. I was back in my old jeans one month after giving birth.
I only know one other person who had a similar quick recovery, and she also worked out before pregnancy, during part of her pregnancy, and after she gave birth (she developed a problem in her pregnancy that required bed rest). It took her a little longer than one month to get back. By about 4 months she was back to looking great in her bikini at the beach.
Private Member |
salt lake city, utah, united states
Ha ha, I loved this. I am a wildlife biologist and have had these exact same thoughts when people say that you should not exercise during pregnancy! Humans as a species are not meant to be stagnant. I am not pregnant nor plan to be for some time, but I watched three of my sisters’ pregnancies. Two had the attitude of “eating for two” and “no exercise allowed”. The other continued to eat normally and exercised daily all throughout her pregnancy. She only gained 10 lbs and lost it within a month as well. Perfectly healthy baby, short labor. The other two still have not gotten back to where they were, even years later.
Also, Jenn, you sound like a badass.
Private Member |
I just gave birth two days ago and I followed the low impact series, power yoga, and lower body focused routines until my water broke. I maintained my flexibility and had the strength to push for three hours. Staying active with Z’s lower impact routines and making modifications, like push-ups from my knees, really helped.
Private Member |
maryland, usa
Thank you for this 🙂
Private Member |
You are welcome!
Private Member |
ramona, ca, usa
Congratulations on your brand new baby! 🙂
Private Member |
Thank you Michelle!
Private Member |
That is the nicest picture 🙂
Private Member |
amman, jordan
very useful post since i’m planning on getting pregnant, thanks! but does that mean there wont be a special prenatal program?!
Private Member |
Hi! I recently had a baby and was interested in easing back into exercise. Any suggestions for what to start with?
Private Member |
Kara how is it going? I recently had a baby as well (July 10th, 11 weeks ago) and am struggling to get back into a routine as well. Zuzka’s 20 minutes minimalist equipment approach seems perfect but I found that the abwork was too intense for my healing diastasis so I’m thinking about doing the bunny slope program but not swapping out the abwork for a diastasis healing plan instead. I’d love to have someone in the same boat to bounce ideas off of. Getting back to working out after the baby is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be…
Private Member |
Ashley looks amazing, pregnancy sure suits her well!
Very cute picture of you two!
Private Member |
michigan, usa
So this post got me thinking how bodies change after pregnancy. Usually it’s hard to lose the baby weight. I was always a petite person and gained a lot for my size during my first pregnancy. About 50lbs. I had a lot of water weight and My girl was also 11lbs at birth. So After my first pregnancy it took me a good 9 months to slim back down. I was in awesome shape because I started following zuzka. I had lots of muscle. But I seemed to always have this layer of fat around my arms and butt that just would not go away with diet. So 7 years later I have my son. (He will be 9 months this week). I worked out with zuzka through the entire pregnancy. With lots of modified exercises and loved to jump rope until about 7 months along. Lol. So post baby I bounced back very quickly. In fact I am 10lbs leaner than I was before when I was in great shape. What is interesting is that the extra layer I held on my arms and butt is gone! Which is awesome! But I also lost a lot of muscle too. Which is odd because I am just as strong if not stronger now! What did I do differently? Is it hormone related? Any one else have a similar body changing experience after babies? I was 22 years old when I had my first. 29 now.
Private Member |
Aloha Z! I love your workouts, and enjoy reading your posts. I completely agree that every body is different and every pregnancy is different. My first pregnancy I was doing tuck jump burpees with you through the eighth month! On the note of Hot Yoga: I loved it for pregnancy. Bikram has modifications of the series for pregnant women, and his wife practiced throughout her pregnancies. The most benefit I found was in the mental game. All out exertion for 10-30 seconds and then completely and fully rest for 10 seconds. It’s like mental training for labor. I should note that I was active going into the pregnancy. Also continued weight lifting. Labor was about 5 hours and baby weighed 9 lbs. I’ve seen other preggos in the hot room too, have yet to hear of any adverse effects. Cheers and thanks for posting on this topic!
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
Aloha Stephanie! Thank you for sharing your experience with exercise during pregnancy. Sounds like you had a great time 🙂
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka, any chance you will create a pregnancy program that may include weights? I love your workouts and want to continue into my 2nd and 3rd trimester but I’m not sure which exercises to avoid. I also don’t want to do something that may contribute to diastasic recti. Would love love love a pregnancy program! Your programs are challenging, I feel so much better after working out with you and I’d love to keep up with them. x
Private Member |
conyers, ga, usa
Great question Kimberly! I would love a prenatal exercise program.. I am trying to get pregnant and would love to stay active the entire pregnancy to avoid excessive weight gain and keep my energy levels up. Zuzka, do you think that would be possible??
Private Member |
lake tahoe, nv, usa
I’m currently working on several programs and Keto meal plan so I don’t see this one showing up anytime soon, but you can check out this article about how you can use ZGYM workouts when going through pregnancy.
Private Member |
Haven’t you already shot a prenatal workout program with Ashley months/years back?
I always wondered If you changed your mind on releasing it, because you’re waiting for your own pregnancy and reshoot it 😉
Private Member |
Hi Zuzka,
Do you happen to have a “rough” estimate of when your Keto meal plan might be launched? I’m just curious and excited to try your new plan when it becomes available 🙂 . Of course I understand these things take a very long time to put together which I completely understand! I hope you are continuing to heal from your injury and I can never say how much much I appreciate your honesty and insight! Have a great rest of your Monday 🙂 .
All the best,
Katie