Pregnancy and exercise
There is no doubt about it – pregnancy is physically demanding! Regular exercise is an essential way of
helping your body cope with the increased demands on your joints, muscles, heart and lungs.
Benefits of exercise in pregnancy
Do your pelvic floor exercises
•
Pelvicfloormuscleexercisesareessential.Besure
toexerciseyourpelvicfloormusclesbefore,during
andafterpregnancy.
•
Regularexercise(attherightintensity)can
helpreducebackpain,improveormaintain
muscletone,reducelegcramps,swellingand
constipation,andimprovesleeppatterns.
Womenwhoexerciseregularlyoftenfeelbetter
aboutthemselvesandtheirchangingbody
duringpregnancy.
Aswellasimprovedfitness,womenwho
exercisearelesslikelytoexperiencefatigue
duetoimprovedsleep,arelessanxiousand
experiencereducedpainperceptionand
neuromusculartension.
Dos and don’ts of pregnancy exercise
Everypregnantwomanshouldtakespecial
precautionswithexerciseduringpregnancy.To
helpyouwithasafeexerciseprogramduringyour
pregnancy,considerthefollowing:
Consult your doctor or midwife
Itisimportanttoconsultwithyourdoctoror
midwifewhenstartinganewexerciseprogram
orwhencontinuingwithyourcurrentexercise
programduringpregnancy.Youshoulddiscussany
problemsordiscomforttodetermineifyouneedto
takeanyspecialprecautions.Thetypeandamount
ofexercisethatyounormallydoandhavedone
recentlywillinfluencetheadvicegivenbyyour
doctorormidwife.
Watch your level of intensity
Topreventoverheatingandreduceyourriskof
injury,itisrecommendedthatyouexerciseatan
intensitylevelbetween‘light’and‘somewhathard’.
Wear a bra
Wearagoodsupportivebrawhileexercisingand
checkyourswimwearforsupportifyouaredoing
wateraerobics.
Watch your posture
Aimtomaintaincorrectformandpostureduring
exercise.Braceyourabdominalmusclesandbe
awareofyourbackatalltimes.Maintaingood
posturewhenstanding:standtall,withyour
abdominalmusclesgentlydrawninandyour
shouldersback,andgentlydropyourchin.Tryto
maintainthispositionregularlyduringtheday.
Eat carbohydrates before exercise
Alwayseatfoodcontainingcarbohydrates1–2hours
beforeexercising,asyourbloodsugarlevelscan
fluctuaterapidlyduringpregnancy.Carryjuicewith
youtodrinkifyoufeelfaintordizzy.Ifthisoccurs,
slowdownorstopexercising.
Be aware of the effects of pregnancy hormones
Pregnancyhormonessoftenyourjointsand
ligaments,whichmayincreasetheriskofinjury
duringpregnancy.Takecarewhenstretchingand
avoidcontactsportsafterthefirsttrimester,oron
adviceofyourdoctorormidwife.
Do pregnancy abdominal bracing exercises
Stopdoingabdominalcurlsandcrunchesas
soonasyouarepregnant.Youcandopregnancy
abdominalbracingexercisesonaregularbasis.
Monitor your rectus diastasis
Thisisthegapbetweenyourabdominalmuscles
thatdevelopsduringpregnancy.Youcandecrease
thewidthofthisgapbyusingcorrectposture,
ceasingabdominalcurlsandcrunches,andlearning
howtodopregnancyabdominalbracingcorrectly.
Itiswisetokeeparegularcheckonthewidthof
thisgap.Ifyouareunsureofhowtodothis,your
midwifeorphysiotherapistcancheckthisgapfor
you.
Do not overheat
Takecarenottooverheatduringpregnancyand
avoidbecomingdehydratedasthisraisesyour
coretemperatureandcouldharmyourbaby.Avoid
exercisinginhightemperaturesorhighhumidity.
Chooseacoolertimeofthedaytoexercise.
Alwaystakeawaterbottlewithyouwhenyou
exercise,eveninapool,becausedehydrationcan
stilloccurinwater.Ifyouareinagroupexercise
class,positionyourselfclosertothefanorairconditioning.
Do not exercise on your back
Avoidlyingonyourbacktoexerciseafter16weeks
intoyourpregnancy,orasadvisedbyyourdoctor
ormidwife.Chooseexercises/stretchesthatare
donewhileseated,upright,lyingonyoursideoron
yourhandsandknees.
Ideal exercises during pregnancy
(ifnocomplications)
•
Walking
•
Lowimpactaerobics
•
Wateraerobics
•
Pregnancyexerciseclasses
•
Cycling(onastationarybike)
•
Swimming(freestylenotbreaststroke)
•
Lightweighttraining(seeyourfitness
instructorforassistancewithyourprogram)
Exercises to avoid during pregnancy
•
Heavyweights
•
Bouncing–especiallystarjumpsorsimilar
activities
•
Contactsports
•
Anyactivitiesorexercisesthatcausepain
•
Excessivetwistingandturningactivities
•
Exercisesthatrequireyoutoholdyourbreath
•
Exercisesthatinvolvestandingononelegfora
periodoftime
•
Pushingoffwithonelegatatimewhen
swimming–trytopushoffwithbothfeetwhen
youturnattheendofthepool
•
Excessivebreaststrokeattheendofyour
pregnancy,asthisputsstressonyourpelvis
•
Prolongedstandingstaticexercisese.g.
standingstillanddoingarmweightsforalong
periodoftime
•
Highlychoreographedexercisesorthose
involvingsuddenchangesindirection
•
Liftingyourhiptothesidewhilekneelingon
yourhandsandknees
•
Activitiesinvolvingsuddenchangesinintensity
•
Exercisesthatincreasethecurveinyourlower
back
•
Highimpactorjerkymovements
•
Prolongedbouncing,asthiscanoverstretchthe
pelvicfloormuscles
Benefits of exercising in water
•
Avoidsuddenlystoppingwhileexercising
asthiscancauselowbloodpressure,light
headednessorfainting.Ifyouneedtostop
exercising,keepyourfeetmovingtohelpthe
bloodflowbacktotheheart.
