Exercise in pregnancy?

Rosy Posy · 26-02-2014 12:05am

I played a full contact sport and gave this up immediately on finding out I was pregnant. I was told I could continue to 12 weeks but it just felt so wrong to be putting my body in that position and I couldn't commit to it. I kept up weight based circuit training and aerobic exercise to 30 weeks- after this I found it brought on contractions and also where I'm living it was very hot at the time and I was feeling unwell. I kept up hill walking to term although I varied my route to include less steep stretches and more shade towards the end. This is the only pregnancy where I've kept up my regular exercise routine and it's been my easiest pregnancy, birth and recovery yet. The advice I was given was to listen to my body, not push beyond comfort and not to try anything new.

madeinamerica · 27-02-2014 4:51am

Ah, its great to hear ye are getting on so well and keeping up exercise! It gives me hope that the 2nd trimester might be a bit easier and I'll get out doing a bit more.

Perfectblue, thanks for all the yoga advice, very useful. And the reassurances that nature will do some of the work! I've been checking out classes in my gym, but as it is in a university there are feck all pregnant women. So no prenatal specific classes. I was thinking of just going along to regular yoga and pilates classes and just telling the instructor I'm preggers. Would an average instructor know a few prenatal bits or should I just go find an actual prenatal one?

madeinamerica · 27-02-2014 5:00am

Rosy Posy, was it hard to give up your sport for now? I've stopped road cycling and also had to say no to 3 snowboarding weekends so far. I'm not too bothered about the cycling at the moment as it is Baltic and icy, but missing snowboarding is hard as it had been snowing a lot. Luckily (!) my other half hurt his knee snowboarding at Christmas so he can't go either, otherwise it'd be worse. And he's a handy excuse for us to miss it and not have to spill the beans

madeinamerica · 27-02-2014 5:05am

dub8 wrote: »

Other people do of course think im mad but they thought i was mad before

Lol, sure those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind :-P

Rosy Posy · 27-02-2014 6:54am

madeinamerica wrote: »

Rosy Posy, was it hard to give up your sport for now? I've stopped road cycling and also had to say no to 3 snowboarding weekends so far. I'm not too bothered about the cycling at the moment as it is Baltic and icy, but missing snowboarding is hard as it had been snowing a lot. Luckily (!) my other half hurt his knee snowboarding at Christmas so he can't go either, otherwise it'd be worse. And he's a handy excuse for us to miss it and not have to spill the beans

It was hard quitting my team without telling people at first. I had just had a miscarriage too and I had been playing while pregnant that time so it really didn't feel right to keep it up or to tell people early. It's pretty full on contact (roller derby) which also involves belly slamming the floor at speed so I didn't want to risk it. I'm also not going to be able to get back to it for a while as my abs are totally destroyed by this pregnancy (it's my fourth baby) and it really depends on core strength, which I'm going to have to work hard on over the next few months. Also there's a fair bit of time commitment involved that I just can't make with a new baby.

We had to miss skiing/snowboarding this year too- my oh also had a knee injury! We went for a winter sun holiday instead and did heaps of snorkeling which was lovely.

olaola · 27-02-2014 10:58am

madeinamerica wrote: »

Rosy Posy, was it hard to give up your sport for now? I've stopped road cycling and also had to say no to 3 snowboarding weekends so far. I'm not too bothered about the cycling at the moment as it is Baltic and icy, but missing snowboarding is hard as it had been snowing a lot. Luckily (!) my other half hurt his knee snowboarding at Christmas so he can't go either, otherwise it'd be worse. And he's a handy excuse for us to miss it and not have to spill the beans

Missing the snow killed me! I went on the holiday with the gang anyway, and I did a few snow hikes and met them up the mountain for lunch so I would feel a part of experience. Glad I went in the end. Think I would have exploded if I had to stay at home! The bike had to go into a friend's shed last Oct as we had the builders in and we don't have a new shed to put it in yet. So haven't been on two wheels in AGES! Was tempted to rent a Dublinbike just to see if the bump would be in the way.

Rosy Posy · 27-02-2014 8:54pm

olaola wrote: »

Missing the snow killed me! I went on the holiday with the gang anyway, and I did a few snow hikes and met them up the mountain for lunch so I would feel a part of experience. Glad I went in the end. Think I would have exploded if I had to stay at home! The bike had to go into a friend's shed last Oct as we had the builders in and we don't have a new shed to put it in yet. So haven't been on two wheels in AGES! Was tempted to rent a Dublinbike just to see if the bump would be in the way.

