Working out while pregnant?

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Hey all! So one of the really common questions I get is, “can I work out while I’m pregnant?”

Well I will say, I have been pregnant 2 times, but I’m no expert. What I do know is what I’ve been told by other OBGYNs (which is the following):

Short answer: Ask your doctor.

Long answer: Doctors largely agree that, if you were active before you became pregnant, you can continue your same routine while pregnant. Pushing yourself too hard or attempting to increase weights in your lifting routine is NOT recommended, however, so use caution.

In both of my pregnancies. I was VERY active before I became pregnant. However, my body let me know VERY CLEARLY when I tried to push myself too hard during my pregnancies. Doing plyometrics was a big no no for me from about 19 weeks on, and I listened. Heck… if I hadn’t listened, I highly doubt I would have remained pregnant for as long as I was both times (I had my twins at 30 weeks, and my newest little one, Cooper, tried to come for 4 weeks before he finally made his grand entrance at 37 weeks). In my experience, if you start getting dizzy, light-headed or sick, OR you start having contractions, you’re doing too much.

That being said, most doctors agree that there are ENORMOUS benefits to working out during pregnancy. Cardio is especially beneficial! In many cases, doctors see that women tend to gain less bad weight, and the baby grows better too. Furthermore, many women who maintain some type of exercise routine during their pregnancy find their labors to be easier. Strong abs and legs are ESSENTIAL to making all that pushing easier!!!

So make sure you’re listening to your body, and BE SURE to consult with your doctor, no matter what your activity level was before you got pregnant. Different conditions call for different activity levels during pregnancy. It’s all about monitoring your health and the health of that little cutie pie (or cutie pies! 🙂 )

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