If You are Currently Pregnant or are Postpartum and Ready to Start a Workout Routine, Please Read This BEFORE You Do

As a trainer, I’ve worked with over 20 women who have either been pregnant while training and/or trained with me about 8 weeks after giving birth. Because I have worked so closely with this group of women I am able to discuss what works best for their workout regimen.

NOTE: It is important to note that before going out and enrolling in any fitness program you should speak with your doctor first to make sure you are cleared to do so. Every woman is different so just go in and make sure your doctor gives you the okay to get your fitness on during or after pregnancy.

Let’s start with the benefits of exercise during pre & post natal pregnancy. It is important during pregnancy to limit your stress as your baby feels ALL of the emotions YOU are feeling. So crazy, right? Therefore, since working out has proven to boost serotonin levels (happy hormones), baby gets these endorphin surges too. Both you and baby will have happier moods and there will be less stress and risk of injury. Even after you’ve delivered your baby (after being cleared by your doctor) it is important to continue working out as having a new baby comes with some crazy new sleep schedules and so on. Limit the stress and PLEASE, I encourage you to find time for yourself to get in those quick workouts to clear your mind and be the best Momma you can be for you and for baby. Before and after delivery, if you’ve been exercising regularly, you will notice reduced weight gain as for someone who did not workout during their pregnancy. An average woman should only gain about 25-35lbs, my clients who trained with my while pregnant stayed at the lower end of this spectrum and had very healthy pregnancies. I also noticed that when they came back to train with me after delivering their baby, they were able to lose this weight quicker than someone who did not workout/stay active during their pregnancy. These women healed faster and were back to their pre baby weight in no time (and yes, breastfeeding plays a factor in this). Moral of the story is, if you’re able to workout during/ after pregnancy, PLEASE DO SO for you and baby!

Now let’s talk about what to do and what not to do during those workouts before and after pregnancy. Continue to strength train using weights, but be mindful of your form as that is crucial! It is not recommended to be heavy lifting/power lifting as this might put too much pressure on your pelvis and baby which can lead to possible injury. Continue to STAY HYDRATED, especially throughout workouts as your baby needs as much fluid as possible during those sweaty workouts, just as post pregnancy you need to continue drinking water (especially if you’re breastfeeding). Continue to focus on core stability (planks, balancing, lunges, etc.) as this will increase the strength of the core muscles and aid in decreased symptoms of diastis recti (both pre and post pregnancy). Make sure you are stretching and breathing as this also will decrease your risk of injury. Some things to avoid pre and post pregnancy are crunches and low squats. Crunches put too much pressure on your abdominals and low back. This might actually increase symptoms of diastis recti as the abdominal walls have not yet had time to heal which might increase the separation of these walls even more. Instead of crunches do more planks, side planks, and pilates based movements where you are focusing on your breath and drawing your abdominals inward. As for low squats, again, this might put too much pressure on the pelvis and back. Squats are still very important during exercise so I recommend only going down about 90 degrees legs parallel to the floor. You are still getting the same benefits in these squats, but being cautious not to increase risk of injury both pre and post pregnancy.

I can go on and on about pre and post natal exercising but I’d have to write a novel. Instead, if you have any questions PLEASE feel free to message me and I can help you from there. I have recently started my Pre/Post Natal Online Training programs and have been able to work closely to these ladies throughout their stages of pregnancy even being states away. It’s a truly rewarding experience and I love being there throughout their pregnancy journeys as a trainer and a friend. Click on the Online Personal Training tab to schedule your free fitness consultation with me to discuss your future Pre/Post Natal training plan.