Home » » Physical Activity » Exercising During Pregnancy

Exercising During Pregnancy

© Mindy Herzog

To exercise or not to exercise...that is the question.

Speak to your physician about exercising during pregnancy.

Exercising during pregnancy can be safe and promote the health and well-being of both the mother and child. Plus, there's always the hope that delivery will be fast with a well tuned body.

Guidelines have changed over the years and given more freedom to those who choose to exercise during pregnancy. In 1994 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists revised its guidelines for Exercise During Pregnancy. The guidelines are as follows:

1. Mild to moderate exercise (not vigorous, heavy sweating, difficulty talking exercise) can be continued throughout pregnancy. Regular exercise (3 times per week) is preferable to intermittent activity. Intermittent activity is basically doing a little in the morning, some in the afternoon, etc.

2. Exercise in the supine position (lying on your back looking up at the ceiling) should be avoided after the first trimester. Vigorous exercise should be avoided throughout pregnancy. So should prolonged periods of motionless standing.

3. Exercise during pregnancy should be modified according to maternal symptoms – such as lightheadedness, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea and fatigue – and may, in some circumstances, be continued at intensity levels similar to those prior to pregnancy. The revised guidelines give women the green light to elevate their heart rate beyond 140 beats per minute and work the abdominal muscles.

4. It is crucial to pay attention to maternal symptoms: Pregnant women should stop exercising when fatigued and must not exercise to exhaustion.

5. Any type of exercise involving the potential for even mild abdominal trauma should be avoided. So avoid those abdominal cruches and sit-ups.

6. Pregnant women require an additional 300 kilocalories per day – possibly more if they exercise regularly.

7. Pregnant exercisers must have adequate hydration, wear appropriate clothing (comfortable, loose-fitting and breathable) and exercise in an optimal environment (with adequate cooling and ventilation).

8. Many of the physiological changes of pregnancy persist four to six weeks postpartum. Prepregnancy exercise routines should be resumed gradually. (Physician approval is recommended.)

Source: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 1994. Exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. ACOG Technical Bulletin, 189.

If you are sedentary (not previously exercising) at the time of pregnancy you should increase a program gradually just as any sedentary person should. The combination of pregnancy along with a new activity program can lead to a high stress to the body. So speak to a physician prior and slowly add activity to your day.

Hydration is not only a concern for exercise but it becomes critical during pregnancy. Dehydration causes premature labor, especially in the third trimester. It also can place stress on the kidneys. Pregnant women should drink water every 10 minutes during exercise, drinking no less than 16-32 ounces during an hour-long session.