I cycled up to 7months but on a track with no cars and buses to negotiate. When I was in Dublin with my first pregnancy I cycled up to 5months and found it fine.

madeinamerica · 28-02-2014 12:34am

Rosy Posy wrote: »

It was hard quitting my team without telling people at first. I had just had a miscarriage too and I had been playing while pregnant that time so it really didn't feel right to keep it up or to tell people early. It's pretty full on contact (roller derby) which also involves belly slamming the floor at speed so I didn't want to risk it. I'm also not going to be able to get back to it for a while as my abs are totally destroyed by this pregnancy (it's my fourth baby) and it really depends on core strength, which I'm going to have to work hard on over the next few months. Also there's a fair bit of time commitment involved that I just can't make with a new baby.

We had to miss skiing/snowboarding this year too- my oh also had a knee injury! We went for a winter sun holiday instead and did heaps of snorkeling which was lovely.

Just have to say, Roller Derby?! Nice!

madeinamerica · 28-02-2014 12:42am

Rosy Posy wrote: »

I cycled up to 7months but on a track with no cars and buses to negotiate. When I was in Dublin with my first pregnancy I cycled up to 5months and found it fine.

A track sounds nice. I just cycle on the road here, road bike with a club and crappy commuter bike to work. I haven't had any problems with cars really (bar the odd clip off a wing mirror) but just erring on the side of caution. Most times I've fallen have been in slow-motion while clipped in at traffic lights... :rolleyes:

73trix · 03-03-2014 10:05pm

Any hikers? my GP said carry on as before but not to get out of breath. I love hiking but have avoided since I got pregnant becuase it was after Xmas and I'd not been hiking for 6 weeks or so then and thought my fitness would be off anyway but I've kept up jogging, just not as long and more gentle and I feel fine. Thinking about trying a hike when I get past 12weeks and just to go slower and take more breaks than normal.

Rosy Posy · 03-03-2014 11:25pm

73trix wrote: »

Any hikers? my GP said carry on as before but not to get out of breath. I love hiking but have avoided since I got pregnant becuase it was after Xmas and I'd not been hiking for 6 weeks or so then and thought my fitness would be off anyway but I've kept up jogging, just not as long and more gentle and I feel fine. Thinking about trying a hike when I get past 12weeks and just to go slower and take more breaks than normal.

I kept up hiking to 30 weeks but I stopped going with my 2yo on my back after I got a bump (around 16 weeks) as the baby backpack fastened around my hips. I didn't vary my pace at all but as we got into summer here I varied the route to be less steep and more in the shade. I probably could have kept going past 30 weeks but by then we were in to 30 degree heat and my older kids were on school holiday so it didn't really suit.

olaola · 04-03-2014 1:01pm

We went hiking in Jan (about 26 weeks), but just with the weather, nothing since! I'm not much of a hiker though, but a friend was hiking up until about 4 weeks before she delivered. I'd say it's a great exercise as you can take it as easy as you want if you're feeling out of breath.

madeinamerica · 06-03-2014 4:55pm

olaola wrote: »

We went hiking in Jan (about 26 weeks), but just with the weather, nothing since! I'm not much of a hiker though, but a friend was hiking up until about 4 weeks before she delivered. I'd say it's a great exercise as you can take it as easy as you want if you're feeling out of breath.

Hiking sounds pretty useful alright, a bit of exertion but managable, I must make an effort to do it. i've a work conference in a national park here in June, if it isnt too hot I wanna hike a bit.

olaola · 06-03-2014 5:59pm

GAH! I wish people would stop telling me to 'rest'. (No health professionals now, mind you!) Rest is not cumulative. It's not as if I'll be on day 5 with no sleep & trying to feed a crying baby and say, 'I wish I had sat on the couch that day, 5 weeks ago, instead of going for a walk'.

Especially as one of the important things you're supposed to be doing to help bring on your labour *IS* walk. So I just sit on my arse for 4 weeks, and then when my due date rolls around I'm supposed to suddenly get up and stomp the streets.

/rant over.

Rosy Posy · 07-03-2014 1:13am

olaola wrote: »

GAH! I wish people would stop telling me to 'rest'. (No health professionals now, mind you!) Rest is not cumulative. It's not as if I'll be on day 5 with no sleep & trying to feed a crying baby and say, 'I wish I had sat on the couch that day, 5 weeks ago, instead of going for a walk'.