•
Donotexerciseifyouareunwellorextremely
fatigued.
•
Rememberthatpainorshortnessofbreath
shouldnotbefeltatanytime.STOPexercising
andseekadvicefromyourdoctorormidwifeif
youexperienceanyofthefollowing:
Therearemanybenefitsofexercisinginwater
duringpregnancy,outlinedbelow:
•
Yourbodyweightissupportedduringwater
exercise.Thisplaceslessstressonjointsand
ligamentsthanexercisingonland,sothereis
lesschanceofjointinjury.
•
Theweightofyouruterusissupported,so
womenexperiencelessabdominalheaviness
whenexercisinginwater,especiallyinthelast
fewmonthsofpregnancy.
•
Youcanexerciserightuptoyourduedate,if
medicalcheck-upspermit.However,ensurethe
temperatureofthewaterdoesnotexceed32
degreesCelsius.
•
Thepressureofthewaterhelpstoimprove
venousbloodflowandthiscanhelptoreduce
swellinginyourlowerlimbs.
•
Exercisinginwatercanberelaxingandhelp
relievepain.
•
Youcanexperiencelessmusclesorenesswhen
exercisinginwaterthanafterexercisingon
land.
More tips for exercise during pregnancy
•
NOTHINGshouldhurt!Exerciseshouldmake
youfeelgood,gentlyincreaseyourfitness
andbefun.Ifanyexercisecausespain,stopit
immediatelyoradvisetheinstructorifyouare
inaclass.
•
Exercisinginaheatedpoolcansometimes
causeadropinbloodpressure.Ifyoufeeldizzy
orshortofbreath,letyourinstructorknowand
takeabreakonthesteps.Forthesamereason,
youmaywanttositforaboutfiveminutes
beforeyouraceoffafteraclassorswimming.
•
Havearestduringexerciseifyoufeelyouneed
one.Remembertoworkatyourownpaceand
donotcompeteifyouareinaclasssituation.
Ifyouareunabletocomfortablytalkwhile
exercising,youareprobablyworkingtoohard.
Donotpushthroughpainorfatigue.
•
Itisimportanttotakemoretimetowarmup
andcooldownwhenyouarepregnant,to
prepareyourbodyforexerciseandtoprevent
bloodpoolinginyourlegsorlegcramps.
oDizziness,faintness,headaches,blurred
vision,nauseaorvomiting
oAnykindofpainornumbness
oDiscomfortorfeelingextremelytiredafter youhaveexercised
oVaginalbleeding,contractions,leaking
amnioticfluid(thewateraroundyourbaby),
orreducedmovementsofyourbaby
When can I return to exercise or sport
after the birth?
Participatinginsport,runningorotherhigh
impactactivitiesearlyafterchildbirthmayactually
reducepelvicfloormusclestrengthandcause
long-termbladderandbowelproblemsorpelvic
organprolapse.Youcanminimisetheriskofthese
developingwithsomecarefulprecautions.
Pregnancy Pelvic Floor Plan app
TheContinenceFoundationofAustraliahas
developedafreeappforwomenaboutbladder,
bowelandpelvicfloorhealthduringpregnancy.
Theearlypostnatalperiodisaboutrest,recovery
andbondingwithyournewbaby.Youcanstart
withyourpelvicfloorexercisesandpostnatal
abdominalmusclebracingduringthistime.
Itisrecommendedthatyouwaituntilyoursixweek
postnatalcheckbeforeincreasingyourintensity
level.Low-impactexercisesuchaswalkingis
recommendedduringthistime.Aimtoincrease
yourdistanceandspeedgradually.
Itisimportanttocheckwithyourdoctor,midwife
orcontinenceprofessionalbeforereturningto
exercise.
ReadtheReturningtosportorexerciseafterthe
birthfactsheetformoreinformation.
Where to get help
Formoreinformationaboutpelvicfloorexercises,
pregnancyandpostnatalabdominalmuscle
bracing,andwheretogethelpforpelvicfloor
problems,goto:
• pelvicfloorfirst.org.au
• thepregnancycentre.com.au
TheNational Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66)
isstaffedbycontinencenurseadvisorswho
provideadvice,referralsandresourcesabout
incontinence.TheHelplineisafreeand
confidentialservicemanagedbytheContinence
FoundationofAustraliaonbehalfoftheAustralian
Government.Itisstaffed8am-8pmAESTMonday
toFriday.
BydownloadingthefreePregnancyPelvicFloor
Planapp,youcan:
•
Readtipsonlookingafteryourpelvicfloor,
bladderandbowelduringpregnancy
•
Learnhowtodopelvicfloorexercisesand
receivereminders
•
Learnaboutsafeexerciseduringandafter
pregnancy
•
Readhealthandwellbeingtipsonlooking
afteryourself
•
Findlocalservicesforpelvicfloorproblems
•
Enteryourduedatetoreceiveinformation
relevanttoyourstageof pregnancy
©ContinenceFoundationofAustralia–ThePregnancyCentre
2014.ReproducedwithkindpermissionfromThePregnancy
Centre.
PelvicFloorFirstisaninitiativeoftheContinenceFoundationof
Australia.SupportedbyfundingfromtheAustralianGovernment
undertheNationalContinenceProgram.