Especially as one of the important things you're supposed to be doing to help bring on your labour *IS* walk. So I just sit on my arse for 4 weeks, and then when my due date rolls around I'm supposed to suddenly get up and stomp the streets.

/rant over.

Also beware of 'put your feet up'...NOT helpful for optimal foetal positioning and a quick labour!

olaola · 07-03-2014 9:45am

Rosy Posy wrote: »

Also beware of 'put your feet up'...NOT helpful for optimal foetal positioning and a quick labour!

I know!! It's more like, what's the best way to get the baby into a breech position.

Jerrica · 07-03-2014 9:54am

Rosy Posy wrote: »

Also beware of 'put your feet up'...NOT helpful for optimal foetal positioning and a quick labour!

Ah but putting your feet up after you've had a long day (with exercise) is a great way to keep swelling down

I'm really starting to see the difference in my exercise now (21 weeks) - half an hour of moderate intensity is quite enough, and at times I'm really having to work on my breathing to keep myself nice and relaxed. Great practice for labour I guess :pac:

I'd say it won't be too long before I'm finding swimming and walking to be the most manageable exercises.

Oh and anyone finding their balance completely shot? I never knew how many times during the day I subconsciously do things on one foot (leaning over, reaching for things), now I have to make sure I'm clutching something to keep me steady!!

Rosy Posy · 07-03-2014 10:48pm

Jerrica wrote: »

Ah but putting your feet up after you've had a long day (with exercise) is a great way to keep swelling down

Just don't do it too much in the last two weeks or you could encourage your baby to stargaze (op presentation) which makes for a long labour with lots of back pain.

The best thing that I found for swollen ankles was going for a walk on the beach with my feet in the surf. I definitely noticed the balance thing if I ventured further out though. Waves are not the pregnant woman's friend!

madeinamerica · 15-03-2014 4:06pm

So, my exercise attempts have gone out the window these last couple of Weeks. The nausea and exhuastion just took over, it was hard enough to just go to work and sleep without falling apart! I have a three mile round trip walk to work, so i've been doing that 5 days a week, albeit very slowly (it used to take me 25min each way, for a while there it was 45min each way :O slow shuffle walk!). Went for a short hike on a visit to a friend last weekend which was again slow (the girls waited with me while the lads went hill running) but lovely to get out tramping round a snowy hilly forest. Feeling less exhuasted now so I'm hoping to get an actual jog going one of these days. The weather has improved too, from -15 to about +5. My runners look lonely...!

I'd really intended to keep up running so I'm kinda disappointed but I didn't realise it could feel this bad. I'm 13+4 now, hope the hideousness is over soon and the niceness of the 2nd trimester begins!

Rosy Posy · 15-03-2014 7:11pm

madeinamerica wrote: »

So, my exercise attempts have gone out the window these last couple of Weeks. The nausea and exhuastion just took over, it was hard enough to just go to work and sleep without falling apart! I have a three mile round trip walk to work, so i've been doing that 5 days a week, albeit very slowly (it used to take me 25min each way, for a while there it was 45min each way :O slow shuffle walk!). Went for a short hike on a visit to a friend last weekend which was again slow (the girls waited with me while the lads went hill running) but lovely to get out tramping round a snowy hilly forest. Feeling less exhuasted now so I'm hoping to get an actual jog going one of these days. The weather has improved too, from -15 to about +5. My runners look lonely...!

I'd really intended to keep up running so I'm kinda disappointed but I didn't realise it could feel this bad. I'm 13+4 now, hope the hideousness is over soon and the niceness of the 2nd trimester begins!

I found exercise the hardest in the first trimester- the nausea and the debilitating tiredness! It will get easier, just do what you can now and know it'll be better soon

j@utis · 15-03-2014 9:40pm

a quick Q for a pregnant cyclists: what cycling shorts/pants do you wear? I'm talking about the padded ones. Do padded maternity cycling shorts/pants exist? I'm afraid not!
I have a road bike and a pile of cycling gear but I'm 21weeks now and the bump is substantial, so there's no chance anything of that gear still fits me. Weather has been so nice last few days and I'm very keen to get back to cycling but I need new cycling clothing now, arrrggghhhh.

madeinamerica · 16-03-2014 5:55am

j@utis wrote: »

a quick Q for a pregnant cyclists: what cycling shorts/pants do you wear? I'm talking about the padded ones. Do padded maternity cycling shorts/pants exist? I'm afraid not!
I have a road bike and a pile of cycling gear but I'm 21weeks now and the bump is substantial, so there's no chance anything of that gear still fits me. Weather has been so nice last few days and I'm very keen to get back to cycling but I need new cycling clothing now, arrrggghhhh.

I see plenty of guys cycling with huge bellies, they must get their shorts from somewhere!

madeinamerica · 24-03-2014 6:22pm

I did two little short runs over the weekend, so happy! Its been far too long. I'm 15w now, I'm still nauseous but not as tired as I was, and Saturday was a lovely day so I decided to chance a return. Walked 1/2 mile to the river, jogged a mile out and one back, then walked the 1/2 mile home again. Wore my gps on Sunday and was averaging 11.5min/mile with HR about 140. It felt alright, not as exhausting as before. Only 2 miles but good to be out trotting along. Yeay! Here's hoping I can do this a few times a week.

Moonbeam · 24-03-2014 9:06pm

On my 3rd I had a 1.8km walk to the school and the same back while pushing a double buggy ,
It is hard at the start and at the end but I think it probably did me good . on the very cold days it was hardest .

madeinamerica wrote: »

So, my exercise attempts have gone out the window these last couple of Weeks. The nausea and exhuastion just took over, it was hard enough to just go to work and sleep without falling apart! I have a three mile round trip walk to work, so i've been doing that 5 days a week, albeit very slowly (it used to take me 25min each way, for a while there it was 45min each way :O slow shuffle walk!). Went for a short hike on a visit to a friend last weekend which was again slow (the girls waited with me while the lads went hill running) but lovely to get out tramping round a snowy hilly forest. Feeling less exhuasted now so I'm hoping to get an actual jog going one of these days. The weather has improved too, from -15 to about +5. My runners look lonely...!

I'd really intended to keep up running so I'm kinda disappointed but I didn't realise it could feel this bad. I'm 13+4 now, hope the hideousness is over soon and the niceness of the 2nd trimester begins!

househunter · 03-04-2014 1:42pm

Nice to have a thread dedicated to exercise in pregnancy

On my first I was much better at keeping it up, but this time not so good so far.

After my son was born i was back running when he was 5 weeks old but I was very inconsistent for the first few months, then I got better at getting out a few times a week (it was a nice escape) and then waned a bit and then i got pregnant again. I'm getting back into it now (nearly 13 weeks gone). I really want to keep it up because I really think it helps to be fit. It certainly doesn't hurt anyway.

olaola · 03-04-2014 2:08pm

39+2 today. NO sign of baby! So am walking as much as I can. Two decent 3km power walks around the canal is my goal. Also helps the sleeping at night!

househunter · 03-04-2014 4:26pm

I did loads of walking the day before i went into labour the last time. Walked the legs off myself, and sure enough that night I went into labour (2 days over)! Good luck!!

FurBabyMomma · 04-04-2014 8:30am

I'm 15+2 and atm walking the dogs around an hour and a half a day. Couldn't manage as long in the first trimester as was exhausted but getting some energy back now. I'm concerned it's not going to keep me actually toned though. I'm signing up for an aquanatal class and trying to find yoga. Not a huge range of choice in KK. Also pregnancy classes are ludicrously expensive!

househunter · 04-04-2014 10:05am

FurBabyMomma, I did a yoga class when I was pregnant the last time but I also got a really good DVD that I did at home whenever I felt like it. Its divided into sections too so you can do the short "relaxation" part if you don't have time for the whole thing. It was Pregnancy Health Yoga with Tara Lee

I also had a pilates one. It was more of a workout so was good if I wanted to burn some energy. It was 10 Minute Solution - Prenatal Pilates - again divided into 10 min sections that work on different parts of the body. When i stopped running towards the end of my pregnancy I continued to use these DVDs. They're both on Amazon but there are loads of other ones too

madeinamerica · 04-04-2014 1:04pm

Thanks house hunter. I will vcheck out those. I'm going to my first prenatal class this weekend. Been meaning to go this 2 Weeks but felt too pukey. but it's $20 for a drop in and $16 for a run of 5, so I won't be able to keep that up for long. ($ kinda equals euros with what I'm earning here)

I'm walking 3 miles a day to work (total) and getting one or two of 2-3 mile jogs at wkend. Not a lot. There are lunch time runs starting up from my work next week so that might get me out of the lab at lunch time. my other half did a half marathon on Sunday. I was delighted for him, new PB, but a but green with envy of all the happy runners on that cold rainy windy morning

I'm due in September. !

Exercise in pregnancy?

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